Queen surveys flood damage on horseback
With more flooding expected around Windsor, and the banks of the River Thames already under 4-feet of water, the Queen, 81, was unable to ride her normal route yesterday.
In a message to victims of the flooding, the Monarch said, “I have been shocked and deeply concerned by the extent of the devastation caused by the most recent severe flooding across large parts of the country.”
Her Majesty sympathized with “all the many people whose homes have been damaged, livelihoods threatened, or who have been affected by the power and water shortages. May I also express my continued admiration for the emergency services, military personnel, local authorities and volunteers working tirelessly and selflessly to bring people to safety and avert further damage.”
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By LifeTimes » The Queen surveys floods on July 26th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
John I don’t know if you have heard this but over at the royalist site it calims that an announcement was made that HM sent in a personal donation to the Red Cross fund set up for this emergency. As I have always believed HM is a class act who cares deeply for the country and the people.
By Trudie on July 26th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
I agree with you, Trudie. I have always adored Queen Elizabeth II and think she is a remarkable woman and an inspiring Monarch whose devotion to her people has made a tremendous difference in Great Britain.
Thanks for posting the photograph of the Queen on horseback, John!
By Gigi on July 26th, 2007 at 9:52 pm
This may be the first picture I’ve seen of her riding astride. Back when she rode Burmese for Trooping the Colour, she did it sidesaddle.
By Aunt Pierre on July 26th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
I have seen photographs of the Queen riding astride when she was much younger, but not recently. I have seen photographs of Sir Winston Churchill riding horses when he was in his mid-to-late 70s, but to ride any horse at age 81 is very impressive and speaks volumes about the personal discipline, athletic skills and amazing vitality of Queen Elizabeth II.
By Gigi on July 26th, 2007 at 10:33 pm
Gigi think you do alot of typos? Check my post I misspelled Claims hehe we’re in a class by ourselves and I agree to ride at the age of 81 is nothing short of amazing. May she reign another 20 years or more. Now lets see what the rest of her family do besides PR given sympathy.
By Trudie on July 27th, 2007 at 12:27 am
Wow, that horse is a BEAUTIFUL horse!
And what a better way to get a really good look at the flood damage? Sure, a helicopter would give her a better view on a larger scale, but this is a good way to see it down on the ground.
If she did make a donation - that’s terrific.
By On The Outside on July 27th, 2007 at 12:36 am
The Queen was never as outgoing as her younger sister, but she makes up for it in dedication, discipline and lifelong service. I, for one, would prefer that to the party lifestyle any day.
By John on July 27th, 2007 at 9:02 am
I know that the Queen does not ride horseback anymore during The Trooping of The Colour but I want to know, can she choose to ride horseback again during the ceremony? I think it would be great is she did.
By Claudius on July 27th, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Apart from her age, there was the incident last time she rode when a man fired a starting pistol from the crowd and her horse reared. She didn’t panic, but steadied him and then walked on as if nothing had happened.
At 81, I think she doesn’t need that any more.
By John on July 27th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
I think the Queen can choose to do whatever she wishes to do, but my guess is that she will not resume taking the salute at Trooping the Color on horseback and will continue to ride with Prince Philip in the carriage. It is one thing to ride for pleasure for a period of time set by your own limits, and quite another to ride for ceremony where the lengthy and demanding protocol of the program would strain the stamina of a far younger person. I am astounded that the Queen took the salute on horseback all the years that she did. It is very exhausting to perform the ceremonial precision drill, control the horse and maintain perfect form and control for a lengthy period of time. The Queen is an expert horsewoman, but she is also 81 years of age. John, what is your opinion?
By Gigi on July 27th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
An English friend told me back in 1987 that no one had thought to train a replacement for Burmese, the horse the queen used to ride. That left the queen without a mount once Burmese retired, whereupon HM began reviewing the troops in a carriage. Whether my friend’s information was accurate, I don’t know.
By Aunt Pierre on July 27th, 2007 at 10:00 pm
The Queen has been pictured riding astride frequently. There was a lovely picture a few years ago of HM, Princess Anne and Zara. I think they were all mounted on piebalds or paints. I’ve also seen a very iconic picture of the Queen and Reagan riding out a Windsor Castle. They were pictured from the back, and you couldn’t see their faces, but you didn’t need to be told that it was the President and the Queen.
I really wish she’d start wearing a cap.
By Jasper on July 28th, 2007 at 2:08 am
I think that was part of the problem, Aunt Pierre. There were also security reasons after someone shot at the Queen from the crowd. She was just too vulnerable on horseback.
By John on July 28th, 2007 at 9:53 am
She never wears a riding hat, Jasper. A couple of years ago she fell off and broke her wrist.
The Reagan shots were very good. Once a cowboy always a cowboy, eh?
By John on July 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Now that you say that, John, I cannot recall ever seeing a photograph of the Queen wearing a riding hat, not even when she was a young woman. Is this a personal preference on the part of the Queen or is the riding hat less a part of the equestrian costume in England than it is here in America?
By Gigi on July 28th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
She just chooses not to, Gigi. Almost all riding events insist on it now for insurance and ‘elf and safety reasons. But HM
sailsrides on without one.If it’s not a crown or a Hermes scarf she’s just not interested.
By John on July 28th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
LOL John you are hilarious! You know very well that the Queen wears beautiful hats, coordinated with her lovely outfits, to each event she attends. Nevertheless, to misquote slightly, “it’s good to be Queen and have your own way.”
A scarf is far more comfortable than a riding hat. A Hermes scarf is better than anything I can imagine!
By Gigi on July 28th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
As far as i know she has been urged to wear a riding hat to conform with best practice but she grew up in the times when there was no such thing as a safety hat when riding. if she wanted to ride in a competition she would have to wear one for insurance purposes but there is no law requiring the wearing of a hat when riding out for pleasure.
I don’t know if the Queen ever hunted but I’ve never seen anybody not wear a hat hunting though people of her generation might wear a bowler type hat which would be just as useless as the scarf she wears.
By Eliza on July 28th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
My daughter rides and has never done so without her riding hat. In summer, the heat here is oppressive, between 100-105 degrees, but even in the worst heat, her riding instructor was adamant that the riding hats stayed on their heads. Nothing cooler or lighter, such as a baseball hat, was permitted. It is especially important when she jumps horses but she wears the hat even when she goes trail riding in the hills. I think you are right, Eliza, in the times when the Queen was learning to ride, in the mid to late 1930’s, riding hats were not part of the required riding outfit. By the time my daughter learned to ride horses, things had changed.
By Gigi on July 29th, 2007 at 2:18 am
I learnt to ride in the late seventies and i only ever wore a hat when involved in pony club events or hunting but then things are lax in a farm. If we were sent off to ‘go for the cows’ for milking my brother or sisters or me might not have bothered getting a saddle never mind a hat for ourselves. Things were freer then and i understand perfectly why the Queen doesn’t wear a hat, its just much more liberating.
Having said that if i my daughters ride i guarantee they will not be seen without one.
Riding is more dangerous than people realise.
By Eliza on July 29th, 2007 at 7:21 am
I learned to ride when I was at university, at a nearby farm where they had a few horses — three hunters and a wonderful black thoroughbred called Lucky. The daughters of the farmer gave informal instructions and nobody wore a hat. I didn’t either.
I vividly recall being told off for galloping down a country road on Lucky and overtaking some slower traffic. In retrospect, it was probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done and deserved my ticking off.
The pictures of Zara’s recent fall show how necessary riding hats are.
By John on July 29th, 2007 at 9:48 am
…and don’t forget though, that even these hats may not fully protect the rider - just look at the late Christopher Reeves.
By On The Outside on July 29th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
He broke his back, didn’t he? You’re right, no riding hat would protect against that.
By John on July 29th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Christopher Reeve was paralyzed because of a severe spinal cord injury sustained when he fell from his mount and landed on the back of his neck. The way that he fell, the force with which he landed, and the area of his body which sustained the most impact made his injury so damaging and debilitating it is a wonder he survived the fall. I don’t know how that could have been prevented, except for him not to have been riding a horse. It was a very tragic accident.
By Gigi on July 29th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
My apologies to Henrietta for losing her informative comment on the reasons the Queen gave up riding to TOTC.
The moderation panel swallowed it, I’m afraid. If you’d like to repeat it, I’ll make sure it gets on.
By John on August 2nd, 2007 at 5:11 pm
LOL “The moderation panel swallowed it…” John you are hilarious!
Also, my English friend says it is “Trooping the Color” not “Trooping OF the Color.” Which is it?
By Gigi on August 2nd, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Gigi, both are used widely. Most people say TOTC. I suppose technically it may be TTC, but in English they both have the same meaning.
By John on August 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 am