Throwing her arms in the air while cheering on jockeys, the Queen looked back on form at the Royal Windsor Horse show on Friday as she put on an animated display despite her ongoing health concerns.
Beaming proudly, the 96-year-old monarch raised cheers of delight as she made her first public appearance since March at what is one of her favourite events of the year.
And, while her mobility was clearly limited, her spirits were most definitely not as she accepted a trophy after her horse was named supreme champion.
On Tuesday she reluctantly missed the State Opening of Parliament on the advice of royal doctors and delegated her role – for the first time – to the Prince of Wales and Duke of Cambridge.
It was the latest in a string of cancelled public appearances which have led to widespread concern for Her Majesty’s health.
She was last seen in public when she attended a service commemorating the life of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, on March 29.
But the sovereign, who will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee next month, couldn’t have looked perkier as she drove from Windsor Castle to the world-famous horse show in the grounds of the estate.
She has not missed an event since the show started in 1943 and had several horses competing in various classes.
Looking relaxed and animated, the head of state sat in her Range Rover and watched entrants in the parade ring as she chatted to officials and members of staff through the open passenger window.
Wearing a blue cardigan, grey skirt and her familiar headscarf – as well as sunglasses and carrying a favourite handbag – the Queen spent almost an hour chatting to friends including retired racehorse trainer Henrietta Knight.
Colin Brooks, chairman of the show’s committee, also shared a joke with the Queen, and her head groom Terry Pendry was on hand to offer his expertise.
The Queen had arrived to watch the Highland Class 64 event and was duly rewarded when her grey dun mare, Balmoral Leia, was named winner – and later announced as supreme champion.
Dozens of members of the public were keen to get a glimpse of the Queen.
Cathy Paige, an American tourist from Massachusetts, said she was in awe after standing just a few feet from her, adding: ‘I didn’t expect to see her. That was a wish, a dream, but never a possibility. It was a moment I’ll never forget.’
Later the monarch joined the Earl and Countess of Wessex to watch her granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor, in a carriage display marking the centenary of the Fell Pony Society.
Poignantly, she was driving Prince Philip’s ponies and trap.
The Queen was spotted walking into the arena using her stick and taking a lift up to her place in the stands, where she sat with her family and friend Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma – Philip’s former carriage-driving partner.
Buckingham Palace has recently moved to temper expectations about the Queen’s appearances in public.
But, if yesterday’s heartening show is anything to go by, hopes are high that we’ll see more of her during the jubilee celebrations.
It came after the Queen made a secret trip to see her own horses this week as she missed the first day of the event yesterday. 14 of her animals will be taking part over the coming days, and the monarch was visibly delighted to see them in action.
As the Range Rover pulled up near the parade ring yesterday, the Queen spoke to a small group, thought to be officials from the show, through the open car window.
She appeared relaxed, smiling and laughing as she chatted, while just a few feet away dozens of photographers tried to capture the moment.
Inside the parade ring, horses were put through their paces as relaxing classical music was played over the public address system.
Dozens of members of the public were also keen to have a memento of the occasion, holding up camera phones to record their glimpse of the Queen.
The monarch was last seen in public when she attended a service commemorating the life of her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, in March with senior royals and a congregation of hundreds.
She reached her Platinum Jubilee in February, overcame a bout of Covid after testing positive that month, and celebrated her 96th birthday on April 21 privately at her Sandringham estate.
Last October, she spent a night in hospital and over the following three months was under doctors’ orders to only conduct light duties so missed a number of prominent events.
The Queen has been using a walking stick in public since she attended a service marking the centenary of the Royal British Legion last October.