Queen Elizabethmade a surprise appearance among the crowds at the Windsor Horse Show on Friday.
The monarch, 96, was driven the short distance from her Windsor Castle home to see three of her fell ponies take part in the race. She watched the event from the comfort of her Range Rover — and was overjoyed to see one of them, Balmoral Leia, win the Highland Class.
The Queen, who missed the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday due to"episodic mobility problems,“was all smiles during the outing. Dressed in a sweater and collared shirt, she alsosported her bright pink lipstick.
“She was in great spirits,” an observer tells PEOPLE. “People she knows in the horse world were being brought to her to talk to her at the window. You can see she is in really good form.”
Queen Elizabeth.James Whatling/MEGA
Queen Elizabeth.PA Images/Alamy Stock Photo
Queen Elizabeth.Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
It is the first time she has been seen in public since she attended theThanksgiving Servicefor her beloved late husbandPrince Philipon March 29.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Edward.Tim Rooke/Shutterstock
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The Windsor Horse Show isone of the Queen’s favorite annual events. As it takes place near her castle home, she typically attends.
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The majestic shot, which was taken on the grounds of Windsor Castle, shows the Queen standing proudly between two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale. She wears a dark green cape-style coat as she holds the reins of two of her favorite ponies in front of a magnolia tree.
Queen Elizabeth.henry dallal photography
Throughout her life,Queen Elizabethhas always had a fondness for horses and was given her first horse (a Shetland pony) when she was just 4 years old. She’s also been known to get animated at horse racing events, enthusiastically cheering for her horses.
However, she reportedlyhasn’t ridden since early Septemberdue to mobility issues.
The Queen’s birthday will be officially celebrated next month during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which includes her annual birthday parade, Trooping the Colour. The long weekend of events will see the royal family,including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, gather to honor the monarch’s historic 70 years on the throne.
source: people.com
