The Queen Has Encyclopedic Knowledge of Horse Racing And it's Her Passion in Life, Camilla Says
Members of the royal family are out in force attending the first day of Royal Ascot today, although the Queen (who usually attends every day) is not among them. However, you would be mistaken for thinking that this means the monarch’s interest in horse racing has diminished. Indeed, the Queen remains as passionate ever about the sport, and her expertise has been emphasized by the Duchess of Cornwall who discussed all things racing in a new television interview to mark this year’s Royal Ascot.
“I think this is her passion in life, and she loves it and you can tell how much she loves it,” Camilla said in an interview with ITV’s Racing presenter Oli Bell. “She can tell you every horse she’s bred and owned, from the very beginning, she doesn’t forget anything. I can hardly remember what I bred a year ago, so she’s encyclopedic about her knowledge.” Describing the Queen as “the biggest expert of all time” on the subject, she said, “You wouldn’t want to think you knew better because she does have all the answers.” When asked if Royal Ascot, which always runs from a Tuesday to Saturday in June, was “the” week for the Queen, Camilla replied. “I think it is. Everybody who loves racing, it is the most special week.”
Describing how it was “so odd” not being at Ascot last year, when the event was held digitally because of the COVID pandemic, the Duchess said she hoped that royal patronage of racing would continue. “I hope it will continue. Royal Patronage of racing is extremely important, for the whole industry,” she said. The Queen has been patron of Royal Ascot since coming to the throne in 1952 and, despite handing over some of her patronages when she turned 90 and scaling back on some of her duties, she continued to attend every day of the race meeting until the event turned digital. In 2013, she became the first ever reigning monarch to win the Royal Ascot Gold Cup with her horse Estimate. “We were all shouting and screaming and yelling and you could tell, even her majesty was so excited,” Camilla recalled of the moment. "You could just see the smile on her face afterwards.”
The Duchess discussed her own love of riding, owning, and breeding horses in the sit-down interview for ITV’s Royal Ascot coverage. Describing how she was brought up with ponies and went riding after school, she also recalled one particularly memorable childhood incident at the Ditchling Horse Show when her horse Jack Sprat met Dame Vera Lynn.
“Vera Lynn, who lived in Ditching—lovely lady—was giving the prizes. She came round to us and Sprat—she had one of those very full skirts on—got hold of her skirt and just ripped it. I’ve never forgotten it. My mother was in complete hysterics,” Camilla recounted. “She took it extremely well and sort of wrapped herself up and went back again...that was not one of my finest gymkhana moments.”
The Duchess also spoke about her husband Prince Charles’s enjoyment of riding as he once competed as an amateur jockey. “He really enjoyed doing it. He’s somebody who likes partaking rather than watching, he likes to be part of the sport.”
And Camilla also took the opportunity to discuss her patronage of the Ebony Horse Club, which is a charity and community riding centre in Brixton, south London. The club describes itself as using “horses to raise the education, life skills, wellbeing and aspirations of young people from disadvantaged communities within Lambeth.” Camilla described having seen the difference the club can make, and said she would like to see one in every major city. “They trust in these ponies, they literally become their lives,” she said about the difference the organization can make to young people.
Prince Charles and Camilla were among royals joining approximately 12,000 racegoers at Royal Ascot today as the event opened with social distancing in place. “Let’s all hope by next year we will be completely back to normal,” the Duchess told ITV. “I suspect when it does get back to normal the crowds are going to be astronomical.”
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