Military Expert Makes A Shocking Claim About Prince William During Jubilee Rehearsal
Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations will be led by two familiar faces — namely, Prince William and Kate Middleton. The beloved couple will reportedly take the upcoming event very seriously, with People confirming they are even taking the show on the road by traveling to Wales to lead the festivities there, too. Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement, "Over the course of the Central Weekend, Members of the Royal Family will visit the Nations of the United Kingdom to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee. Members of the Royal Family will attend engagements in each nation, including public events marking the occasion."
Her Majesty and late husband Prince Philip did likewise themselves, during the queen's Golden and Diamond Jubilees. Due to her ongoing health issues, Elizabeth is less inclined to hop on the royal train and venture across the UK, so it's helpful she has the Cambridges and other senior members of the royal family on hand to assist her wherever possible. Platinum Jubilee celebrations kick off on Thursday, June 2 and will continue throughout the long weekend. Also slated to be in attendance are royal defectors Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. As a result, William has been quietly mending fences with his brother behind the scenes, per The Mirror.
The warring brothers have been speaking regularly in the weeks leading up to the Jubilee in an effort to ensure their forthcoming reconciliation goes as smoothly as possible. However, just days before everything's set to begin, a military expert is already criticizing William.
Prince William's horse was accused of being in a dodgy state
According to military veterans, Prince William's horse might have been under the influence during a recent rehearsal for Trooping the Color. Daily Mail notes William was riding a black Household Division charger named George, who boasted full regalia to match its royal rider — by all accounts an impressive steed for the Duke of Cambridge — but military experts claimed the horse was behaving erratically on that particular day. "William's horse looks drugged. Its head is on the floor. It's a disgrace," one stated. Horses of the Household Cavalry are typically used for such events. These animals have special training to stop them from reacting to loud noises or nearby traffic and are generally comfortable standing still for long periods of time while carrying extra weight.
Aside from shocking claims about the state of the prince's horse, everything else went well at the practice event. Although the queen typically gives the salute on the day, William is taking her place this year due to the long-reigning monarch's ongoing mobility issues. This is the first time in 70 years she won't be taking part. The move comes after her son, Prince Charles, gave a speech on her behalf earlier this month, per People.
A visibly emotional Charles spoke to parliament in Queen Elizabeth II's absence, with Buckingham Palace confirming in a statement that Her Majesty was under doctors' orders not to attend. Her crown, however, was positioned on the throne next to Charles.
Queen Elizabeth II is getting ready to hand over the reins to the monarchy
Prince Charles and Prince William are actively preparing for when the queen steps down and they take over leading the country. An insider told Us Weekly they will "guide each other" on their respective paths to the throne, with William "taking on extra duties over the next decade" in preparation. They're well matched in this task, since "[Charles] will ensure that his son is up to speed [on] the ins and outs of the royal family on a deeper level and William will help Charles come up with new, fresh ideas about modernizing the monarchy."
In fact, according to royal historian Hugo Vickers, the Platinum Jubilee might well be Queen Elizabeth's final big moment before she bows out. "If you think about it, this will be the last really huge time to celebrate the Queen publicly and thank her," Vickers told Page Six. "This has been an extraordinary golden age that she has presided over and things will change dramatically at a certain point, so I think these few days will be really important."
Palace aides are brainstorming how the queen can safely attend the celebrations, with the monarch recently seen riding around in a golf cart at the Chelsea Flower Show. Whatever happens, Vickers opined, "At the end of the pageant, I'd love to see a photo with the Queen, Charles, William and [William's oldest child, Prince] George so you can see the future of the monarchy."