The Royal Slated To Step In For The Queen As She Pulls Out Of Another Jubilee Event
Queen Elizabeth has many hobbies, but none top her love for horses. Having begun riding horses at three years old, per Town & Country, the British monarch knows everything there is to know about equestrianism, including horse racing. As Horsey Hooves Network notes, the British monarch carried on her father King George VI's hobby of breeding thoroughbred race horses when he passed away in 1952.
The queen's thoroughbreds have appeared at all five British Classic races and she currently has 1,600 wins under her crown, according to Paddy Power. However, despite all these wins, there's one event that she's yet to have a horse cross the line in first place: The Epsom Derby.
Taking place on the first Saturday of June (per Planet Sport), this year's event will coincide perfectly with the Platinum Jubilee. Throughout her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth has attended almost every year, according to The Jockey Club. But due to mobility issues, the monarch will not be attending this year's race. Instead, other senior members of the royal family will take her place to experience one of the most important races of the year.
Queen Elizabeth chose the perfect person to attend the race in her place
Despite making an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour (per BBC News), Queen Elizabeth decided to opt out of attending the Service of Thanksgiving due to experiencing "some discomfort" during the event, as Buckingham Palace said in a statement, via iNews. They have since announced that the queen will not be in attendance at the Epsom Derby and will instead watch it in comfort at Winsdor Castle, per the Daily Mail.
That's not to say the royal family won't be represented at the event. To mark the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Princess Anne will be taking Her Majesty the Queen's place, the Mirror reports. The queen's only daughter is certainly the best fit, as she is an accomplished equestrian, according to Biography. Over the course of her horse-riding career, she has won many European championships and was the first member of the Royal family to have competed in the Olympics.
None of the queen's horses will be competing in the Epsom Derby
With Princess Anne in attendance, the London regional director for the Jockey Club, Phil White, has promised that Platinum Jubilee celebrations will continue at Epsom. "It is a rare occasion that the Queen is unable to join us at Epsom Downs but we are delighted she plans to enjoy Derby Day on television," White said in a statement, via Sky News. "We have big plans to celebrate Her Majesty's contribution to horseracing and the nation, and these will continue in full."
The only downside for Her Majesty the Queen is that her only horse in the race, Just Fine, won't be competing as it was "not declared" to take part in the World Pool Northern Dancer Handicap, the Mirror reports. This follows the removal of her other horse, Reach for the Moon, which was ruled out from the Epsom Derby in May. Although, despite not having any runners in the race, it's safe to assume that Queen Elizabeth will enjoy the event regardless.