King Charles and Queen Camilla made a surprising visit to the Epsom races, and the reason behind it was heartwarming.
They arrived on the turf for the first day of the Epsom Derby festival, known as Ladies’ Day.
Both were dressed in matching raincoats, waving to the excited crowd before taking their seats in the Royal enclosure.
King Charles and Queen Camilla at Epsom Races
This day was particularly special because one of their horses, bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II, was set to race in the Betfred Oaks.
This race holds sentimental value, as Queen Elizabeth II had two previous winners in this event: Carrozza in 1957 and Dunfermline in 1977.
The horse competing this year is a filly named ‘Treasure,’ running in the iconic Royal silks. Treasure is the offspring of the well-known stallion Masterscraftsman and Shimmering Light, who raced for Queen Elizabeth II in 2017.
Trainer Ralph Beckett shared his excitement, saying, “I have been very pleased with her progress since her reappearance at Lingfield Park. The King and Queen are such enthusiastic owners, and it is great to be training such a nice filly for them who is running in a Classic.”
Bookmaker Betfred is offering odds of 14-1 on Treasure winning the £550,000 contest. James Doyle will be riding her for the first time, according to the Mirror.
Since the late Queen’s passing nearly two years ago, Charles and Camilla have taken on the responsibility of caring for her beloved racehorses.
John Warren, their racing and bloodstock adviser, praised their commitment at Royal Ascot last year.
He said, “The King understands the bigger picture. He is more than interested in racing. With the Queen’s enthusiasm, racing is lucky to have two great advocates.”
King Charles also made a grand appearance at Epsom ahead of his participation in next month’s Trooping the Colour ceremony. This year, he will review the troops from a carriage instead of on horseback.
Recently returning to Royal duties while undergoing treatment for an undisclosed cancer, Charles is set to shine at one of the most anticipated events in the Royal calendar. However, it is still uncertain if the Princess of Wales, currently receiving chemotherapy for cancer, will be able to join.
Scheduled for June 15, the Trooping the Colour celebration traditionally ends with the royals appearing on Buckingham Palace’s balcony after a grand military spectacle.
This year, during the ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall, the King is expected to inspect the Guardsmen and officers from an Ascot Landau carriage, accompanied by the Queen.
The shift from last year’s ceremony, where Charles inspected the troops on horseback, follows previous Buckingham Palace briefings.
It was emphasized that the King’s engagements would be reviewed and adjustments made based on doctors’ advice.
Despite his health challenges, the King has kept a busy schedule since it was announced over a month ago that he would be resuming his public responsibilities.