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The Queen will today receive a cavalry horse named Fabulous as a Platinum Jubilee present from French President Emmanuel Macron.
The seven-year-old grey thoroughbred gelding, whose full name is Fabuleux de Maucourt, travelled across the English Channel from Paris, to become the permanent property of Elizabeth II this week.
He is expected to be handed over to Her Majesty’s Household Cavalry today, during an official ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The present to the Queen will also include a saddle and a sabre from the Republican Guard.
Fabulous was one of 470 horses serving with the Republican Guard – the elite military unit that maintains a 24-hour watch on the French President.
The seven-year-old grey thoroughbred gelding, whose full name is Fabuleux de Maucourt, travelled across the English Channel from Paris, to become the permanent property of Elizabeth II this week
Mounted Republican Guards escort France’s President Emmanuel Macron during the ceremony marking the Allied victory against Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe (VE Day), in Paris, France, May 8, 2022. Fabuleaux de Maucourt is the grey horse second from the right in the leading pack
The Queen will today receive a cavalry horse named Fabulous as a Platinum Jubilee present from French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured)
The horse will be handed over to Her Majesty’s Household Cavalry today, during an official ceremony at Windsor Castle (Queen Elizabeth II is pictured in April at Windsor Castle)
‘To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II, French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to offer Her Majesty one of the horses of the Republican Guard,’ a presidential source told Paris Match.
This is to mark the Queen’s love for France, and ‘a passion for horse riding that goes back to early childhood’.
The horse in question most recently escorted President Macron along the Champs-Elysées during VE Day commemorations last month.
Fabuleux de Maucourt is named after the stud in the Meuse department in northeast France where he was born.
Captain Jean-François Le Blay rides atop Fabuleu de Maucourt during a presentation ceremony
The horse is to mark the Queen’s love for France, and ‘a passion for horse riding that goes back to early childhood’
Republican Guard horses are mostly brown and black, so Fabulous’ grey coat marked him out as a standard bearer.
‘He is currently the flagship horse of the Cavalry of the Regiment’, said General Eric Bio Farina.
Colonel Gabriel Cortes said Fabulous was ‘a wise horse, representative of the regiment, who will please the Queen.
‘I understand that she is very fond of grey horses. I’m sure nothing will make her happier.’
Princess Elizabeth stroking one of the prize winning horses during a visit to Richmond Show June 1934 In the show ring with she show chairman the late Mr Romer Williams
A presidential source said the gift was to mark the Queen’s love for France and ‘a passion for horse riding that goes back to early childhood’ (Princess Elizabeth rides through Buckingham Palace gates after 1951 Trooping the colour)
The French Embassy added: ‘France wanted to be involved in events taking place in the UK and the Commonwealth states as a way of paying tribute to the Queen, of whom the French are very fond, and celebrating Franco-British friendship.’
The Queen speaks good French and has been a frequent visitor to France during her 70-year reign.
It is the second time in less than a month she has received a horse as a gift.
The monarch was presented with a rare Karabakh horse in the courtyard of Windsor Castle, last month from the President of Azerbaijan, a day before surprising royal watchers with a visit to Paddington Station to open the Elizabeth Line.
Holding her walking stick, the Queen waited outside the castle as representatives of the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan presented the horse as a gift from President Ilham Aliyev, after his country was invited to perform at the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
The Queen said it was a ‘very kind, very generous’ gesture. The Karabakh horse is native to Azerbaijan and is used for endurance events and races. One recently sold at auction for the equivalent of £14,000.
It came days after she cancelled her appearance at the State Opening of Parliament due to ‘mobility issues’.
The Queen was filmed smiling as she was presented by a Karabakh horse named Glory by the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan, a gift from the country’s president
The monarch, 96, was presented with a rare Karabakh horse in the courtyard of Windsor Castle, a day before surprising royal watchers with a visit to Paddington Station to open the Elizabeth Line
The monarch, who famously loves horses, appeared happy as she was presented with the horse
Equestrians from Azerbaijan were in Windsor taking part in the recent Windsor Royal Horse Show, which took place from May 12-15.
The four-day annual event, which is one of the Queen’s favourites, is the UK’s largest outdoor horse show, with international competitions in three different equestrian disciplines.
On the final day of the event, the horse show staged the Platinum Jubilee celebration event ‘A Gallop Through Time’, which featured Azerbaijan performers.
The lavish event, which was broadcast nationwide, featured a host of well-known faces, including actor Tom Cruise and Helen Mirren, and offered guests numerous musical and acting performances.
In addition, horses and riders took to the arena to entertain the crowd, with performers from Azerbaijan among the 1,300 taking part.
The country was represented by members of its State Border Guard Service and a dance ensemble, who donned traditional nation costumes while they performed a programme called ‘Land of Fire’.
Their performance, which was specifically conceived to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, featured Karabakh horses, like the one gifted to her Majesty.
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