About six weeks after his mother’s death, King Charles began making moves to shut down Queen Elizabeth II’s life’s work, her horse-breeding and horse-racing operation. QEII spent decades breeding horses for the races, and her operation was one of the best (if not THE best) in the UK. Charles didn’t care. A lot of horse people hoped he would just hand off the operation to someone horsey in his family, like Princess Anne or Zara Phillips. He ended up selling more than a dozen horses already and there have been widespread rumors in the British racing community that Charles plans to completely wind down his mother’s operation. However, the Sun reports that Charles now plans to hand off the remaining operation to Camilla… although he’s still going to wind down the operation at some point.
King Charles is said to be ‘likely’ to ask Queen Consort Camilla to lead the Royal racing operation – a role which could ‘reduce over time’. Speculation about just what form the late Queen’s beloved racing stable will take in the coming months and years remains rife.
Charles, who paid tribute to her in his first Christmas Day speech, has so far proved a lucky owner. He has landed five winners from his first 25 runners on the Flat since inheriting the late Queen’s runners. Over jumps he has proved a success too, winning £13,000 on Boxing Day thanks to Steal A March’s victory at Wincanton. And he made more than £1million when selling 14 of her horses at the sales.
But there are fears the National Stud at Sandringham could resemble a ‘museum’ in a few years. It looks nigh on certain Charles will not be the huge supporter of racing his mother was. And that is why, according to the Racing Post, he is ‘likely’ to ask Camilla to lead the show.
Camilla has a love of horses and ITV Racing presenter Oli Bell – who was labelled ‘a lunatic’ by Queen Elizabeth II – said the Royal operation would be in ‘very safe hands’ under her. He told the Post: “For all that the landscape will be different moving forward, I think it’s in very safe hands. I know first hand how much Camilla loves horses and also how much her passion for racing has grown in recent years. There is clearly an indelible link between the royal family and horse racing. I was relieved to hear her enthusiasm, passion and appetite for it.”
[From The Sun]
This reads to me like wishful thinking by those in the racing community more than a concrete plan of action by Charles. What I keep thinking about is how often these a–holes use “history” and “it’s what QEII would have wanted” as a cudgel against certain people, and then Charles thinks nothing of dismantling his late mother’s life’s work, her greatest passion, her horses. I don’t know – it’s just sad, and it speaks to who Charles really is. I genuinely doubt that the operation will be handed to Camilla too, and even if it is, Camilla is too lazy to actually do much.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar and Cover Images.
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EGLWYSWRW, WALES – JULY 3: Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales greet horses as they visit Dyfed Shire Horse Farm in Eglwyswrw on July 3, 2018 in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Dyfed Shire Horse Farm is a family run enterprise that has been breeding the Dyfed bloodline of Shire Horses for almost 40 years, on a farm that has been in the family since 1849.,Image: 515558765, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall meet the jockeys following the Prince’s Countryside Fund Raceday at Ascot.,Image: 534678627, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR SEVEN DAYS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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Britain’s Prince Charles pets a horse as he visits the Royal Parks in Hyde Park, London, Britain, June 23, 2021.,Image: 617429646, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NO UK USE FOR 48 HOURS- Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
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The Duchess of Cornwall is interviewed by ITV racing correspondent Oli Bell, during a visit to meet Ebony Horse Club students at Ascot’s November racing weekend at Ascot Racecourse. Ebony Horse Club is a charity and community riding centre in Brixton, London.,Image: 644092668, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Dominic Lipinski / Avalon
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NO USE AFTER 31 JAN 2022, WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION FROM CLARENCE HOUSE. THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS STRICTLY FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE, INCLUDING MERCHANDISING, ADVERTISING, SOUVENIRS OR ANYTHING COLOURABLY SIMILAR, PERMITTED. THE PHOTOGRAPH MUST NOT BE DIGITALLY ENHANCED, MANIPULATED OR MODIFIED IN ANY WAY, AND MUST INCLUDE ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH WHEN PUBLISHED. Handout image provided by Clarence House of the photograph chosen by The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for their Christmas card, which was taken at Royal Ascot by Sam Hussein this year.
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Prince Charles and Camilla attend Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, UK.,Image: 700222070, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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Prince Charles and Camilla attend Royal Ascot 2022 at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, UK.,Image: 700222111, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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The Prince of Wales, known as the Duke of Rothesay while in Scotland, and Patron of the Clydesdale Horse Society, with police horses after viewing a statue of a Clydesdale horse situated by Lanark Auction Market, Lanark Agricultural Centre,Image: 720290012, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Andrew Milligan / Avalon
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King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort attend a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater.
Featuring: King Charles III
Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
When: 11 Oct 2022
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
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King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort attend a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater.
Featuring: Camilla Queen Consort
Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
When: 11 Oct 2022
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
**North America Rights Only**
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King Charles III and Camilla Queen Consort attend a reception to thank the community of Aberdeenshire for their organisation and support following the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Station Square, the Victoria & Albert Halls, Ballater.
Featuring: Camilla Queen Consort
Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
When: 11 Oct 2022
Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images
**North America Rights Only**
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North America Rights Only – Ascot, UK -20220614-
Royal Ascot 2022 – Day 1
-PICTURED: Sophie Countess of Wessex, Prince Charles, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall
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Horses with horses, Camilla
It is sad to be dismantling his mother’s work just like that and all the people that were working on it. Seems very crual
How many houses does this woman need?
Why? The stables are a good fit.
Im being too harsh. “I’ll do better next time”, as her friend said so well.
Lol. Good one, Emberley.
So then what. Camilla cannot will the royal stable to her children who are not royal
No but she can hire someone (like her ex APB) to manage it until William decides whether or not he wants to take it over in a decade.
I thought horse racing was incredibly cruel to the animals and hard on their bodies? I’m no fan of Charles at all, but I’m not going to complain about him not continuing to support this industry.
Also, just because his mother enjoyed an expensive hobby, it doesn’t mean he is obligated to keep it up for the rest of his life. There is SO much to criticize about Charles, but I really don’t think this is it.
Yeah, Charles is foul, but why should he be forced to keep up his mother’s hobbies?
Yeah, I’m leaning more towards this. I don’t care if he continues with racing horses. It might be cool to see them create a therapy program with the former race horses though. Which would take money so they would never.
There are homes for retired horses. A successful example is old friends.
Therapy horses and a lovely retirement for racers…that would be lovely.
Yet Charles loved hunting which featured killing innocent foxes. He rode polo ponied and race road
Charles to me is not a noble character. He might have resented all the attention his mother paid those horses
LOL! Good point. He probably was jealous of those horses. He’s such a narcissist , he would be.
I don’t think anyone here thinks Charles is a noble character. Quite the opposite. He’s abhorrent. He resents all attention anyone pays to anyone or anything but him. There’s still no reason for him to have to keep up his mother’s hobbies.
Exactly what I was thinking.. he has always come across as a bitter, jealous, and childish, at the core that is who he always will be.
I think the same. Why should he keep it up. It’s expensive and I remember a CB post that said it was not at all profitable. I’m sure his reasons for doing this are all wrong, but I don’t think he should be obligated to keeping it just because his Mom enjoyed an expensive hobby. Wasn’t her life’s work the service she did to the people? If QE wabted it for Anne or Zara, she could have given it to them in her will.
Her will is sealed just like Philips’. We will never know what instructions she left, if any, regarding the stables.
Some horses actually love the run-and they’re proud of themselves after. But no doubt it is hard on their body. Surely QEII let them have a nice retirement in a beautiful pasture.
Keeping up a stud farm tho is CRAZY expensive. So maybe Charles thinks it costs too much. It probably does cost too much.
After some reflection this is where I land. If someone has an expensive asset ( a collection or a home) then I think the will needs to provide instructions on how it can be maintained and money needs to be available to maintain it at an acceptable level. And if the person inheriting the home/collection doesn’t care about it then everyone just needs to accept that they might sell it.
The Queen’s racehorses were more than a hobby, they were a business. Big business. There’s money to be had in horse racing, not just in winning races but more–a lot more–in stud fees & the selling of horses.
Horses, Camilla, donkeys…
jackasses
Why is this not a slap in the face, a snub, to Anne and Zara who are life long horse lovers and actual blood relation to QE2?
It’s their reward for Indifference.
It might be-though the riding they do -evening- is far from racing. Who knows. I love horses but that are so much $$$$$$$
Maybe this is one reason Anne has been MIA at the holiday festivities. They said she has a ‘cold’ but who knows
A horse is a horse of course of course…
Someone could write a particularly nasty song about Camilla based on the Mr. Ed one. I am far above doing that of course. Because I’m too damn tired today.
Makes sense since she is, in fact, a horse.
First off, I love when you post photos of Camilla with horses. It makes my day. Secondly, Charles is now a 70+ year old man finally with the ability to have the temper tantrum that has been building for decades. QEII probably spent more time with her horses and she most certainly loved them more. Rage on, King Charles!
Of course Camilla loves horses. They’re cousins.
There are horse jokes that I will not make. It is sad that Charles couldn’t find a way to take proper care of the one thing his mother loved most.
The way he did when he made Andrew safe from prosecution or even questioning? The thing his coldhearted mother loved most has been taken care of.
Since Charles seems to be all about the money I won’t be surprised if he sells off the remaining horses. Easier to explain away where that money came from than when handed bags of it by Saudi millionaires.
He might be shooting himself in the foot. Horse racing is a good way to launder money.
There’s a difference between liking horses and horse riding vs being passionate about horse breeding. Those are 2 pretty distinct categories under the main Horses one. And QE was quite hands on with it because she was very, very into it. I’ve not heard Camilla sharing that level of interest in it so what’s the point of giving it to her if she’s not going to care about it? Sure she can leave it all to the managers (which is probably how it worked even under QE) but again, QE had that personal connection with it.
And I’m not going to judge Charles on this? On lots of other things? Yes. But he’s not obliged to keep his late mother’s expensive hobby for the sake of “this was the one thing she cared about!”. It’s sad but honestly QE and the people working there should have known it would come to an end once she was no longer here.
Many famous owners and breeders of horses disperse their stables. All the bloodstock goes to auction. There is no reason why Charles could not sell at auction. Another family member could own horses. The famous us horse round table descended from a horse sold by George 6.
Oh, what lovely photos from Camilla’s family reunion!
Did they seriously quote someone QE2 had labelled a lunatic? Unless its some new term of endearment, they have truly scraped the bottom of the barrel!
I think they are just testing the waters of public acceptance. Having something so closely affiliated and beloved by QE2 given to the lazy Kween Cohort could be controversial and further polarizing. But as we have seen by her recent major public fiascos, she still needs a lot of work done cleaning and polishing her image. She’s still nowhere near ready for primetime. Actually, neither C-Rex nor his heir is either…
They not only quote the Queen calling the guy a lunatic, but they put that out there as if we all understood what was meant! I don’t even know who the guy is!
OMG the photo choices 😀
Thank you Kaiser!!!
Charles knows Camilla misses family. *snort
Why give it to Camilla?
Keep everyone employed, keep the horses and the breeding programs running, turn it into a place used for therapy.
Camilla, Anne, all of the Royals have too much already.
You can not simply turn racehorces into therapy horses.
Most troughbreed racehorses are highly strung und not build for adult of average or higher weight.
And I don’t know if a trainer for races, focused on succsess in a highly competetive environment is the right person to work with people in need of therapy.
Well horses understand other horses, so it makes complete sense that he would give his mothers horses to his horsey wife
Horse racing and breeding was Elizabeth’s expensive private hobby; I don’t see any reason why Charles should be expected to take it all over and pursue that interest himself.