Inside Queen Elizabeth II’s £27M racing empire & who inherited it as her favourite pony Emma is set to pay final tribute
WHEN the Queen passed away, she left behind her beloved horses – and some even took part in her funeral procession.
At the time of her death, the monarch owned more than 100 horses, which were inherited by the now-King Charles, including her favourite pony Emma.
In an image shown and shared around the world, beloved Emma waited dutifully as the late Queen’s coffin went along Windsor’s Long Walk to the castle in September 2022.
Emma, along with the Queen’s multi-million pound racing operation is now owned by Charles.
The Guardian reported in April 2023 that he had sold off £2.25million of her horses, but still privately owned “dozens of thoroughbreds, in training in racing yards or stabled at the Royal Stud.”
They added: “Many expect him to sell off at least 50 per cent of his late mother’s horses, doing so gradually over the coming years to maximise their value.
“The Guardian has conducted the first public valuation of all the king’s horses, suggesting they could fetch a total of at least £27million.”
Emma’s final tribute
The late Queen Elizabeth II‘s favourite pony Emma – who moved fans to tears at her funeral – is to pay one final tribute to the monarch at Ascot.
One of Emma’s horseshoes is being donated to Ascot to create a new trophy.
It will be presented to the ‘best shod horse’ at the Royal track for their blockbuster Champions Day meeting.
The shoe has been gifted by Queen Elizabeth II’s former horse handler Terry Pendry, report the Daily Mail.
He worked for the Royal household for 25 years and often rode alongside the late Queen in the Windsor grounds as part of her daily exercise.
An Ascot racecourse spokesperson confirmed the touching tribute will be paid this weekend.
They said: “It is extra special to have a trophy made from one of Emma’s shoes, who was a horse so well loved by Queen Elizabeth II.
“Horse racing and Ascot were both so important to her during her life and to tie this all together will be very special.”
The late Queen used to present the trophy for the race named in her honour.
Emma was born in 1996 and after being bought by the Queen in 2004 quickly became one of her favourite horses to ride around Windsor Castle.
Following the Queen’s death, Emma returned to live at the Royal Mews in Windsor, where she is “much-loved and cared for.”
The Queen’s love of horses
The Queen was said to be happiest when at the racecourse.
During her 70 year reign, the sport was one of favourite hobbies and in her spare time she would pore over the form and study the bloodlines of her horses.
She had many stars run in her famous purple and gold silks over the decades.
Royal Ascot winners like Estimate and Classic heroine Dunfermline were the standouts. But she loved her lowly handicappers as much as she did her Group 1 superstars.
The late Queen's love of animals
QUEEN Elizabeth II was known for her love of animals and breeds and kept a variety of species including racehorses, ponies and dogs.
Pembroke Welsh Corgis were the Queen’s favourite breed and she owned more than 30 during her reign.
They lived in Buckingham Palace in a special Corgi Room which had elevated wicker baskets and enjoy meals whipped up by a chef.
They became just as well known as the royal herself, with some appearing in the 2012 Olympic ceremony with Her Majesty and Daniel Craig.
It was the personality and quirks of any horse that she loved more than anything.
At the time of her death, she had numerous horses in training.
These were based with trainers across the country over both the jumps and on the Flat.
Before her death, the late Queen said: “I suppose I first became interested in racing during the war, when my father had leased Big Game and Sun Chariot from the National Stud.
“My father took me down to Beckhampton in 1942 to see them working, which I’d never seen before, and I was able to pat them in the stable afterwards.
“I had never felt the satiny softness of a thoroughbred before. It’s a wonderful feeling.
“Were it not for my Archbishop of Canterbury I should be off in my plane to Longchamp every Sunday.”
The late Queen's £533million jewellery collection, which now belongs to King Charles
KING Charles certainly has a vast treasure trove to select from as he inherited around £533million in jewellery pieces, according to Guardian.
The publication identified more than 90 pieces that were part of the late Queen’s personal collection, including diamonds, emeralds, rubies, amethysts, aquamarines and strings of pearls.
The royal family’s wills are kept secret, so it can’t be known for sure exactly what King Charles inherited after the Queen’s death in September 2022.
In a deal struck up by the then prime minister John Major, private inheritances from one monarch to another are also immune from inheritance tax.
Of course, it’s hard to know the full value of each jewellery piece today as the royal and historical connection would likely increase them exponentially.
We saw this with the auctioning of jewellery belonging to the late Princess Margaret.
Although her pieces were worth much less than the Queen’s sparkling collection, they sold for an average of 18 times the auction house’s top-end value.
Using the theory that the Queen’s jewels could fetch at least 10 times their basic value, making up the £533million estimated worth.