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Queen's much-loved horses, trained to hear ‘sobbing’, to lead funeral procession
Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral: The four horses chosen to lead the monarch’s coffin procession as it leaves Westminster Abbey were gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Funeral steeds leading Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin procession carry decades of symbolism. The four horses chosen to lead the monarch’s coffin procession as it leaves Westminster Abbey were gifted to her by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The horses- George, Elizabeth, Darby and Sir John- are part of a long line of Canadian horses ridden by senior royals during Trooping the Color and the annual parade.
The four Canadian horses will lead a total of 199 military equines: 102 in the central London procession from Westminster Hall to Wellington Arch, and another 97 in a caravan to St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
The horses have undergone special training, reports said, adding that “crying” soldiers threw flowers at the horses several times during the rehearsal in order to make the animals familiar with the sound of “sobbing”.
Queen’s love for horses
Queen Elizabeth II was just sixteen when she visited a racing stable with her father George VI. The monarch’s love for horses was unwavering as she successfully bred native ponies and had a long relationship with the thoroughbred racehorse, CNN reported. Her love for horses was also apparent when in her first public appearance after the Covid lockdown in 2020, she was seen riding one of her ponies in the Windsor Castle.
