Queen Elizabeth.Photo: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Queen Elizabethis in high spirits!
The British monarch, 96, attended her first Platinum Jubilee event on Sunday evening as she made an appearance at the Windsor Horse Show’s televised event, “A Gallop Through History,” which paid tribute to her 70 years on the throne.
And the Queen put on a rare animated display as she took in the special, which featured acting and musical performances, as well as horse displays, and welcomed presenters among the likes ofTom CruiseandHelen Mirren.
The Queen was driven a short distance from Windsor Castle to the showground for the event. After arriving in a black Range Rover, the monarch stepped on the red carpet to huge applause from thousands of spectators.
Queen Elizabeth.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
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The Queen enthusiastically and pointed out the horses and their riders while soul and blues singer Gregory Porter sang his track, “Revival.”
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The Queen clearly loved the Top Secret Drum Corps from Switzerland, who were joined in a drum-off with the drummers of the Royal Marines. She smiled broadly and clapped enthusiastically at the end of the joint performance.
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty
“[To] people of all walks of life — not just America but the world — [she’s admired for] dignity, devotion and kindness that I have always felt about her,” he said. “And [she is] someone who understands her position and held it through a history of 70 years.”
An emotional high point came whenLady Louise Windsor— the Queen’s granddaughter — rode in on the latePrince Philip’s exercise carriage. Lady Louise has inherited Philip’s passion for the sport. As the camera panned to the Queen, her eyes glistened with pride.
Moments earlier, it had been a different emotion that she showed — a nonchalant shrug when presenter Alan Titchmarsh praised her with: “constant heart beating in the nation, that heart belongs to Her Majesty the Queen.”
There was even time for a joke for one of the hosts Omid Djalili, who said thanks “for choosing us over the State Opening of Parliament” (which she missed last Tuesday). The Queen gave him a simple wave in return.
Queen Elizabeth.Chris Jackson/Getty
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The show ended with Dame Helen Mirren, dressed as Elizabeth I, saying, “For all these years you have carried our nation and have been its heart and drumbeat. Our sincere and most loving thanks.”
Helen Mirren.Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Queen Elizabethwill continue to celebrate the milestone with dozens of events before ending with a series of festivities on the weekend of June 2 to June 5.
source: people.com
