Queen Elizabeth Reminds Us She’s The Original Horse Girl

Queen Elizabeth II is reclaiming her title as the original Horse Girl. The monarch stepped out for an increasingly rare public appearance on Friday to attend day two of the Windsor Horse Show. The event is known as the Queen’s favorite event of the year, and it takes place just a short drive from her home at Windsor Castle. Considering the queen hasn’t been seen publicly since attending Prince Philip’s memorial service in March, though, her attendance on Friday was still a bit of a surprise.

The Queen arrived to the event in her Range Rover, which she remained in throughout the morning, taking in the races from the passenger seat. The monarch watched three of her Fell Ponies compete, with one of them, Balmoral Leia, even winning the Highland Class competition

"She was in great spirits," a source told People. "People she knows in the horse world were being brought to her to talk to her at the window. You can see she is in really good form."

Later in the day, the Queen was driven to the main arena where she took a seat in the stands next to her son, Prince Edward, and got to watch her granddaughter, Lady Louise Windsor, lead a parade around the area in the saddle of the Queen’s late husband’s carriage.

The Queen’s appearance comes after she was absent at the State Opening of Parliament earlier this week due to “episodic mobility problems,” only her third time missing the event in 70 years. Her son, Prince Charles, had to step in to fulfill his mom’s duties and read a speech on her behalf. Next month, the Queen will find herself in the public eye once again for the Platinum Jubilee Central Weekend to celebrate her 70-year reign. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to fly in for the occasion, though they will not make an appearance on the famed Buckingham Palace balcony with the rest of the royal family.