Princess Anne was among thousands of people who enjoyed a horse riding show at Wembley Arena on Friday just months after suffering a head injury in an incident involving horses.
The Princess Royal, 74, was at a Spanish Riding School of Vienna event hosted by TV presenter Nicki Chapman in London, as the snowy white Lipizzaner horses, a breed loved by the Royals, were put through their paces.
A show of equestrian skills featured eight riders and as many as 26 horses on opening night, as the world’s oldest riding academy performed synchronized routines to Viennese classical music in their first visit to the UK for eight years.
In June, the monarch spent five nights in hospital after being hit by a horse while out walking at his Gatcombe Park estate in Glocestershire.
He suffered a concussion and minor injuries thought to have been caused by a kick or headbutt from the animal.
Princess Anne was treated by emergency services before spending five nights at Southmead Hospital and returning home on June 28 to continue her recovery.
At that time, her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, said that the late Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter was expected to make a full recovery.
The monarch has a long association with the Spanish Riding School and has visited its training center in Vienna on several occasions.
In 1969 he was even allowed to ride a horse while visiting with his mother.
The famous classical dressage group wowed onlookers with their iconic uniforms, dazzling white buckskin saddles, gold bridles, plush velvet saddle pads as Anne watched from the royal box, The Mirror reported.
The Academy has been practicing classical horsemanship in the Renaissance tradition at High School for more than four centuries, according to The Independent.
Nicki Chapman said: “To host the opening night of the prestigious Spanish Riding Schools tour, with The Princess Royal in attendance, was an absolute honour.
“It has been eight years since the Lipizzaner horse and his incredibly talented rider last visited the UK, and sharing the magic with The Princess Royal and the British public made the evening even more unforgettable,” he added.
