IN MEMORY OF The Duke of Edinburgh 10 June 1921–9 April 2021

A pioneer in the development of equestrian sports, Prince Philip was not only a mainstay in the royal family’s patronage of the horse world over the past century, but he was also a horseman through and through, finds Michael Clayton

- Michael Clayton

THE contribution of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to equestrianism was profound. He was not content only with enjoying horse sports as a keen competitor, but also gave back a huge amount of time and commitment in leadership and management, which had great impact on competitive riding and driving throughout the latter part of the 20th century.

His innovative 22-year term as president of the FEI, his work in developing the sport of driving trials and his impact on English polo all complemented royalty’s traditional involvement in racing and hunting, augmented by The Queen’s lifelong interest in breeding horses and ponies. Prince Philip was therefore a mainstay in the royal family’s patronage of British equestrianism throughout the post-war years and into the new millennium. He firmly encouraged his children to ride and took great pleasure in the achievements of the Prince of Wales in polo and the hunting field and the Princess Royal in horse trials and racing.

The Queen’s consort brought a fresh approach to the horse-world, with the same energy he devoted to so many other interests, ranging from conservation management to sailing. In the horse-world, as in every other aspect of an extraordinarily varied life, Prince Philip exercised a sharp wit and ironic humour, sometimes understood and appreciated, sometimes not. He was an extremely entertaining companion, especially at dinner after a day’s sporting activity.

The early years

IT is easy to forget that Prince Philip’s background and early childhood were far removed from the environment in which he became prominent as a leader of British horsemanship.