The first thing you notice when arriving at the Queen’s holiday home is a life-size sculpture of her racehorse Estimate.
The statue at Sandringham is testament to her enduring love of horse racing, a sport which offered a rare glimpse into the person behind the crown.
When Estimate won the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 2013, it was the first time a reigning monarch had owned the winner in 207 years. She was caught on camera beaming with delight from the Royal Box, alongside her racing manager John Warren.
“When it ends up with a result like that, it is effectively the end of an amazing journey,” he said.
Estimate’s triumph was among a total of more than 1,800 victories in her jockey’s racing colours of purple, gold and scarlet. And the Queen was recognised for her contribution to racing as an owner and breeder by being inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame in 2021.
Racing gave the Queen a diversion from the more sober business of global and domestic affairs.
“She used to say to me: ‘It’s nice to come to a place that doesn’t smell of fresh paint’,” said trainer Richard Hannon. A copy of the Racing Post newspaper was always tucked in with her daily correspondence.
