The Duchess of Edinburgh was all smiles as she completed some carriage driving practice around Windsor Park this afternoon.
The mother-of-two, 58, cut a casual figure as she indulged in her late father-in-law’s favourite sport.
Prince Philip – who passed away at the age of 99 in April 2021 – took up carriage driving in 1973 when a wrist injury forced him to stop playing polo.
For the next 50 years, the late royal developed a passion for the sport – even helping to write the official rule book and successfully campaigning for Britain to host the world championship in the 1980s.
In his later years, Prince Philip was often spotted practicing his carriage driving in the grounds of Windsor Park – where Sophie was pictured today,
Prince Edward’s wife looked completely at ease in the driver’s seat of the carriage.
Dressed in a waterproof jacket and blue jeans, Sophie – who officially became the Duchess of Edinburgh last month – wore a practical pair of knee-high brown riding boots.
She then covered her blonde hair with a Royal Windsor Horse Show branded baseball cap.
She was joined by two women, who were seated behind her in the carriage and appeared to work for the Windsor estate.
At Prince Philip’s memorial in April 2022, Sophie explained how Prince Philip taught her carriage driving in the early days of her marriage to his son Prince Edward – who she married in 1999.
However, she joked that the late royal instead chose to focus his attention on her daughter Lady Louise, 19, who displayed a natural talent for the sport.
She explained: ‘He was so pleased when she took the sport up because I took it up… I was okay. Well, I was really at the beginning of my carriage driving career when I fell pregnant with Louise.
‘So, I then had to sort of hang up the reins. So, I was really delighted when she decided she wanted to have a go. And my father in law was always so good at encouraging her.
‘So, when she not only said, “please can I have a go?” and then showed a flair for it, he was just brilliant with her.’
