Queen Elizabeth has always been known for her love of sport, and especially for her love of riding horses. She might be 93, but as she recently proved, homegirl is still happy to get out into the fresh air and spend time going for a ride.
The Queen shares a love of equestrian arts and horses with her daughter Princess Anne, who has also spent decades developing her horse-riding skills. In 2014, Elizabeth was even presented with an International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Lifetime Achievement Award to celebrate her love of the sport.
"Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is a life-long lover of horses who has inspired millions around the world," FEI president Princess Haya of Jordan said at the time. "She is a true horsewoman, who still rides whenever state business allows, and her knowledge of breeding and bloodlines is incredible."
Horseback riding isn't Elizabeth's only hobby. In fact, the entire royal family has a variety of sports and hobbies they engage in — with some being a little odder than others.
Queen Elizabeth began riding horses at the age of 3, when she took her first lesson. Her grandfather, King George V, gave her a Shetland mare when she turned 4, and a lifelong love was born. She has attended numerous equestrian events over the years, and her granddaughter Zara has even competed in the Olympics in the sport.
Of course, Elizbeth has definitely had her favorite horses. These include horses named Monaveen, Feola, Aureole. She inherited the last horse after her father died, and she has kept several of the offspring of some of her favorite horses, including Highclere, Feola's great-granddaughter.
As for the other royals, they each have hobbies that they regularly cultivate. Prince Charles is known for his love of gardening, especially at his home, Highgrove House. He is actively involved in every part of the garden, and tries to keep the plants as traditional to the area as possible.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is known to have several hobbies she actively participates in. These include reading and painting, as well as skiing, fishing, horseback riding, and hiking. Her hobbies of choice make her a pretty natural member of the very active royal family.
Prince William is known to be a big fan of flying helicopters — real ones. He even worked as a pilot for the British Air Ambulance Service in Norfolk. He was also said to be fond of watching Downtown Abbey, and like the rest of the family, he is very physically active. He participates in rowing, horseback riding, polo, tennis, and skiing.
Meanwhile, his wife Catherine Middleton is definitely known for her love of photography. She regularly photographs her children and shares the portraits via social media and in magazines. In fact, she has even won awards for her photography work.
Prince Harry is also known for his love of polo, and he participates in rugby as well. He has also tried making his own documentaries and is even said to be getting more interested in gardening, like his dad. He has recently joked that he got good at planting trees after being asked to do so often while on royal engagements.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, also has her own hobbies up her sleeve. When she was in college, she worked as a calligrapher to make ends meet. She often designed business cards and event invitations and even designed the wedding invites for Paula Patton and Robin Thicke.
Prince Philip has also been active throughout his life. He loves painting landscapes, and he also enjoys getting outside for fishing and bird watching. When he was younger, he played polo, like William and Harry do now. At age 50 he took up carriage driving.
In addition to riding, the Queen is also known for breeding her horses and for reading crime fiction. Her horse breeding and racing pursuits have allegedly helped her earn more than $9 million. She also enjoys racing pigeons, and she even has a special loft for them at Sandringham.
