Prince Edward dons a VR headset at the Royal Windsor Horse Show

Prince Edward was all smiles as he attended the handover of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Defender 130 to the British Red Cross – so it can enter active service – at the Royal Windsor Horse Show today.

The Duke of Edinburgh, 59, enjoyed the festivities of the much-anticipated royal event as he watched his mother’s beloved car model enter its future job in North Wales.

The Duke even enjoyed a ride on a model horse – at one point wearing what appeared to be a VR headset as he rocked on the riding simulator.

Edward shook hands with attendees as they handed over the car at the event, which his late mother regularly attended.

Held from May 11-14, the show was one of the most anticipated events on the royal calendar, not just because of the quality of the entertainment, but because of its close connection to the late Queen.

It was 1943 when a 23-year-old Princess Elizabeth attended the first-ever show, which was staged at Windsor Home Park to raise money for the war effort, along with her parents and sister , Margaret.

She took first place in the Pony and Dogcart class – and has returned for every show since.

Her son was seen laughing up the storm with other attendees today and having a drink at the event.

The Defender 130 – which Jaguar Land Rover has specially ordered to celebrate the late monarch’s 70 years of service – will help the British Red Cross, of which Her Majesty was a patron, to help people in hard-to-reach areas , such as the Snowdonia mountain range, Lleyn Peninsula and Isle of Anglesey.

It will be on display for the duration of the show.

According to a press release posted on the brand’s website, the vehicle has been equipped with all the latest gadgets to make it optimal for assistance work.

This includes “an upgraded 4G connected antenna to provide a strong signal regardless of location, built-in phone, VHF radio for communications, and an upgraded telematics system with GPS tracking.”

Additionally, a rooftop solar power system can charge an auxiliary battery when the engine is not running.

The car has also been adjusted to make it more spacious inside.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was known to enjoy driving in the now iconic model.

In 1951, the then-Princess was pictured standing in an open-top Land Rover as she stood in for her father to present the King’s Color to the Royal Air Force during a parade in London’s Hyde Park.

Over the next few years she used Land Rovers on several public engagements, such as visits to Australia in 1954 and the Channel Islands in 1957.

The Queen stood in a Land Rover at the 1955 European Horse Trials at Windsor Great Park to give her a better view of the action.

The vehicle was also a hit with other royals, including King Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, who waved to well-wishers as they were driven along a beach in Australia in 1988.

A decade later, Prince Harry was pictured dressed in military camouflage as he arrived at Highgrove House, Gloucestershire, in a Land Rover for his father’s 50th birthday party.

It’s been a busy week for the Duke of Edinburgh, who attended his brother’s coronation at Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

And earlier this week, Buckingham Palace released official portraits unveiling King Charles III resplendent in his regalia to close the monarch’s extraordinary festive weekend.

The King and Queen pledged to rededicate their lives to service as Charles called the nation’s support throughout the historic celebrations “the greatest coronation gift possible”.

As the weekend of festivities drew to a close, Charles posted a written message saying, “We thank you, each and every one.”

The special Bank Holiday weekend to mark the King’s coronation was the first in 70 years, since the coronation of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

Among the official portraits, one of the king was captured in his full regalia, wearing the Imperial State Crown, holding the orb and scepter with cross.

The official portraits show King Charles III and Queen Camilla in all their majesty in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace, and surrounded by their fellow “working royals”.

The king and queen can be seen both separately and together, both the epitome of calm dignity despite the strain of the day.

In her sloop portrait, taken in the Green Drawing Room, Her Majesty wears Queen Mary’s crown with her robe of succession, hand-embroidered with the national emblems of the United Kingdom, as well as flora and fauna reflecting the Their Majesties’ love of nature and flowers of personal importance to them.

Now you can clearly see the stunning level of detail on her stunning Bruce Oldfield dress which includes embroidered depictions of her two Jack Russell Battersea Dogs and Cats Home rescue dogs, Beth and Bluebell, and the names of her children and grandchildren. children.

For the first time, many senior royal women – the Princess of Wales, Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Alexandra and Duchess of Gloucester – were seen having taken off their coats to show off their exquisite white dresses.

This means we can now see for the first time the spectacular George VI scallop necklace worn by the Princess of Wales which was previously hidden under her coat.

A firm favorite of Queen Elizabeth, it was created in 1950 by her beloved father, King George VI, using 105 loose tweezers that were part of the Royal Family’s private gemstone collection.

It was originally strung on three strands, suspended between two triangles of diamonds, by Garrard, the royal jewelers and given to then Princess Elizabeth.

In 1953, she removed ten of the diamonds to shorten the length and was subsequently seen wearing it on dozens of occasions, including state occasions.

Echoing the famous 1953 coronation portrait of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles is seated and wears the Imperial Crown.

In his right hand he holds the ruler’s scepter with a cross adorned with the magnificent Cullinan I diamond and in his left the ruler’s orb, signifying that his power is derived from God.

The Imperial State Crown, the centerpiece of the Crown Jewels, is formed by an openwork gold frame, set with three very large stones and set with 2868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 269 pearls.

The Orb, which weighs 1.3kg, is usually found in the Tower of London as part of the Coronation Regalia and has played a central role in the coronation of monarchs for hundreds of years.

As for the Sovereign’s Scepter with Cross, it dates from 1661 and includes a gold rod and a huge drop-shaped diamond, Cullinan I, or the Star of Africa, which weighs 530.2 carats.

The king also wears his robe of succession, made of purple silk velvet and embroidered in gold, which was first worn by his grandfather, King George VI, in 1937.

He has his Order of the Garter collar and the historic “Lesser George” diamond hanging from it, first worn by George III. St George’s helmet is set in sapphires and his mantle and dragon in rubies.

On his purple Coronation Ede and Ravenscroft tunic he wears an 1893 Garter Star set with diamonds. The last part of his outfit is his Royal Naval pants.

Her Majesty sits on one of two 1902 throne chairs which were made for the future King George V and Queen Mary to be used at the coronation of King Edward VII.

These throne chairs were also used in the background of the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and by His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Hall to receive speeches from the Presidents of the two Houses of Parliament last year.