King Charles & Queen Camilla Embrace Racing World in Newmarket Visit
Royal couple greet champion horse Stradivarius and local well-wishers
King Charles III and Queen Camilla made their first official visit to Newmarket, the heart of British horse racing, on Tuesday. The royal couple spent time at The National Stud and met numerous figures from the racing community, including the renowned racehorse Stradivarius.
A Warm Welcome at The National Stud
The visit, organized to acknowledge the King and Queen’s patronage of the Jockey Club and The Queen’s patronage of The National Stud, began at the latter. There, Their Majesties were introduced to Chairman **Lord Grimthorpe** and met four resident stallions. Among them was Stradivarius, a three-time Gold Cup winner, whose owner, **Bjorn Nielsen**, was present.
“As owners we were all introduced individually to the King and Queen and they were very friendly and down to earth,” said Nielsen. “They took a keen interest in the horses and the people, and the late Queen Elizabeth II would have been very happy about that. It’s great for racing and I was very honoured to be part of it.”
During the engagement, the King shared a moment with Stradivarius, offering the horse mints. “After he paraded, the King went to give the Strad some Polos,” Nielsen recalled. “I just hoped he wouldn’t take his fingers off as Strad can have a go at you, but everything was fine.”
Engagement with the Newmarket Community
Following their time at the stud, the King and Queen proceeded into Newmarket town. They passed the statue of Queen Elizabeth II, accompanied by a mare and foal, a tribute installed in 2016. Local residents, some of whom had waited for hours, greeted them enthusiastically. The royals met with officials, including Mayor Philippa Winter, at the King Edward VII Memorial Hall, and later engaged with racing personalities at the Jockey Club Rooms.
Mayor Winter expressed her delight: “It’s been a great honour to welcome their Majesties to Newmarket this afternoon. They make private visits to see their horses but I was particularly pleased that they were able to meet key members of our community and enjoy a walkabout that enabled children and residents to enjoy their visit.”
The event highlighted the enduring connection between the Royal Family and the equestrian industry, a tradition upheld by the late Queen Elizabeth II. In 2023, the UK horse racing industry contributed an estimated £4.8 billion to the UK economy, supporting over 60,000 jobs (Great British Racing, 2025).
