THE Queen visited Knavesmire to meet 'unsung heroes' of the racing community.
Queen Camilla visited York Racecourse today (August 19) to attend the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse - marking the third year in a row that she has attended the festival.
She became the course's royal patron three years ago, taking over from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and has visited in 2024 and 2025.
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During this year’s visit the Queen met with representatives of the Local Community Charity Partners of York Racecourse, as well as some of the “unsung heroes” who make the festival work.
Queen Camilla meets staff members on the first day of the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse
(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)
York Racecourse Chairman, Bridget Guerin, said: “Extending a York Racecourse welcome to our Royal Patron has been both a privilege and a personal pleasure on her last two visits; it is so exciting that we are again being honoured."
The King’s former butler Grant Harrold also highlighted the Queen's love of racing - adding that her decision to attend the festival whilst the rest of the family are on holiday shows her ‘genuine passion for the races’, as well as ‘how much her patronage of York Racecourse must mean to her’.
Queen Camilla meets staff members on the first day of the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse
(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)
Speaking to CasinoHawks, former royal butler Grant Harrold said that horse racing was one of the Queen's true loves. He said: "Whenever she gets the opportunity to attend a race meeting, she clearly enjoys being there.
"This isn’t simply something she does as part of her royal duties; there is a genuine passion for horses and for racing, and I think that is particularly evident with this trip to York.
"It is interesting that she will be attending the Ebor Festival while the King is in Scotland, because it really highlights how much her patronage of York Racecourse must mean to her.
Queen Camilla meets staff members on the first day of the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse
(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)
"She is making a point of maintaining that connection with York, and the fact that she is choosing to attend while the rest of the family are away on holiday suggests this is something she genuinely wants to do, rather than simply an obligation in the diary.
"She just absolutely loves horses and horse racing. I remember she used to go out riding a lot whenever she was at Highgrove, and that long-standing affection for horses is still very much part of who she is.
"The King is not as much of a fan of racing, but obviously his mother really was, and that was something she and Camilla shared and bonded over.
Countess of Halifax Camilla Wood and Queen Camilla on the first day of the Ebor Festival at York Racecourse.
(Image: Chris Jackson/PA Wire)
"Queen Camilla has effectively taken on the role that the late Queen held in supporting the racing world, and her continued patronage of York Racecourse is a really strong example of that."
The Queen also met retiring jockey Joe Fanning, who made a full recovery from prostate cancer at the end of last year.
The “unsung heroes” the Queen met included a member of the St John Ambulance who has volunteered for 50 years.
She also met representatives from local organisations Bereaved Children Support York, Friends of Rowntree Park and racehorse rehoming charity New Beginnings.