Queen Elizabeth II Enjoys Day at Royal Windsor Horse Show and Hosts Angela Merkel

The Queen was in high spirits as she joined equestrian fans for another day of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

She could not hide her excitement as she watched the ponies on show and gave a chuckle.

The event is a private occasion for Her Majesty who dresses informally and mingles with the other visitors.

The 95-year-old monarch drove herself the short distance from Windsor Castle down to the showground before playing host to the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

Dressed in more casual attire than usual for the occasion, the Queen wore a navy padded gillet over a smart white shirt teamed with a grey check skirt.

The monarch beamed with joy as she watched the action and soaked up the atmosphere at one of her favourite equestrian events of the year in the private grounds of her home.

Photographers at the event captured a few photographs of her in the middle of the kind of big laugh that friends say she loves to show off in private.

The Royal Windsor Horse Show is now in its 77th year and attracts well-heeled visitors from all over the world.

Last year, the show was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and went online instead.

It was also forced to postpone in 2001 due to the foot and mouth disease, while one day of the show was previously cancelled in May 2016 due to flooding.

The event is intrinsically linked with the Royal Family.

Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh competed at it during their younger years, with Prince Philip entering the carriage driving at Royal Windsor Horse Show for 30 years, winning it just once in 1982.

Hours later, the Queen hosted Angela Merkel at her Windsor Castle home as the politician made her final visit to the UK as German Chancellor.

It was the second time they have met within a few weeks after they were seen together at the G7 summit in Cornwall last month.

The Chancellor is preparing to hand over power after almost 16 years in the autumn and is making a series of farewell trips.

She and the Queen posed for the cameras this afternoon, with Her Majesty telling the German leader they were making history.

During a press conference with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mrs Merkel gave an update on her position on Britain’s visiting the continent, saying those who had been double jabbed should be able to holiday in Europe without quarantine in the foreseeable future.

At the moment, all UK travellers have to self-isolate on arrival in Germany for 14 days, with no exemptions.

But Mrs Merkel said that soon double-jabbed people will be able to travel again without having to go into quarantine.

Mrs Merkel last month had urged all EU member states to adopt Germany’s hardline approach on border rules.

Her comments today, following bilateral talks with Mr Johnson on the subject, paved the way for quarantine-free travel to open up across Europe in a massive boost for British holidaymakers.

After a family photo with world leaders, Mrs Merkel walked over to the Queen and thanked her for posing for the picture, saying, “Thank you for doing that for us.”

The Windsor Castle meeting comes days after England defeated Germany 2-0 in the Euro 2020, crushing their old rivals’ dreams.

The Queen’s great-grandson Prince Philip, with his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were among those at Wembley on Tuesday night to see England beat Germany in a tournament knockout game for the first time since 1966.