The Most Memorable Royal Moments At Major Sports Events
Britain is a nation of sports lovers, and that even includes its royal family. It turns out that the royals — from the much-missed Queen Elizabeth II to the younger generation — love nothing more than watching a horse race, cheering from the sidelines of a soccer game, or jumping for joy at a tennis final. Here, we bring you the royal highlights from over a century of sports. Go team Windsor!
1. Elizabeth admires Olympic torch, London 2012
Part of the magic of the Olympics is the careful shepherding of the torch in the run-up to the main event. When the games famously came to London in 2012, Queen Elizabeth II got an up-close look at this impressive design. The torch was created by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby and had a triangular shape to echo the “Faster, Higher, Stronger” Olympic motto.
2. Elizabeth at Montreal Olympics about to watch her daughter compete, 1976
Elizabeth always displayed unwavering support for the U.K. during her record-breaking reign. Yet at the end of the day the monarch was a mother who wanted the best for her children also. She must have been proud to attend the Olympic Games in Canada in 1976. Her eldest son, now King Charles III, was with her, but competing directly in the cross-country equestrian action was Princess Anne.
3. Harry and Meghan attend baseball game in London, 2019
Americans love sport as much as the Brits, so when the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees did their thing in London in 2019 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were bound to attend. It was a true family affair for Meghan, whose distant cousin Mookie Betts was playing at the event. Baby Archie was given his own Yankees shirt to celebrate the gathering.
4. Philip at Melbourne Olympic Games, 1956
World travel is an important part of royal duties. Almost a decade after becoming Duke of Edinburgh, and a year before he became a prince, Philip went to Melbourne to open the Olympic Games. He had his own win, via a yacht named Bluebottle, whose crew took her through the water at speed to bag a bronze medal at the same gathering.
