Queen Camilla feeds horses on last stop of state visit

Queen Camilla was in her element today as she made her final solo appearance of her and King Charles's State Visit to the U.S. Camilla visited Virginia thoroughbred farm Smitten Farm and described it as "a lovely way to finish off this trip."

Camilla met several horses at the farm and learned about their thoroughbred operation. "We breed thoroughbred racehorses, said farm manager Hunter Marek, who showed Camilla around alongside her three-year-old daughter Violet. "We’re a very small operation here, we have about between five to ten horses we breed each year with the idea that they’ll then go on to the racetrack and be successful in the future...The racing culture in England is very similar to the racing culture here. She has racehorses and I think she just wanted to see what we do here compared to what they do there."

Queen Camilla visits with Hunter Marek and her daughter Violet during a visit to Smitten Farm.

A keen horserider since childhood, Camilla is now Patron of a number of equestrian charities. She and King Charles inherited Queen Elizabeth’s breeding and racing stock on the King’s accession in 2022. Camilla said about her own horses that she has “a brilliant app on my phone where I can tune in to see them being born.”

After viewing the stables, the Queen fed a carrot to a horse called Blind Date. She said about owning and breeding racehorses, “You have to go with the ups and downs, there are many more downs than there are ups.”

“She loves horses,” Hunter Marek observed. She described the visit as “very exciting” and said there had been “a lot of preparation” but at the same time it was “very natural.”

Camilla fed a carrot to the horse Blind Date during her visit.

Camilla also spoke with Lisa Lazarus, CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. Afterwards, Lisa said, “It was amazing. It was really extraordinary, and we were all, I think, just so delighted and flattered that she picked a horse farm and groups in horse racing to end her visit.”

Natalie Wales, who runs an organization that rehomes racehorses called the Thoroughbred Transition Project, presented the Queen with a First edition 1952 map of Virginia horse farms.

“Oh fantastic thank you very much,” the Queen said.

Before departing, the Queen met a group of guests representing the US Jockey Club including thoroughbred breeders, owners and conservationists. Friend of the royals Guy Pelly was also there. He chatted to Camilla and gave her a bottle of wine.