All the queen’s horses … and their £27m value to the new king
O n a misty evening in November 2022, a small crowd of racegoers at Kempton Park could not see the starting stalls on the far side of the track. The potential of a horse named Slipofthepen became obvious just 90 second later, when he emerged from the fog nearly six lengths clear of the runner-up. The jockey’s famous purple, scarlet and gold silks were a clue to the horse’s royal pedigree.
Slipofthepen was one of about 100 thoroughbred horses inherited by King Charles III from Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. Nearly 30 were sold within a few weeks of her death, at public auctions of racing and breeding stock, where the “E II R” gilets and scarves worn by grooms from the Royal Stud at Sandringham set their horses apart from the others parading in front of prospective buyers.
The late queen was arguably the most enthusiastic royal owner and breeder of racehorses in British history. The king has so far realised just over £2.25m by selling off her horses, but Charles III still privately owns dozens of thoroughbreds, in training in racing yards or stabled at the Royal Stud.
Cost of the crown is an investigation into royal wealth and finances. The series, published ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, is seeking to overcome centuries of secrecy to better understand how the royal family is funded, the extent to which individual members have profited from their public roles, and the dubious origins of some of their wealth. The Guardian believes it is in the public interest to clarify what can legitimately be called private wealth, what belongs to the British people, and what, as so often is the case, straddles the two.
• Read more about the investigation
Many expect him to sell off at least 50% of his late mother’s
Read more on theguardian.com
