The best of British equestrianism tuned out on Thursday to honour the late Olympic gold winner Richard Meade, and joining them were three young British royals. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived together at the service, while Prince Harry also joined the royal couple.
Held in Bath's Abbey, the memorial was packed as the royals, along with friends and family of Richard's, listened to the service. The low-key outing caused a buzz on social media, as locals and tourists in the historic British city snapped pictures of the three.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrince William, Duchess Kate, and Prince Harry in 2013
Their appearance wasn't a shock to fans of the British royals as the three are keen equestrian fans. In the past they have supported Team GB and their cousin Zara at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, and William and Harry regularly play polo.
Richard Meade was Britain’s most successful equestrian, winning eventing team gold medals at Mexico City in 1968 and Munich in 1972, as well as the individual eventing gold in Munich. He passed away on January 8 at the age of 76, after treatment for cancer.
After he retired from events, Richard nurtured his son Harry's career, and became a leading figure in the sport.
Richard Meade meeting the Queen in 1973
In a statement on his website, Harry wrote: "[Richard] had huge successes in his career as a competitor but his greatest success was not in his achievements on a horse, but in the way he conducted himself – with generosity to others, genuine interest and a real sense of integrity, always standing up for what was morally right.
"He cared deeply about the sport and gave so much to both the eventing and wider horse world. Thank you for all the wonderfully supportive letters and messages and many apologies for only answering a small number of them so far."
