The Queen almost managed to go unnoticed as she paid a visit to her beloved horses at Balmoral over the weekend. The 92-year-old monarch, who was wrapped up in a coat, headscarf and wore sunglasses, was pictured driving back to her Scottish home when she stopped her Range Rover to check on her animals. Her Majesty was seen walking around a paddock during the low-key visit, appearing to feed one of her horses some mints from her pocket.
She was accompanied on the day out by her friends who had taken part in a shoot followed by lunch at the quaint Glen Clova Hotel, which is nearly a two-hour drive away from Balmoral Castle. Prince Philip, 97, was also spotted driving around the estate later that day.
The Queen stopped her car to check on her horses
The couple are enjoying the tail end of their summer break in Scotland before they return to London and Windsor in October. The Queen has carried out a couple of royal engagements throughout the summer, most notably attending the traditional Braemar Highland Gathering with her elder children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. She has also made various appearances at church, attending the Sunday service at her nearby Crathie Kirk. Last weekend, the monarch was joined by her nephew David Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret's son, and his children.
MORE: Kate's special role at friend Sophie Carter's wedding revealed
Her Majesty was pictured feeding her horses
Over the summer, members of the Queen's family have dropped in to visit her in Scotland, including her granddaughter-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge, her daughter-in-law the Countess of Wessex and her granddaughter Princess Beatrice.
Sadly, one of her closest friends and ladies-in-waiting The Honourable Mary Morrison suffered a nasty fall at Balmoral earlier this month. According to a report from the Daily Mail, Mary was accompanying the Queen to a cocktail party when she lost her footing and fell down a flight of stairs, narrowly missing the monarch. Mary was taken straight to hospital in Aberdeen, where it was found she had broken her ankle.
The 92-year-old monarch was out on a shoot
MORE: Princess Charlotte is Prince William's mini-me in new photos
The 81-year-old is one of the Queen's most senior ladies-in-waiting, having been by her side for almost 60 years. She reportedly insisted on returning to the castle despite her injury, and is now using crutches to get about as she remains with Her Majesty during the final week of her summer break.
Like this story? Sign up to our newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.