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Queen Camilla and King Charles made a joint visit to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, colloquially known as Neasden Temple, in north-west London on Wednesday, 29 October, celebrating the temple's 30th anniversary by meeting with representatives from the community and observing spiritual ceremonies. As always, the Queen Consort looked positively resplendent, while remaining modest and respectful in softer colours for the occasion, but, as someone who writes about royal style every day, I couldn't help but notice the symbolic side to her outfit. For the 78-year-old, style is more than just appearance: she often dons an accessory with a much greater significance than merely looking good. This year alone, she thoughtfully chose her accessory for a visit to an installation remembering the Second World War, used her clothing to send a message of appreciation during the state visit of US President and First Lady Donald and Melania Trump, and has often brought out her necklace paying tribute to her non-royal grandchildren. In this instance, Queen Camilla didn't pay tribute to another family member, but rather to a hobby she has left in the past. As identified by royal style blogger @royal.fashion.daily on Instagram, the Queen Consort opted for a pair of knee-high black suede boots from Russell & Bromley, known as the 'Dressage' boots. Queen Camilla's abandoned passion Much like her sister-in-law Princess Anne and her late mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Camilla is a serious fan of horse racing, making frequent appearances at Royal Ascot alongside other members of the British royal family. However, did you know that she had to give up horse-riding herself? During a state visit to Germany alongside King Charles in April 2023, she spoke to a group of schoolchildren in Hamburg, where she revealed that she is now "too old" to continue riding, explaining that she used to have horses but "sadly can't ride any longer", according to a report in the Mail on Sunday. Though Queen Camilla is no longer able to continue riding herself, it's touching to see her pay tribute to her hobby through her choice of clothing and attendance at the races wherever she can. The British royals' love for racing Though it's well-known that the Princess Royal and Zara Tindall, who is a former Olympic equestrian, were passionate horseriders, the late Queen Elizabeth II was also a fan, and continued riding well into her nineties. She had her first riding lesson at just three years old, and was given her first pony, a Shetland mare, by her grandfather King George V for her fourth birthday. Broadcaster Clare Balding once revealed the sweet reason behind the Queen's love of horse racing on the BBC, during the late monarch's final journey from Northolt to Buckingham Palace, saying: "The Queen's passions were horses and dogs. Racing was the passion she shared with the public. [It] was such a wonderful thing for her to be able to enjoy, she liked the attention to be on others and that was the case at the races."
