The children of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge --Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis -- are getting on the saddle and training to ride ponies to prepare for a special time in the summer when they could potentially reunite with Queen Elizabeth.
According to The Times, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge agreed for George, Charlotte and Louis to have their own ponies so they could practice and show off their skills to their great-grandmother, the queen. A source told the news outlet that it's assumed the lockdown restrictions will be eased off in the United Kingdom by the summer and once that happens, the royal family are expected to reunite in Balmoral.
Last year, Queen Elizabeth spent a short summer in Balmoral with a lot of restrictions since she and Prince Philip had to be protected under a COVID-19 bubble. Some members of the royal family came to visit in small numbers. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as their children, were in Balmoral for a short weekend but it was not clear if they got to spend some time with Queen Elizabeth and Philip.
But the source also said William and Kate agreed to let George, Charlotte and Louis have their own horses so they could learn how to groom the animals or maintain a stable to teach them some responsibility. Queen Elizabeth started to ride and take care of horses as a four-year-old child. The Cambridge children are currently seven, five and almost three years old, respectively.
In 2018, George, who was still four years old, started taking lessons at Zara Tindall's property. Tindall is William's cousin and the queen's eldest granddaughter. She is an equestrienne who has won a gold medal at the Olympics.
When Charlotte was just a year old, Kate shared during a royal engagement that her daughter has been showing signs of interest in horses, which is not surprising considering her great-grandmother's love for the animal. Queen Elizabeth once said that if she weren't obligated to fulfill her duty as the monarch, she would have nurtured a career in something that has to do with her horses.
The source said that George, Charlotte and Louis have been learning to ride at their country home in Anmer Hall with their father and a trainer. It's unclear, however, if Kate has also been taking riding lessons so she could join her kids and husband.
