Prince of Wales

1894 -1972

Prince Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David was born on June 23, 1894, the eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of York, later King George V and Queen Mary.

Prince Edward was never greatly interested in Flat racing. Steeplechasing was his greatest passion, along with the hunting fields. He was a devoted follower to foxhounds and began riding in point-to-points in his mid-20s.

After two early attempts, he rode his first winner on Rifle Grenade, scoring by a length in a point-to-point race at Great Brington, in the Pytchley country, on March 16, 1921.

He also rode winners under National Hunt rules, the first of those being achieved when finishing alone on Pet Dog, after both his rivals had fallen, in the Welsh Guards Challenge Cup at Hawthorn Hill’s Household Brigade meeting on April 1, 1921.

Back at Hawthorn Hill on April 4, 1923, he won the Welsh Guards Challenge Cup for a second time on another of his horses, Little Favourite, when the King and Queen, together with Prince George (the future King George VI), were among the spectators. Taking the early fences faultlessly, Little Favourite stumbled at the plain drop fence and was joined by his main rival Bing Boy. However, Little Favourite was soon back in command, only to refuse at a later fence. Luckily for the Prince, Bing Boy fell at the open ditch and Little Favourite was persuaded to take the jump and press on before Bing Boy’s rider had had chance to remount. From that point the Prince’s victory was assured and he went on to beat Bing Boy by ten lengths.

He also rode Little Favourite to victory in the Welsh Guards Regimental Race at the Garth Hunt point-to-point.

Three days after winning his second Welsh Guards Challenge Cup, April 7, 1923, the Prince won the 12th Royal Lancers Challenge Cup at Beaufort Hunt’s annual NH fixture on Kinlark.

He was not afraid to take on the crack riders, riding Kinlark into fourth place in that year’s Open Steeplechase at Melton Hunt, a race which included three Grand National-winning riders. It was won by Captain Tuppy Bennet, who had steered Sergeant Murphy to Aintree glory just five days earlier. Back in fifth place at Melton that day was Jack Anthony, three times successful in the Grand National, while in sixth place was Bob Lyall, destined to win it on Grakle in 1931.

The fact that a Prince of Wales was taking part in such a hazardous sport as riding over fences created much public interest, along with a degree of controversy because he sustained a fair share of injuries – a broken collarbone, twisted ankle, sprained wrist and a kick on the head being part of his tally of racing spills.

The Prince was an enthusiastic, if unstylish, rider. It would have been interesting to know what further success he might have achieved. However, it was not to be. A hunter dropped dead beneath him and he sustained several more falls, one of the last being on Miss Muffet II when bidding for a third Welsh Guards Challenge Cup success at Hawthorn Hill’s Household Brigade meeting on April 3, 1928.

Questions were asked in Parliament whether the heir to the throne was entitled to take such risks. Following a talk with the Prime Minister, the Prince abandoned both hunting and race-riding. From that time forth the future King took little interest in racing.

He succeeded to the throne on January 20, 1936 following the death of his father King George V. It was stated that His Majesty would maintain the royal racing stables and the Sandringham Stud.

The brief reign of King Edward VIII – he abdicated on December 11, 1936, less than a year after inheriting the throne – offers little indication that he would have recaptured his early enthusiasm for racing.

With his abdication, after which he became Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor, all conjecture was silenced. He died on May 28, 1972, aged 77.