France has given The Queen a very special gift to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
French President Emmanuel Macron personally selected a grey Selle Français horse from the Garde Républicaine to give The Queen as a gift for her 70 years on the throne; its name is Fabuleux de Maucourt.
In an interview with Paris Match, General Eric Bio Farina said that he chose Fabuleux de Maucourt because “I wanted a well-behaved horse representative of the regiment that would please The Queen. I believe she is very partial to grey horses. I’m sure that nothing could please her more.”
Farina added that the horse is the “flagship horse of the Garde Républicaine, and said, “France wanted to be involved in events taking place in the UK and the Commonwealth states as a way of paying tribute to the Queen, of whom the French are very fond, and celebrating Franco-British friendship.”
Fabuleux de Maucourt was one of President Macron’s horse escorts during the VE Day commemorations in May, riding on the Champs-Elysées with the President. It will be presented to The Queen in Windsor and accepted on her behalf by the Master of the Horse.
The gift of Fabuleux de Maucourt is the latest tribute from France marking The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. On Thursday, buildings on the coast of Hauts-de-France that face the UK will be lit up, mimicking the bonfires and beacons lit in the UK. The French Embassy said in an earlier statement that the “illuminations will highlight our physical closeness and our desire to be part of this key national moment.”
On 6 February, a ‘Royal Beauty’ apple tree from Normandy was planted at the French Embassy; and later this autumn, a French oak tree will be planted in the Kensington Gardens.
The Queen’s love of horses is well-documented. In April, a new birthday portrait was released of The Queen with two of her favourite horses at Windsor Castle.
