Highclere remembers Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

News of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s peaceful passing has been met with great shock and sadness worldwide.

Amid the ensuing state of national mourning, communities will doubtless reflect on their own royal heritage and connections to Her Majesty.

The North Hampshire village of Highclere is no exception.

Highclere Castle, the historic seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, has welcomed the Queen on a number of occasions.

In July 1949, a young Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh, visited the Jacobean stately home, which was built in 1679, prior to her coronation almost 4 years later on June 2, 1953.

Her Majesty was accompanied by her husband, the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, and her sister, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon.

All hopes for a private visit soon vanished once news of their presence alerted the press and general public.

Crowds gathered outside of St Michael and All Angels Church, eager to catch a glimpse of their future Queen.

Her Majesty and Prince Philip later attended a cricket match at Highclere Park on August 3, 1958.

In attendance that time was Henry Herbert, seventh Earl of Carnarvon, a personal friend of Her Majesty since their adolescent years, whom she nicknamed ‘Porchie’.

He served as the Queen’s racing manager from 1969, helping to train her racehorse, ‘Highclere’, aptly named after his grand estate.

His son, George Herbert, eighth Earl of Carnarvon, is the present owner of Highclere Castle, today a popular heritage site, and godson to Her Majesty.

The Queen’s trips to Highclere remain a cherished aspect of the village’s history, as does her legacy on West Berkshire’s iconic racing industry.