Runaway Horse Disrupts Inspection Near Buckingham Palace Before Serving as King Charles' Escort
A runaway horse surprised citygoers in London when it was trotting down the street with no rider near Buckingham Palace.
On May 8, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment was undergoing the Major General's Inspection, which is meant to be a review of the unit's readiness for royal ceremonial duties. In pedestrian videos posted to social media, a dapple gray horse could be seen running without a rider down The Mall, a tree-lined ceremonial road running between Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace. The saddle was slung down by its belly, and what appeared to be a yellow flag was also hanging lopsided off the animal. The horse was nervously charging down the street, bumping into the other mounted officers, spooking their horses. It's unclear what happened to the rider or how the horse got loose.
Despite the mishap, 170 horses and their riders successfully passed their inspection after marching for Major General James Bowder at Horse Guards Parade, according to BFBS Forces News.
The regiment's first mission of the summer season will be serving as King Charles III's escort at the State Opening of Parliament on May 13. The procession begins at Buckingham Palace and proceeds down The Mall and then to Whitehall before reaching its destination at The Palace of Westminster in Parliament Square. During the event, Charles will deliver the King's Speech to open the new parliamentary session.
The rogue horse was not the only animal mishap in recent history. In April 2024, five Household Cavalry horses escaped during a "routine exercise" and ran wild in the streets of London. Four people were reported injured, and two of the horses also got hurt, per People.
Many members of the royal family are horse lovers and skilled equestrians. Queen Elizabeth II was considered a highly skilled and passionate horsewoman and passed along her love of horses to her daughter, Princess Anne. Anne got to such a high skill level that she became the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympics during the 1976 Games in Montreal, Canada. Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, has followed in her mom's footsteps and works as a professional equestrian. She has competed at the highest international levels and won a silver team medal during the 2012 London Olympics.
In June 2024, Anne showed off her skills when her horse became spooked and started acting erratically as she rode during the Trooping the Colour parade alongside Prince William and Prince Edward. Anne previously divulged that her secret to staying cool under pressure is giving the animal the utmost respect.
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"The partnership is key," Anne previously said, per Horse and Hound. "The horse is not a machine; it is an individual who has to be included and engaged."
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 9:47 PM.