Oman's royal cavalry to the fore at Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee spectacular

Mounted troops from the Middle East were at the forefront of a star-studded equestrian show celebrating Queen Elizabeth II's platinum jubilee.

The British monarch was honoured with a standing ovation at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on Sunday.

The queen, who is marking 70 years on the British throne, applauded as The Royal Cavalry Oman performed an expert display of horsemanship.

Those at the open-air arena near Windsor Castle were treated to a traditional display, including a group of horses who laid down midway through the performance in an impressive move alongside their trainers.

The Bahrain Defence Force and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police escorted the queen from the arena back to Windsor Castle after the show.

King Hamad of Bahrain had been personally invited to the event by the queen but was unable to attend after the death of the UAE's President Sheikh Khalifa on Friday.

Tom Cruise and Dame Helen Mirren led the cast of entertainers who appeared in the first major event marking the queen’s 70-year reign.

The audience rose to their feet applauding and cheering when the monarch arrived for the musical and theatrical romp across the centuries called A Gallop Through History.

The event welcomed spectators over four days and the queen spent part Friday touring the showgrounds after earlier missing Britain's State Opening of Parliament.

The queen appeared to enjoy the show, particularly its finale when her own horses and ponies were led around the open-air arena, passing the royal box.

Dame Helen gave a heartfelt tribute to the queen, telling the head of state: “For all these years you have carried our nation. You have been at its heart, its drumbeat. You have given us purpose and when situations have been challenging, your hope, guidance and leadership have been unswerving."

Despite mobility issues the queen had walked to her seat in the royal box after she was driven into the arena escorted by mounted divisions of the Household Cavalry.

She was joined by the Earl and Countess of Wessex for the show that reflected her life-long passion for horses.

A guard of honour featuring the Coldstream Guards, RAF Regiment and Royal Navy was in place for the queen’s arrival, while Britain's national anthem was played by military musicians.

Among the celebrities taking part were Damian Lewis and Katherine Jenkins, as well as an all-star cast of British and international talent for Sunday’s performance.

The queen sat in the royal box with a blanket over her knees and a shawl around her shoulders.

Performers from Azerbaijan had the crowds cheering when riders performed feats as their horses galloped, from lying on their backs to doing handstands.

The group had travelled 4,000 miles to perform at the event.

Cruise introduced what he said was “one of the most enthralling, thrilling, heart-in-mouth displays” as he announced a performance by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery.

He said: “It takes huge courage and discipline to do what they do, galloping with guns that were fired in the battles of the First World War, weighing one-and-a-half tonnes, with no brakes.

“The drive demonstrates absolute trust between horse and rider.”

The crowd clapped in time to the music as an orchestra played and the horses galloped around the arena pulling the historic guns.

At the show’s conclusion, the queen was driven on a lap of honour in her vehicle, waving to the cheering spectators as she passed.

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Winners

Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)

Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)

Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)

Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)

Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)

Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)

Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

ENGLAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers Henderson, Johnstone, Pickford, Ramsdale

Defenders Alexander-Arnold, Chilwell, Coady, Godfrey, James, Maguire, Mings, Shaw, Stones, Trippier, Walker, White

Midfielders Bellingham, Henderson, Lingard, Mount, Phillips, Rice, Ward-Prowse

Forwards Calvert-Lewin, Foden, Grealish, Greenwood, Kane, Rashford, Saka, Sancho, Sterling, Watkins

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE

Explained

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If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

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Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

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7. Limited time periods for audits

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9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer