What to buy for the Queen? Model horses are most popular present from foreign dignitaries, exhibition reveals

A bronze model of a Lipizzaner horse presented by Prime Minister Janez Jansa of the Republic of Slovenia during an audience at Buckingham Palace in November 2007
A bronze model of a Lipizzaner horse presented by Prime Minister Janez Jansa of the Republic of Slovenia during an audience at Buckingham Palace in November 2007 Credit: Royal Collection Trust

It is the age-old conundrum while visiting a treasured friend, what to buy the woman who has everything?

In the case of The Queen, the answer appears to be rather simple: a horse.

An exhibition showcasing a selection of the official gifts received by Her Majesty during state visits abroad has suggested one clear, if not altogether surprising, theme.

From France to Mongolia, Mexico to Slovenia, wise hosts have settled upon an equestrian-themed present, honouring the Queen’s life-long love of horses.

Each will be put on display by the Royal Collection Trust this summer in “Royal Gifts”, the special exhibition celebrating 65 years of the Queen’s travels around the world.

Queen Elizabeth II has always loved horses. She is pictured with Shetland Pony Cruachan IV, the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, during a visit to Stirling Castle earlier this month 
Queen Elizabeth II has always loved horses. She is pictured with Shetland Pony Cruachan IV, the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, during a visit to Stirling Castle earlier this month  Credit: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

It will include key items received on state visits abroad or hosted in Buckingham Palace, from the humble-but-heartfelt offerings representing the developing world to extravagant jewels.

The more unlikely include a linen bag of salt received from the British Virgin Islands, commemorating a tradition which saw the monarch paid an annual rent of a pound of salt on their birthday.

“They are always thinking of the person that’s going to receive the gift,” said assistant curator of decorative art Sally Goodsir.

“The Queen’s interests are well-known and quite often the gifts follow that. It shows how much thought goes into their production.”

The morin khuur is a traditional Mongolian instrument. This one has a horse's head carved on it
The morin khuur is a traditional Mongolian instrument. This one has a horse's head carved on it Credit: Royal Collection Trust

Visitors to the exhibition, which opens next week, will be treated to an array of horses and associated paraphernalia, including a bronze model of a Lipizzaner horse given by Prime Minister Janez Jansa of the Republic of Slovenia during a 2007 audience at Buckingham Palace.

The gesture was intended to represent year 16-year old Lipizzaner stallion, Kanizo, who had been presented to the Queen during her State Visit to Slovenia a year earlier but had remained at the Lipica Stud Farm.

In 2014, she received a porcelain model of a horse by artist Bruno Ecault, given by President François Hollande of France during a State Visit to France.

Biscuit porcelain model of a horse from President François Hollande of France during her State Visit to France in June 2014
Biscuit porcelain model of a horse from President François Hollande of France during her State Visit to France in June 2014 Credit: Royal Collection Trust

In 1999, Hungary came up trumps with a porcelain model of the young Princess Elizabeth on horseback, first issued when she was 11 and remade especially as a diplomatic gift from President Arpad Goncz.

Mexico’s spectacular 2015 present, a piece of art work based on the Tree of Life, includes the Queen depicted riding a grey horse, while the Duke of Edinburgh complements her opposite on a black horse.

Surrounding them are figures from Mayan, Mixtec and Aztec cultures, presented President Enrique Peña Nieto during his State Visit to the UK.

Not to be outdone, Speaker of the State Great Khural of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayer, brought with him a tradition instrument called the morin khuur, a fiddle decorated with a horse’s head on the top.

The Duke’s hobbies were also considered, with a set of pony bits and original horseshoes worn by retired champion carriage horse Jamaica presented to him in 2011 by President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (right) during a visit to The Kelpies sculpture near Falkirk
Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (right) during a visit to The Kelpies sculpture near Falkirk Credit: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

On occasion, the Queen has also been given the real thing.

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands presented a mare named Valentine during her State Visit to the UK in 1982; it was stabled in the Royal Mews behind Buckingham Palace.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a tradition of equine gifts, including black mare Burmese,who was presented as a seven year old in April 1969 and carried The Queen to 18 Trooping the Colour ceremonies before being retired to Windsor.

More unusual animal gifts include a young elephant from Cameroon, a pair of black jaguars, Marques and Aizita, from Brazil, and two female trumpeter swans from Canada in 1956.

In 1961, the Queen received a young crocodile in The Gambia, intended as a gift for a two-year old Prince Andrew.

A Tree of Life of HM Queen Elizabeth II modelled from clay and decorated with colourful symbols representing British culture and the interests of Her Majesty
A Tree of Life of HM Queen Elizabeth II modelled from clay and decorated with colourful symbols representing British culture and the interests of Her Majesty Credit: Royal Collection Trust

The exhibition is intended to mark the Queen’s 89 outward state visits to 117 countries and 188 official visits to Commonwealth countries.

By the end of 2016, she had travelled more than one million miles just to and from countries on official visits, with many more besides once she arrived.

She has also received 109 state visits from 61 countries at home in the UK.

Gifts chosen for the exhibition reflect every continent, including those from world leaders such as former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, former South African President Nelson Mandela and President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China.

A spokesman said that together, they would present “a spectacular display of craftsmanship from across the globe”.

The exhibition runs opens on Saturday, July 22 at Buckingham Palace and runs until October.

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