Loose Horse Disrupts Major Annual Event Near Buckingham Palace
The dapple gray went running without a rider
A loose horse in video shared by the King’s Guard Tours on May 8, 2026.Credit : King’s Guard Tours
NEED TO KNOW
A gray horse disrupted the day of the Major General’s Inspection by running through the ranks at The Mall
The loose horse spooked others before mounted police cornered it by a fence
The inspection reviews the Household Cavalry’s readiness for ceremonial duties like escorting the King at the State Opening of Parliament
One of King Charles’ horses went rogue during an intense inspection.
On May 8, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment turned out for the Major General’s Inspection in London, which reviewed the unit’s readiness for ceremonial duties.
The regiment’s first major mission of the season will be serving as the King’s escort at the State Opening of Parliament next week on May 13, but one horse went wild that day in an unscripted twist.
As seen in fan footage shared to Instagram, a dapple gray horse — without a rider — ran up the ranks as the regiment processed at The Mall, which runs between Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace.
The horse’s saddle also fell below its belly and spooked other horses as it passed, weaving between them at a trot.
While it was unclear how the horse got loose, a yellow flag also appeared to be stuck under its girth, and a large tassel hung by its bit. The horse kept charging forward and flustering the others around it, until mounted police officers responded and cornered it by a fence.
Fan account King’s Guard Tours said the moment unfolded during the Major General’s Inspection, a key review on the mounted unit’s calendar.
About 170 horses and their riders marched before Major General James Bowder at Horse Guards Parade near Buckingham Palace on Friday, according to BFBS Forces News, and successfully passed the inspection.
The loose horse’s breakout moment called back to a similar incident in April 2024, when five Household Cavalry horses got loose during a “routine exercise” and galloped through the streets of London. Four people were reported injured, and two of the horses also got hurt.
Two loose horess bolt through the streets of London on April 24, 2024.Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty
That June, King Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, expertly handled her horse when it began acting erratically as she rode during the Trooping the Colour parade with Prince William and Prince Edward.
Princess Anne rides during Trooping the Colour on June 14, 2024.Karwai Tang/WireImage
The Princess Royal’s total control was no surprise, as she is a lifelong equestrian who took her talents to the 1976 Olympics.
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