Coachmakers at the 2026 Royal Windsor Horse Show

Royal Windsor Horse Show has long occupied a unique place in Britain’s equestrian and coaching heritage. Founded during the Second World War as part of the 1943 “Wings for Victory” campaign, the Show rapidly evolved into one of the world’s great horse shows, while never losing its close association with the traditions of carriage driving and coaching. Beneath the walls of Windsor Castle, historic coaches continue to appear each year in a setting that perfectly reflects the splendour, craftsmanship and ceremony of Britain’s coaching age.

The origins of the Show were modest but memorable. Conceived by Count Robert Orssich and Geoffrey Cross as a wartime horse and dog show in Windsor Home Park, the event was attended by King George VI and the Royal Family and raised sufficient funds to purchase 78 Typhoon fighter aircraft for the war effort. The earliest years were not without incident.

One oft-repeated story recalls how the dog section descended into chaos when a renegade lurcher seized a piece of chicken directly from the King’s plate during luncheon. The organisers were reportedly mortified, and dogs quietly disappeared from future shows thereafter. The horse classes, however, flourished, and by November 1943 the Royal Windsor Horse Show Club had been founded with King George VI as Patron.

Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret drive past the King and Queen when competing with His Majesty’s ‘Gipsy’ in the War Time Utility Single Driving Class at the Windsor Horse Show

The 1944 show also marked the first public competitive appearance of the young Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Princess Elizabeth drove the Norwegian pony Hans to victory in the private driving class, with her sister beside her on the carriage.

HM The Queen meeting Co-founder Robert Orssich

In retrospect, the image seems symbolic of the deep connection between the monarchy and the show that would continue for decades to come. Queen Elizabeth II remained one of Royal Windsor’s most devoted supporters throughout her life, regularly exhibiting horses and attending the event well into her reign.

Historically, private driving classes included a road drive — often referred to as the “marathon drive” — at the conclusion of which competitors returned to the ring for final judging of their turnout and appointments.

Today, only the Coaching Class and Sunday’s Concours d’Elegance continue to preserve this important element of traditional carriage competition, making the Royal Windsor Coaching Marathon one of the last surviving public expressions of authentic road coaching culture in Britain.

This year’s Coaching Class once again demonstrated the enduring appeal of the discipline and proved especially successful for members of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Coach Harness Makers. Four of the ten competitors belonged to the Company, underlining the continuing importance of the Coachmakers within the preservation of Britain’s carriage-driving traditions.

Senior Warden Mark Broadbent drives the Quicksilver Mail Coach

Coachmakers’ Senior Warden and Master Elect Mark Broadbent once again drove the celebrated Quicksilver Royal Mail Coach, owned by Liveryman Portia Kennaway. The presentation of Quicksilver is far more than a simple competitive entry as it is one of only a handful of original Royal Mail coaches to have survived. Two hundred years ago this very coach ran on the London to Plymouth road during coaching’s golden age, achieving national fame as one of the fastest coaches in England.

Our three new American Freemen — Misdee Miller, James Miller and Tucker Johnson — also competed, with Misdee and Tucker bringing their horses from the US specially to take part. The results reflected a remarkable day for the Company. Mark Broadbent won the Road & Mail Coach class, with James Miller placed second.

Misdee Miller competes at Windsor

In the Private Coach / Drag class, Misdee Miller took first place, secured the award for Best Turned Out, and Tucker Johnson achieved third place. Mark and Misdee then went forward for the Championship, with Misdee Miller ultimately becoming Coaching Champion and Mark taking Reserve Championship.

Tucker Johnson competes in the main ring

Mark Broadbent’s association with Quicksilver reflects the very heart of Coachmakers’ traditions: the preservation of craftsmanship through practical skill and living heritage. Uniquely within the international coaching world, he is recognised not only as a whip of the highest calibre, but also as a master craftsman capable of building or restoring a coach to authentic historical standards before presenting and driving it in competition with his own horses. That combination of artisan skill, horsemanship and practical road coaching knowledge is exceptionally rare and embodies the values upon which the Company itself was founded.

Royal Windsor Horse Show remains one of the few places where such traditions can still be witnessed in motion rather than preserved solely in museums or collections. The Coaching Marathon continues to celebrate the artistry of the coach-builder, harness maker and professional whip, while introducing new audiences to Britain’s rich transport and sporting history.

This year’s success also provides a fitting prelude to the Company’s 350th anniversary celebrations, which begin on 1st September when Mark Broadbent is die to be sworn in as Master, subject to election. As part of those celebrations, the Coachmakers will organise a parade of historic carriages at Royal Windsor Horse Show in 2027. Together, these occasions will showcase not merely beautiful vehicles, but the survival of the skills, knowledge and horsemanship required to keep the great traditions of coaching and carriage building alive for future generations.

Photos courtesy of Arthur & Joyce Photography , www.arthurphotography.eu
Historic photos of HM Queen Elizabeth II, courtesy of www.rwhs.co.uk
Others courtesy of Nimrod magazine.