The Royal Family has bid goodbye to one of its most treasured members after 14 years of service.
Irish draft horse Tyrone, who was much loved by the late Queen, last week officially retired from royal duties, after working at nearly every royal occasion over the last decade and a half.
According to the Sunday Times, the 19-year-old Windsor Grey will be spending his retirement at the Horse Trust in Buckinghamshire, a sanctuary for retired horses in the Chiltern Hills.
There, he was reunited with his father Storm, 26, and his sister Meg, 20, who are also both former royal carriage horse.
Staff said they will miss Tyron, who was described as ‘the gentlest giant’ by one of the Royal Mews team, who added that he ‘doesn’t have a bad bone in his body’, and is ‘so reliable and so kind natured’.
As a working animal, Tyrone was a ‘wheeler’ – the horses who are placed closest to the state carriages they are pulling. Always positioned as the rear horse on the right side, he was often paired with Meg while working.
On top of having to do the heavy work of pulling the carriages, the animals have to be extremely well behaved, so they can carry out their duties amid roaring crowds at major events.
Tyrone made his debut in 2012, where he pulled the carriage bringing the late Queen to the to the state opening of parliament.
This was followed weeks later, when he pulled Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during the Diamond Jubilee.
Other notable occasions Tyrone was working include the state openings in 2013 and 2014, and Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018.
During the 2023 coronation, he took King Charles and Queen Camilla to Westminster Abbey from Buckingham Palace. He later returned them to the Palace after the service.
Another major outing came during Trooping the Colour in June 2024, when the Princess of Wales made her first public appearance after announcing cancer earlier that year. Tyrone was one of the wheelers pulling her carriage.
Tyrone’s final official duty came last month, when he was again part of the team of horses transporting the King and Queen.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, crown equerry Colonel Toby Browne, who oversees the Royal Mews, said that the late Queen look an interest in Tyrone, noting that she ‘loved the fact there was a family connection with Tyrone, Storm and Meg’.
He added that Tyrone is a ‘very popular chap – a big fan favourite’, and that everyone loves the horse, who is ‘very hard-working and really deserves his retirement’.
Tyrone, like many of the other carriage horses, was bred in Ireland. When he was four, he started training for a royal career at the Royal Mews stables in Windsor.
The training, which takes around a year, includes exposing the animals to loud noises so they are used to the high volumes they have to endure from noisy crowds at royal events.
It also includes making them wear harnesses and pull carriages.
On Monday, Tyrone arrived at the sanctuary to begin his retirement.
Shortly after his arrival, while examining his surrounding, he heard another horse call out to him – it was his sister Meg, with whom he was reunited (alongside his father Storm).
In a statement about the sanctuary’s new arrival, chief executive Jeanette Allen said that after his many years of public service, it is ‘time for us to serve him and give him the best possible life here’.
A post about Tyrone’s retirement on the Royal Family Instagram account attracted many comments from royal watchers.
One said: ‘What a lovely horse. Hope he has a lovely retirement ❤️ He will be missed on the royal front.’
Another wrote: ‘How lovely that he is going to live with his father and sister – thank you for your service Tyrone! Enjoy your retirement ❤️❤️❤️❤️.’
And a third added: ‘What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful, handsome horse. Thank you Tyrone for all your hard work – may your retirement be long, healthy and happy ❤️.’
‘Wishing Tyrone a happy retirement,’ said another Instagram user. ‘Thank you for sharing – your heartfelt tribute shows the power of compassion and kindness on multiple levels which is particularly poignant and much needed in this pretty heartless world currently.’
‘We will miss you, beautiful boy,’ wrote another.
A further agreed, writing: ‘Well deserved I’m sure. Happy days Tyrone.’
And one simply wrote: ‘Happy Retirement Tyrone ❤️ beautiful boy xx.’
