Queen Elizabeth poses with her fell ponies to mark 96th birthday

Queen Elizabeth turns 96 on Thursday,  April 21.

To celebrate Her Majesty’s 96th birthday, the Royal Windsor Horse Show has released a new photo of the British monarch celebrating her lifelong love of horses.

In the portrait, which was taken just last month by photographer Henry Dallal, the Queen stands beside two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale.

Sharing the photo to Instagram the Royal Family wrote: “Ahead of The Queen’s 96th Birthday tomorrow, @royalwindsorhorseshow have released a new photograph of Her Majesty with two of her fell ponies, Bybeck Katie and Bybeck Nightingale.

“Taken last month in the grounds of Windsor Castle, the photo is the fourth in a series of photos released by the Royal Windsor Horse Show, following images that celebrated the Golden Jubilee, the Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s 90th Birthday.

“First staged in 1943, The Queen has attended every single Royal Windsor Horse Show.”