The late Queen’s Highland pony breeding programme is to be moved from Balmoral Castle to England, it has been confirmed.
A spokesman for Balmoral said the stud would return to Hampton Court Palace near London rather than continuing at the Scottish castle in which Her Majesty spent her last days.
The ponies moved to Balmoral in 2007, to work on the 64,000-acre estate as well as for the breeding programme. The Queen was very much involved with the ponies; she would visit the stud every time she was at the castle, and was interested in their success in the show ring.
“Historically the royal Highland pony breeding programme has been based at Hampton Court Palace,” the Balmoral spokesman said.
“In 2007 a small programme was opened on the Balmoral Estate. Breeding will now be consolidated back to Hampton Court Palace; during this period of transition the Royal Household is in consultation with staff who will be affected by the change.”
It is not known how many jobs will be affected. The stud has been managed since 2007 by Sylvia Ormiston, whose husband is the farm manager.
It is thought there are about 40 ponies at the stud, and the castle is also home to Highland cattle and Cheviot sheep.
The Balmoral spokesman said: “We are in a process of consultation and cannot comment further at the present time.”
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