Tim Griffiths
One of polo’s most prestigious matches, the Cartier Queen’s Cup, was held last Sunday at the Windsor Great Park at Guards Polo Club and celebrated the jeweller’s 31st year of polo sponsorship.
The match was attended by royalty and celebrities alike, led by HM Queen Elizabeth II, who has attended and presented her cup since the ’60s, and HRH Prince Philip. Her Majesty was the embodiment of spring, wearing a pink tweed coat with a pink-and-green floral dress underneath, accompanied by a matching pink hat with a green feather accent and cream gloves. Prince Philip wore a black double-breasted blazer, grey trousers and a burgundy-and-black checked tie to give a pop of colour.
The match was also attended by the likes of Dame Joan Collins and her husband Percy Gibson, Jerry Hall, Jodie Kidd and Donna Air. Dame Joan was dressed head to toe in pale peach while Hall donned a tailored navy suit with a blue cashmere sweater wrapped around her shoulders, her hair in cascading curls.
Kidd also wore navy with her blonde hair down. This time it was a tight one-shouldered dress; black and gold flat sandals accompanied the outfit. Air wore a V-neck, midi-length pale pink dress with a white turtleneck underneath. She paired this with a navy Chanel bag and white ankle boots with a black heel.
Other people there were the sisters Lady Violet Manners and Lady Alice Manners, Lady Violet wearing a white layered midi summer dress with burgundy heels and a sky blue bag. Lady Alice, however, wore a short green sleeveless dress and strapped nude heels, with a cream bag.
Also in attendance were Lord and Lady March, Amber Le Bon, Rupert Finch and wife Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, Bear Grylls, Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola, Lilly and Boris Becker, Geneviève Gaunt, Alice Naylor-Leyland, the Marquess and Marchioness of Milford-Haven, Christopher Biggins, Markus Lupfer, Hugo Taylor, Spencer Matthews, the Hon Hilary Weston and Galen Weston, and the Hon Philippa Cadogan. Cartier executive chairman Arnaud Bamberger and Cartier UK managing director Laurent Feniou played host at the event.
Cartier first sponsored the international day in 1984 and has gone one to sponsor St Moritz Polo, the Cartier International Dubai challenge, the Cartier World Elephant Polo Championship and even the first polo event in Beijing. The Queen’s Cup, however, is a highlight for the sports élite and spectators alike with previous players including HRH Prince Philip (who played in the final) and HRH Prince Charles (who won the trophy).—Fenella Clarke
Tim Griffiths