Princess Anne reunited with childhood riding teacher

The Princess Royal has been reunited with a former Windsor groom who taught her to ride more than 70 years ago.

Barbara Rosen, 94, said Princess Anne was three and her brother King Charles was five when she began working at Windsor Castle in the 1950s.

The pair met when the princess visited The Nicky day centre in Crumpsall as Manchester Jewish Community Care marked its 75th anniversary.

Rosen said they had a "really nice chat", adding: "We both remembered one another."

She said she was the first female groom to work there, at a time when the role had previously been carried out by men.

"They were just children," Rosen said of Anne and Charles.

"I used to ride with them and teach them how to ride."

She recalled the children's ponies, William and Greensleeves, and said she travelled with the Royal Family and the ponies to Sandringham and Balmoral.

Rosen said she worked as a groom for about seven-and-a-half years before leaving after she married.

During their reunion, she said she and the princess recalled people and places from their time at Windsor and looked through old photographs.

They also spoke about three-day eventing, in which the princess later competed.

David Delew, chief executive of Manchester Jewish Community Care, said the meeting was one of the highlights of the Royal visit.

He said Princess Anne spent longer in the centre's reminiscence room than he had expected as the pair talked about "the old days, the different horses and the family".

The charity was established in 1951 as the Manchester Jewish Blind Society and now provides care, support and community services.

During the visit, Princess Anne also met members, staff and volunteers, viewed refurbishment plans for The Nicky and unveiled a commemorative plaque.

Rabbi Daniel Walker described her visit as a "wonderful expression of solidarity" and said the community was "extremely grateful" for the support it had received.

The King visited the nearby Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in October 2025 following the attack there earlier that month.

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