In the heart of London, chaos and panic erupted on Wednesday morning as five horses from the Household Cavalry, a regiment closely associated with the king, bolted through the city. Engaged in a routine exercise session on Horseguards Parade, the horses broke loose at around 8:40 a.m. local time, causing havoc in their wake.
The Daily Mail reported that five individuals, including a serviceman, sustained injuries during the three separate incidents. Witnesses described scenes of terror as the horses, one a blood-covered white charger, galloped through the city, reaching areas several miles from their starting point.
Buckingham Palace Road, a major thoroughfare in the city, was closed off, and a first aid tent was set up to assist an injured soldier witnessed screaming in agony after falling from his horse. Bashir Aden, a construction worker, recounted the harrowing scene to the Telegraph: “I saw a soldier fall into the street after the horse crashed into a car. One of my colleagues called the police.”
“The man hit the ground hard and was screaming in pain. Blood was visible all over the parked car,” Aden continued. “The horses pass by this route daily, but today, the horse seemed distressed or panicked. I watched as it fled after colliding with a bus. People were screaming and running everywhere. His injuries appeared serious; he seemed badly hurt.”
Social media footage captured a black horse scattering bystanders as it charged through the city before being intercepted and calmed by a courageous civilian. One horse collided with a vacant tour bus. Subsequently, the City of London Police announced that all the horses had been recaptured.
The Household Cavalry serves as the Sovereign’s Escort, performing ceremonial duties at events like Trooping the Colour and state visits.
