A Thanksgiving greeting to lift the spirits
Good News about Monty Roberts, Queen Elizabeth II's "horse whisperer"
One reason my regular Royals Extra was delayed this past weekend was my assignment from The Times of London to analyze the first four episodes of Season 6 of The Crown. Here’s the link, for those who are interested:
How Accurate is The Crown Season 6? Sorting fact from fiction
The other reason, I am delighted to report, is that last Thursday in New York City I attended the world premiere of “The Cowboy and the Queen,” an inspirational and moving documentary film about the friendship between Queen Elizabeth II and Monty Roberts, a California cowboy who has changed the way horses are trained and has also helped many sufferers of PTSD through equine therapy.
Back in 2009, after Buckingham Palace gave Monty a green light, I spent a day with him at his Flag is Up Farms in Solvang, California. I wrote in Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch about her friendship with Monty that began in 1989 and lasted for more than 30 years until her death.
Last summer I previewed an unfinished version of “The Cowboy and the Queen,” directed by Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated Andrea Nevins and edited by Graham Clark. I was flattered to be included in several voiceovers. Seeing the film prompted me to write more on Royals Extra about my time with Monty and his insights into the Queen. If you are a paid subscriber, you can find my July 23 post in the Royals Extra archive.
It was thrilling to watch the film last week in a Manhattan theater with hundreds of enthusiastic viewers. I had the pleasure of appearing on a panel afterwards with Monty (going strong and looking fit at age 88), Pat, his wife of 67 years, (as beautiful as ever), Andrea, and Graham. I was also delighted to meet Monty and Pat’s daughter, Debbie, who told me she is now in charge of the farm and deeply involved in helping her father train horses and educate others in his gentle techniques.
Below are some photos from the premiere that I thought Royals Extra readers might enjoy.
I’ll be taking a break from Royals Extra on Thanksgiving weekend—my second hiatus since I launched on Substack last March. For those subscribers who have signed up in recent months, there are now 58 newsletters in the Royals Extra archive. Please feel free to dive in!
Happy Thanksgiving to all my Royals Extra readers, with gratitude to you for supporting my work.
Monty looks great - training horses and people must be good for one's health!