The Prince paused to stroke the noses of some of the horses lined up in an honour guard of 41 mounted police at National Police Memorial Day. He joined a 1,000 people at Liverpool Cathedral for a service remembering fallen officers.

While the Prince of Wales was in the northern city, his brother Prince Edward and wife Sophie also had an equestrian engagement. The Wessexes were guests of honour at Ascot where they presented a trophy to a representative of Princess Haya of Jordan. Her horse Raven’s Pass won the Queen Elizabeth II stakes at the celebrated Berkshire race course.

It was one of Sophie’s first official appearances following her nine-month maternity leave to care for son James, and she seemed well and pleased to be returning to royal duties.

Prince Harry and Prince Charles are mourning the loss of Gerald Ward, godfather to the young royal and close friend of his father, after the 70-year-old collapsed on a golf course.

An air ambulance flew to Berkshire’s Sunningdale golf course after the former Household Cavalry officer suffered chest pains while taking part in a charity tournament near his family home.

A fellow Etonian like his godson and close friend of the Prince of Wales, Gerald had a long relationship with the royal family, and was with Charles when he first met Camilla in 1972.

He took a great interest in his 24-year-old godson’s life, in particular in his schooling and his military career, advising him before he left for Afghanistan last year. The young royal was told of the former soldier’s passing after he finished exercises with his battalion, the Blues and Royals.

Dressed in a striking coral coat and matching hat – with a tartan blanket over her knees to keep out the chill – the British monarch looked on as the traditional Highland Games got underway at the picturesque village. As ever, Prince Philip and Prince Charles, who sat with the Queen to watch the sports, donned their kilts for the day.

There was a familiar face among the winners too. Presenting awards to participants, the Queen once again handed over the trophy for the overall heavyweight competition to Bruce Aitken, who won for the tenth consecutive year.

Held near the royals’ Scottish summer home of Balmoral Castle in the north-east of Scotland, the gathering attracted more than 16,000 people. The games, which date back to the 11th century, see clansmen testing their physical strength in contests such as tug-of-war and caber-tossing before saluting the monarch as their chieftain.