King Charles and Queen Camilla step up their involvement in horse racing - one of the late Queen's biggest passions - as they become joint patrons of the Jockey Club

King Charles and Queen Camilla have become joint patrons of the Jockey Club.

Both are currently Honorary Members of The Jockey Club and succeed the late Queen Elizabeth II, who was Patron of the organisation for 68 years.

King Charles and Queen Camilla secured their first Royal Ascot winner last season with Desert Hero.

Sandy Dudgeon, Senior Steward of The Jockey Club, said: ‘We are honoured that Their Majesties have accepted our invitation to become joint Patrons of The Jockey Club.

‘They have shown great enthusiasm and support for equestrian sports over many years and everyone in racing in Britain and overseas was thrilled to see them enjoy success at Royal Ascot last year.’

The late Queen's fondness for horses began when she was just four after her grandfather, King George V, gave her a little Shetland pony.

By the age of six she had fallen in love with riding, becoming an accomplished equestrian in her teenage years and has continued to ride for pleasure throughout her life.

From her first appearance at the annual Trooping the Colour to 1986, the monarch would attend the ceremony on horseback.

She first attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show as a horse-mad teenager in 1943. Together with Princess Margaret, the 17-year-old showed off her equestrian prowess by winning the Pony & Dogcart class. 

The Queen owned several thoroughbreds for racing after she initially inherited King George's breeding and racing stock following his death in February 1952.

Her Majesty’s golden era as a racehorse owner was in 1953, her coronation year, when her beloved horse Aureole came second to Pinza, the closest the Queen ever came to winning the Derby.

She became the patron of many organisations focused on horses, including the British Horse Society, the Fell Pony Society and the Highland Pony Society.

Queen Elizabeth II, known throughout the world as a racehorse owner and breeder of true expertise, celebrated her love for the animals by dedicating life-size statues to two of her horses in Windsor.

In 1974, the monarch's interest in horses was the subject of a documentary title, The Queen's Race Horses: a Private View, which she herself narrated.

The Queen’s love of horse racing resulted in her becoming inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame in the Special Contributor Category.

She was awarded the honour due to her unwavering and lifelong dedication to the sport in the last eight decades.