Prince William said his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, used an "old iPad" to watch newborn foals, making the tablet an unexpected tool in her lifelong interest in horses and racing.
William made the remark while visiting the national federation of the Women’s Institute in Sunningdale, Berkshire, on Monday, an engagement held to mark the third anniversary of the Queen’s death. The Princess of Wales, Catherine, joined him at short notice for the visit.
Speaking to a small group over tea and cake, William said the late monarch used the device to view foaling at the royal stables so she could "see" the births "wherever she was in the country." He added that the Queen "was very dedicated" to her horses and racing and quipped that he was "swotting up on my racing knowledge. You're testing my limits."
The Queen, who died on Sept. 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle at age 96, had long been reported to be comfortable with modern technology for a sovereign of her generation. Reports in 2011 said she acquired an iPad after her grandsons introduced her to the device. Royal stable staff later described a CCTV link to Sandringham stables that allowed her to monitor broodmares and new foals remotely.
David Somers, manager of the Queen’s stables, told a Channel 5 Countryfile special in 2018 that the CCTV feed allowed him to be on the phone with the monarch during foalings "explaining what’s going on and talking her through the process." Media accounts have also said the Queen used a mobile phone and owned an iPod; members of her household handled device security and maintenance.
During the WI visit, William acknowledged the third anniversary of his grandmother’s death, saying, "I can't quite believe it has been three years already," and recalled the Queen's long association with the organization, of which she had been a member for more than 80 years.
The Waleses were less than a 20-minute drive from Windsor Castle as the visit took place. The visit coincided with a private tribute by the Duke of Sussex, who reportedly laid a wreath at the Queen’s grave in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, after returning to the U.K. for a short visit. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, remained in California with their children.
William also answered questions about his family while meeting WI members. Asked whether Prince Louis, 7, is "a handful," he smiled and said the youngest is "a character, but he's a very good boy," and that Louis enjoys "winding his brother and sister up." He described Prince George, 12, as someone who "just knows how to behave" when compared with his younger siblings.
The royal household’s adaptation of new technologies has been documented over many years. In addition to tablets and phones, accounts have noted staff involvement in device management and occasional public demonstrations of technology use by members of the royal family. Those details were cited in media reports that chronicled the Queen’s private use of electronics to follow racing and family events.
The Sunningdale engagement was one of several private and public remembrances across the royal family marking the anniversary of Elizabeth II’s death, and it underscored the personal interests and routines—such as following foals at the stables—that remained part of her life in the years before her passing.