The queen cantered into the new year atop a dark brown horse, looking sprightly in the January sunshine.
The 85-year-old monarch took her trusty steed for a ride in the vast grounds of the Sandringham estate, where a body was also found on New Year’s Day.
Queen Elizabeth was taken by Range Rover to the Sandringham stables and rode the horse hours after the body was found.
Wearing cerise leather boots and a long navy blue coat, the Queen waved caution to the wind with her headwear, preferring to wear a scarf instead of a riding helmet.
Clopping through the Norfolk woodland, Her Majesty crossed a public road, accompanied by her groom, before disappearing into the private grounds of the sprawling 8,000-hectare Sandringham estate.
Prince Phillip was believed to be resting following a heart scare that saw him airlifted to Papworth hospital before Christmas. Like the Queen, he too is a fan of outdoor pursuits, going straight from hospital to a pheasant shoot, smartly dressed in a suit and tie.