Britain has been shocked by the death of 24-year-old soldier Ciara Sullivan, a member of the elite Royal Horse Artillery Corps, who was fatally injured after falling from her horse at the Windsor Royal Horse Show.
According to reports, the woman fell from her horse at around 7pm, shortly after leaving the arena, where she had taken part in a performance before King Charles III. Despite immediate first aid, she suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her family and friends have paid touching tributes to her. Her father, Pat Sullivan, posted a photo of her on social media with the message: "
Honor. Service. They will never be forgotten.”
Her mother, Wendy, responded to hundreds of messages of support, writing: "Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to write these words. She did what she wanted."
Buckingham Palace said King Charles was “deeply shocked and saddened” to learn of her death. A palace spokesman said the monarch “will personally contact the family to express his condolences.”
The statement added that the king and other members of the royal family were at the scene at the time of the incident, but were not immediately aware of the severity of the situation. “The thoughts and sincere condolences of the entire royal family are with the victim’s family and her military colleagues at this difficult time of grief,” it added.
Sullivan had previously appeared on a podcast for the Army Charities Fund, the official charity for British military veterans, where she spoke about her internship as a horse caretaker in the King's Troop.
She joined the British Army in November 2020 and trained at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright, before joining the King's Own Royal Horse Artillery in June 2021. According to colleagues, she "loved" horses and had a "natural connection" with them.
During her service, she took part in many ceremonial operations, including the Royal Artillery Salutes in Hyde Park and Green Park. She also took part in Operation Bridge, which included the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, and Operation Golden Orb for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023.
She had recently earned her certification as the Regimental Advanced Riding Instructor and was involved in training military horses and young horses, while also giving riding lessons to other soldiers in the unit. She was also frequently selected to train officers in the troop.
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