During a routine exercise near the main residence of King Charles III, several military horses unexpectedly bolted, leading to a chaotic scene in the heart of London. This unexpected incident occurred on Wednesday morning and led to at least four people being injured and several vehicles colliding during the morning rush hour.
According to British media reports, the incident began when about seven horses from the Household Cavalry were frightened by the noise caused by construction workers nearby. The animals were taking their exercise in Belgravia, an upscale neighborhood situated just west of Buckingham Palace.
The horses, without riders, ran wildly through the main roads of central London, colliding with vehicles and startling commuters on their way to work. Fortunately, the horses were all captured shortly after and are currently undergoing medical tests.
The event quickly went viral on social media platforms, where photos and videos showed two of the horses running at high speeds down Aldwych, nestled between London’s historic financial center and the bustling West End theatre district.
One of the horses appeared to be covered in what looked like blood or red paint. The Army has not yet confirmed whether it was indeed blood or what caused the injury. Megan Morra, a commuter on her way to work, told the BBC that she saw one of the horses with a head injury.
“There was a lot of blood,” she said. “I was a bit distressed to be honest, looking at the poor horse.”
A taxi near Buckingham Palace seemed to have a car window smashed by a spooked horse, while a parked double-decker tour bus had its windshield damaged.
An Army spokesperson stated, “All of the horses have now been recovered and returned to camp. A number of personnel and horses have been injured and are receiving the appropriate medical attention.”
Also, the London Ambulance Service reported treating four people across three separate incidents within ten minutes after the horses ran amok around 8:30 a.m.
The horses belong to the Household Cavalry, the ceremonial guard of the monarch, and a regular feature of state functions in London. Two of the horses were later contained in Limehouse, about 4 miles (6 kilometers) east of central London, according to the City of London police.