Queen suffers second tragedy in two weeks with death of 'close' friend

Queen Elizabeth II has suffered a second tragedy barely two weeks after the death of husband Prince Philip.

Her Majesty's friend Sir Michael Oswald has died aged 85.

Sir Michael played a key role in the royal family's horseracing interests for more than 50 years and was "very close to the Queen".

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He became manager of the Royal Studs in 1970 and served in the role for 28 years, according to Racing Post.

Sir Michael was jumps adviser to Queen Elizabeth and prior to that was racing manager to the Queen Mother until her death in 2002.

The royal family has long been connected to the races, with horses one of Queen Elizabeth II's greatest loves.

Her Majesty learned to ride aged just three and continues to ride horseback aged 95.

Sir Michael is believed to have died on April 17, the day of the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.

He was a regular fixture at important race meets, including Royal Ascot, and was often photographed with the Queen and other members of the family.

In 2020, Sir Michael was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in the Queen's New Year's Honours list.

His widow Lady Angela – who served as lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother – paid tribute to her husband, saying: "He always said he had the most wonderful job anybody could ever have had and that for all his working life he was simply doing what he would have done had he been a rich man who didn't have to work".

READ MORE: All the tributes to Prince Philip from members of the royal family

British trainer Nicky Henderson said Sir Michael was "very close to the Queen and the Queen Mother".

"(He) loved his role with their horses. He would go absolutely anywhere to watch them run, even in the last few years when he was in his eighties."

The Queen's current racing adviser John Warren said: "Sir Michael did a magnificent job managing the Royal Studs for so long. He was deeply committed to the studs, the Queen and the Queen Mother".