Which horses are pulling King Charles and Queen Camilla's Gold State Coach?

Eight Windsor Grey horses lead royal procession

Eight horses pulled the Gold State Coach from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace. Reuters

Follow the latest news from the coronation of King Charles here

The royal carriage of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is being pulled by eight Windsor Grey horses in the procession back to Buckingham Palace.

The horses for the coronation procession are called Icon, Shadow, Milford Haven, Newark, Echo, Knightsbridge, Meg and Tyrone.

Six of them pulled the Diamond Jubilee State Coach that brought the king and queen to Westminster Abbey for the service.

However, eight are needed for the return trip to the palace in the heavier Gold State Coach, which travels at walking pace.

Windsor Greys are selected by palace staff to pull ceremonial carriages.

Dozens more horses are involved in the day’s proceedings as part of a Household Cavalry mounted band.

The drum horses Atlas and Apollo led the earlier procession from the palace to the coronation at Westminster Abbey.

On the return trip, Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles, is riding behind the king and queen.

The princess is performing the role of Gold Stick in Waiting, a symbolic bodyguard for the royal couple.

The Gold State Coach is more than 250 years old, having first been used by King George III to travel in 1762.

It is only used on certain occasions such as jubilees, coronations and the state opening of parliament.

Palace officials say it will return to public display at the Royal Mews after the coronation.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was known as a lover of horses.

Her fell pony, Emma, stood beside the procession of the queen’s coffin in one of the emblematic images of last year’s state funeral.

The coronation of King Charles III — in pictures