King Charles breaks with Queen Elizabeth's royal tradition in latest move to 'scale back'

King Charles is planning to sell 12 of the late Queen's best performing racehorses in a bid to 'scale back royal tradition.'

• King Charles inherited the horses from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth.
• The 12 racehorses will now be sold off at Newmarket’s Tattersalls auction house.
• In other royal news, King Charles won't move into Buckingham Palace for at least another five years.

The Queen was well-known for her love of horses, but now King Charles will be breaking with a royal tradition that dates back decades by selling the best-performing horses.

One of the horses to be sold includes Just Fine – who was trained by Sir Michael Stoute – and was the first horse to win for the new King. Love Affairs – who was the Queen’s last winner before she died, will also be put up for sale according to The Mail on Sunday.

Queen Elizabeth had a whopping 37 horses in races this year, of which a third have been given to Charles. Back in 1952, after the death of her father King George VI, Elizabeth was given her father's breeding and racing stock - which ignited a life-long love for the sport.

Last year was the Queen's best in racing. She saw 36 of her horses be crowned winners and earned a staggering £590,000 in prize money.

A royal source, who is close to the Royal Sandringham stud in Norfolk, has said that there are whispers of breeding operation 'winding down' over the next three years. This will happen until it ceases to be a commercial operation.

The source said, "The royal stud could be a museum in three years. It would be a real shame. [But] the connection between the family and the horse racing industry will continue. The desire is to continue with the traditions and connections with Royal Ascot but not on the same scale as Her Majesty because she had a passion."

Charles - who has 60 racehorses and 38 brood mares in Sandringham - is expected to start reducing the numbers soon. The 30 foals that are expected in the new year are also likely to be sold for high prices, just like the Queen's last breed.

A racing source has said the Gulf State yards are especially eager to buy from the new monarch and claim a connection to the Queen.