10 fascinating facts about the Cartier Queen's Cup

This prestigious event at Guards Polo Club is the the jewel in the crown of the British polo season.

cartier queen's cup
(Image credit: Cartier)
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The jewel in the polo calendar, the Cartier Queen's Cup attracts the world's best players and encapsulates the best of the British season. This 22-goal tournament runs from May onwards, climaxing with the finals in June when the Queen presents the trophy to the winning team. Here, we reveal 10 fascinating facts about this glittering event.

  • This is Cartier’s 31st year of continuous sponsorship of polo at Guards Polo Club
  • HM The Queen first presented the Queen’s Cup to Guards Polo Club in 1960
  • HRH Prince Charles won the trophy in 1986 with Les Diables Bleus
  • HRH Prince Philip had to settle for the runners-up spot twice – in 1964 and ’66.
  • 12 teams entered this year’s tournament
  • The World’s Number One Player Adolfo Cambiaso has won the most Queen’s Cups – 8. He is still in with a chance to increase this record as the Dubai team are into the semi-finals
  • The handicap rating for this tournament is 17 – 22 goals – so the total handicaps of each team cannot add up to more than 22 goals.
  • If there is a goal difference between teams the lesser handicapped team will receive goals on handicap – eg a 21 goal team playing 22 goal team will receive 1 goal on handicap before the match starts
  • Cartier sponsored the 2005 Queen’s Cup as a one-off in recognition of the Club’s 50th anniversary
  • There are six 10-goalers in this year’s teams – the highest handicap possible in the sport.

The final of the 2015 Cartier Queen's Cup takes place this Sunday June 14. For further information visit www.guardspoloclub.com

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Agnes Stamp
Agnes Stamp

Agnes has worked for Country Life in various guises — across print, digital and specialist editorial projects — before finally finding her spiritual home on the Features Desk. A graduate of Central St. Martins College of Art & Design she has worked on luxury titles including GQ and Wallpaper* and has written for Condé Nast Contract Publishing, Horse & Hound, Esquire and The Independent on Sunday. She is currently writing a book about dogs, due to be published by Rizzoli New York in September 2025.

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