The royal, 96, was spotted driving around the grounds of the annual Windsor Horse Show on Friday morning.
It is the first time Philip has been seen since he left the hospital after undergoing hip replacement surgery on April 4. He’s currently recovering from his operation at Windsor Castle.
Philip was behind the wheel of a Land Rover as he drove himself to the Windsor Horse Show at Home Park, which is behind the castle. He headed to an arena where Queen Elizabeth, 92, had been watching one of her horses.
He was clearly enjoying the freedom of getting “out and about,” an onlooker says.
“He and the Queen spoke for about five minutes. She leaned into the window to talk.”
The sighting cheered onlookers and royal fans who’ve been waiting for news of his recovery.
Last week, the palace was unable to confirm whether Philip would be well enough to attend Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s royal wedding at Windsor Castle on May 19. They “very much hope” he will be there, a palace spokesperson said during a briefing on May 4, adding that there will be guidance closer to the wedding date.
The annual horse show — which is celebrating its 75th year — provides a perfect sporting spectacle for the royal couple. Philip has often taken part in carriage driving, while the Queen hasn’t missed an event since it started in 1943.
Earlier in the week, the Queen was among friends and fellow horse lovers as she attended the Windsor Horse Show. She arrived in a chauffeur-driven car from the palace and walked a short distance to a small covered hut-like structure that gave the 92-year-old some shade from the spring sunshine.
“She looked very well, sprightly. She was enjoying the sunshine and watching one of her horses compete,” another observer adds.
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE
