Royal family comes out to support Queen’s granddaughter in cross country event

Greenwich Park may not have been filled for the cross-country phrase of the event...

14:48 01 August 2012

Greenwich Park may not have been filled for the cross-country phrase of the event competition, but among those rows of empty seats sat no less than members of the Royal Family itself. 

 

The Windsors, including the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, princess Eugenie, and Princess Beatrice, were there to support one of their own: equestrian Zara Philips, the Queen’s granddaughter.    

 

And Philips made sure to thank her relatives as well as the 50,000-strong home crowd for showing up with her gutsy and admirable performance. In the process, she raised her position to 10th from a previous 24th, and also lifted the British team into second place with just one day to go. 

 

She also had the fastest British time of the day, despite the fact that her phase was held on a rather treacherous course that has unseated many riders in the past. 

 

Upon finishing, Philips punched the air in celebration. Later, she went on Twitter to express her joy: “The crowd was unbelievable and the best thing is that it is my wedding anniversary today!” 

 

She also gave the credit to her trusty companion: her horse, High Kingdom, who is more fondly called as Trev. “He’s such a dude,” Philips said. And indeed he is, given how he pulled the event off with such speed and prowess despite losing a front shoe along the way.