Zara Phillips is one of the most private royals but last month, she granted an exclusive interview to The Weekly’s deputy editor Juliet Rieden. Here, Juliet describes her meeting with the Queen’s oldest granddaughter.
In the days leading up to my interview with Zara Phillips I had lived through every cross country scramble and perilous jump as she and horse High Kingdom battled for a medal position in the Olympics.
When the duo clipped a fence in the final show jumping event I started to panic. Until then a gold medal had been in sight, how would Zara be feeling?
She ended the round well, despite the fence down … and ultimately the team claimed silver spot.
Related: Zara Phillips: I want to start a family
Like Wills, Kate, Harry and the rest of her cheering (royal) family, I was leaping up and down. Anyone would think I’d won a medal.
Climbing the steps of the plane that would take me from Sydney to the UK I felt really chuffed: Zara’s win was my win.
And when I touched down in London I quickly realised that air of joy was all around. The usually dour, drainingly miserable Brits were positively overflowing with optimism.
A few hours later my phone rang. It was Peter Phillips, Zara’s brother and business manager — could I meet Zara the following afternoon at her stables in Gloucestershire, a few hours from London.
Twelve hours later I was on the tube to Paddington station where I waited for the main line train to the tiny village of Kemble in the lush British countryside.
Paddington was bursting with families flooding in for the day’s Olympic action, and at least 50 percent in Team GB T-shirts … no wonder the Brits were racing up the medal table.
Finally, the train arrived and I headed away from the crowds and into the fields.
Zara’s stables are on Gatcombe Estate — where her mother Princess Anne lives.
The approach is through a locked wooden gate controlled by an entry buzzer — a strange sight in the countryside, but I guess this is no ordinary stables.
Preceding Zara’s arrival two dogs bounded up, sentinels for the 14th in line to the throne.
Zara came straight from work — a day spent training and riding her horses. She was makeup-free, tired and desperate to see how the Team GB show jumpers were doing.
With the dogs running in and out and the horses whinnying in the stables we sat down to talk.
Zara is not a natural interviewee, not only does she hate talking about herself, she’s suspicious of the press and keenly aware that her royal position demands that she choose her words with care.
But move on to the subject of her horses and that awkwardness disappears. Her brother Peter sat with us, siblings united.
Zara Phillips’ life in pictures
And while it’s clear this chosen corner of England’s green and pleasant land is a haven for the royal duo, where they have their own loyal team of co-workers, the fortress that necessarily exists around the royal family was never far away.
After an afternoon with Zara and Peter, I left thinking how very strange it must be to live in this rarefied bubble, especially when your life is just evolving, and I started to understand why Zara at least chooses to throw herself so completely into her world of horses, competitions and country life. Here perhaps she feels free.
Read Juliet’s exclusive interview with Zara in the September issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
Video: At home with Zara Phillips
