16 ♔♕ 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴

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𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟶𝟶𝟹

THE LITTLE PRINCESS COULD BE IN LINE FOR A MEDAL AT THE PONY EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

Following her incredible cross-country round yesterday, only 10 fences stand between her and the medal podium.

With what felt like the majority of the British royal family watching on, HRH Princess Isabella of Wales yesterday stormed round what to us, looked like an enormous cross country. If it hadn't have been for The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, Princes William and Harry, The Princess Royal and Zara Phillips, you'd have been mistaken for thinking it was just a normal day. Instead, the royals ventured across the Irish Sea to Necarne Castle in Ireland, a journey which surely none of them will be regretting.

It started off with a slightly shaky dressage. The wind was blowing a vicious gale that left the majority of the horse on their toes to say the least. Including Bella's pony, Kaapachino, owned by HM The Queen who I have been told follows her granddaughter's eventing jaunts with great enthusiasm.

She certainly had lots to be enthusiastic about yesterday. The wind had cleared, leaving an almost perfect day in Ireland, although there were still some spots of rain to make sure everyone still knew where they were. The Princess started off all the way down in 20th position following the dressage, but, rather miraculously, pulled off an incredible cross country round to climb the leaderboard, almost to the top.

She was one of the few riders to go clear inside the time and watching the round back, it's clear why. They were absolutely flying.

The royals were probably the most animated anyone there has ever seen them, by the time she had cleared the last fence, her brothers and Zara were already running towards her, with the three adults all exchanging hugs and smiles as they followed in pursuit.

That reaction was also eminent on the young princesses face. At just 16 she's already beginning to make a name for herself in the Eventing world, although some critics say that they would actually like to see her ride on a horse not owned by the royal family. Obviously none of the criticism was bothering her yesterday as she galloped over the finish line, gaining a very impressive 16 positions to put in her fourth place overnight.

Now it is all to play for in the showjumping. 10 fences. There are whispers that the French pairing in second often struggle in the showjumping, all Bella needs is one of the three people in front of her to fault, and a medal is hers.

We will wait with baited breath.

♔♕

Bella chuckled as her grandfather read out the newspaper article on her, the media were always so dramatic about everything.

They were all currently stood in the stable blocks creating quite a commotion, more with the space all seven of them took up rather than actually who they were. Anne, Zara and Bella were in Kaapi's stable, readying him for the showjumping later on, whilst Philip, Charles, William and Harry stood on the opposite side of the stable door.

"Right then," Anne began sharply as always, "tell me again the plan."

Bella took a deep breath in, already knowing exactly what she was going to say, the course was engrained in her memory. "We go in, canter him round the big scary bush twice so he doesn't spook whilst we're jumping...we're on the left rein going towards the first, a nice swoop to the second, let him get in a rhythm, kick on round the short side to make up time, angle him as far into the wall as possible so that when we turn to the third he's on his hocks, two strides for the double, sit up so he doesn't get long as it's down hill, five strides to the fourth."

𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛.                  ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏWhere stories live. Discover now