英女王孙女将出战伦敦奥运会

The London Olympics will include a touch of royalty when the games get underway next month. The Queen’s grand-daughter Zara Phillips will appear on the British Olympic Equestrian team. The 31-year-old is proud and excited about being selected for the London Games.

It’s second chance of sorts for Phillips, who is looking forward to riding at her first Olympics.

She was selected for the 2008 Games in Beijing, but didn’t compete after her horse Toytown was injured.

Zara says, "Yeah, obviously I’m massively excited and honoured to be on a team with these guys as well. And, yeah, still keeping fingers crossed though as we’ve still got a few more weeks to go. We know what horses are like! But seeing it today, it’s all bringing it much closer and really exciting."

Zara follows in the footsteps of her mother, Princess Anne, and father Mark Phillips. Both of them were Olympians in the 1970s.

Princess Anne competed in Montreal in 1976 while Mark Phillips was part of the Britain eventing team that won gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics.

Zara says, "I just hope I’m a big luckier than them. Obviously very proud and right behind me all the way. And, obviously, I wouldn’t be here without them anyway".

Zara confirmed she plans to stay in the athletes village in East London during the Games, despite her high profile status as a member of the British royal family.

Zara says, "It will be great to be part of the Olympics and get the atmosphere and the buzz of being a part of it. A lot of the times the equestrian has been quite far out and this time they have really made a big effort to try and have us part of the Olympics and get all the atmosphere and benefit from that."

Phillips’ inclusion with Team Great Britain is expected to raise the profile of equestrian events at the Olympics, with more news and sports media following the action. The equestrian competitions will be held between July 28th and August 9th.