Royal Watch News

Prince William and Catherine's support for Zara

Apr 24, 2012, 12:01 GMT

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Britain's Prince William and Duchess Catherine will cheer Zara Phillips on as she attempts to earn a place at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Duke of Cambridge and his wife will attend the final day of the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire on May 7 where his cousin Zara - a former equestrian world champion - will compete against a top international field.

William and Catherine will present prizes to the successful competitors and although Catherine - previously Kate Middleton - has attended the trials before in a private capacity, this is the first time her husband's busy schedule has allowed him to travel to the event.

Zara has kept her Olympics hopes alive with a recent victory at the opening competition of the eventing season at Tweseldown Horse Trials in Hampshire.

William Fox-Pitt, Mary King, Piggy French and Nicola Wilson are likely to take four of the five places on offer in the Olympic team, leaving one place up for grabs with the royal's main rivals expected to be double Olympic bronze medalist Tina Cook, multiple major championship medal winner Pippa Funnell and 2009 Badminton and Burghley champion Oliver Townend.