Royal Watch News

Zara Phillips' near-miss with horse

Mar 14, 2013, 12:02 GMT

Zara Phillips

Britain's Zara Phillips was almost kicked by a horse yesterday (13.03.13).

The 31-year-old royal looked visibly shocked as a spooked equine reared up and kicked a plastic rail just inches away from where she was being interviewed at the Cheltenham festival by Channel 4 Racing presenter Clare Balding.

Quickly regaining her composure, Clare said: 'I don't want to risk you getting hurt.'

One Twitter user wrote: 'I think I jumped higher than Sprinter Sacre when @clarebalding and Zara Phillips had their near miss #naughtyhorse. (sic)'

Another added: 'Zara Phillips and Clare Balding almost got kicked by a massive horse, media royalty and real royalty almost killed at once. (sic)'

Zara - wearing a bright red, double-breasted coat and an ostrich feather hat - was accompanied to the Gloucestershire race course's annual Ladies' Day by her husband Mike Tindall, 34, and her mother, Princess Anne, 62.

The previous day, Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter had been left furious when a security guard failed to recognise her and wouldn't let her cross the parade ring, but she eventually saw the funny side once she was allowed to pass.

A Cheltenham Festival spokesman said: 'After each race we have a line of security guards in the middle of the parade ring, whose job it is to stop people walking from one side to the other in front of the winning and placed horses who are about to walk in.

'That is what happened in this case. We would support the actions of the stewards 100 per cent.

'He was doing his job and looking after the safety of the public, which at that point she is a member of.'