Next week, Zara Phillips, the Queen’s grandaughter, and superhorse Toytown, defend their European three-day eventing title in Rome.

Zara is quoted as saying, “A lot has changed in a short amount of time. I’ve certainly got a lot of confidence these days, which comes from winning the Europeans and the worlds. My confidence stems from the fact that others have belief in me now, a lot more than they had before. I don’t feel I have to prove myself any more to anyone. Nobody gave me those titles. The fact I come from the family I do had no relevance to what I’ve achieved. In fact, if anything, it’s been a disadvantage because of all the added attention.

“I’ve felt all along that I’ve had to do a lot better than others to get them to look at me as a sportswoman.”

At 26, Zara can certainly claim vindication for her long-term goals. It’s not an accident, of course, that her mother, Princess Anne, became European champion in 1971 and represented Britain at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Her father, Mark Phillips, went one better, winning an Olympic team gold medal in Munich in 1972 and an Olympic team silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, as well as claiming the Badminton crown on four occasions.

Zara is still not satisfied, though. “I’ve done okay but there’s still loads of stuff to do. Sure, Mum didn’t win a world title, but she did compete at the Olympics and Dad has an Olympic gold and a silver medal. So there’s still so much to achieve.”

Her goal is to qualify automatically for next year’s Olympics, where the three-day event competition will be staged in Hong Kong. Naturally she’s aiming for gold.

“I’m pretty desperate to compete in the 2008 Games, partly because both my parents competed for Britain at the Olympics but also because Toytown and I missed out in 2004,” she says.

“As soon as London got the Olympics we’ve all been looking around to find the right horse for those particular Games. To be able to compete at the London Olympics will be really, really special. I got a taste of what having home support backing you is like when I won the European title at Blenheim in 2005. It will be 10 times as good in 2012.”

Unfortunately, Toytown’s career will not extend as far as the London Olympics. “Ah, well, I think I’ve found another special horse,” she said.

“I’m not going to tell you its name because there’s a long way to go, but he’s got loads of potential and I’m excited about the future.”

Let’s hope Zara and Toytown hit top form in Rome next week.

The Memorial Service for Princess Diana, held this morning at the Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks in London, set the tone for reconciliation that her sons so clearly want.

Prince Harry, Prince William and the Queen

Invitations to the two Camillas, the Duchess of Cornwall — who pulled out earlier this week — and Mohamed al Fayed’s daughter, spoke volumes about their wish to draw a line under the enmities that have arisen since Diana’s death ten years ago.

Prince Harry gave a moving address in his own words which totally concentrated on her role as a mother.

By contrast, the Bishop of London’s sermon seemed bullish and a little out of step with the mood in the Chapel, although it too called for a healing of old wounds.

The Queen outside the Guards’ Chapel

Small crowds turned up to watch. They gave the Queen and Prince Philip a loud cheer, but Prince Charles arrived to a stony silence.

The Queen inspecting the Eton Choristers

It was a splendid occasion which will be much appreciated by Diana’s supporters worldwide.

As if the Prince William — Kate Middleton shock breakup was not enough, there are now reports that the “secret” engagement between Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall has been put on hold.

We are hearing that the culprit in this case is eerily similar to Kate’s complaint : It was his daddy wot done it!

It seems that Zara’s “daddy”, Mark Phillips, has his doubts about the burly rugger man and England International. And Zara has been listening to her daddy.

Any wedding would not have occurred until after the Beijing Olympic Games next year, but Mark wants his once-headstrong daughter to concentrate all her energies on the event and not on the prospect of conjugal bliss. He sounds like every trainer of every sportsperson since time began.

However, Zara’s mother, Princess Anne, is said to adore Mike, and he in turn regards Zara as the love of his life. Already entwined together in a house at Gatcombe Park, Anne’s country residence, he believed the marriage was virtually inevitable.

Like Kate, he didn’t reckon with “daddy”, though.

What will happen next? Better ask the old man.

The Queen’s grand-daughter, Zara Phillips, has won the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award with one-third of the public’s vote.

Described as “posh tottie” by the BBC’s own presenter, Zara was soon drawing the kind of criticism you’d expect from the “all shall have prizes” crowd : “Opponents slated a success for privilege, and style over substance in a lean year for British sport.”

Even a Daily Mail sports writer, Alan Fraser, claimed it was a bad year in which “a bit of posh with blue blood” won over the rest.

To put the record straight, Zara is World and European Champion in one of the most demanding sports on the circuit. Three-Day Eventing is not only challenging to both horse and rider, it’s also dangerous. Zara’s best friend died in an event just a week before she took the world title in Germany.

The first day’s dressage is highly technical and disciplined. The second day’s cross-country is dangerous and requires both fitness and determination. On the third, the show jumping in the stadium is a real test of nerve and concentration.

Zara thoroughly deserved her BBC award — which her mother Princess Anne took 35 years ago — and should have won it even in a good year for British sport. One-third of the democratic vote proves the critics wrong.