Zara Phillips, looking absolutely stunning (and it’s not often I say that), collected her well-deserved MBE (Member of the British Empire) from the Queen today.

Zara Phillips admiring her MBE

Zara is only the third rider in equestrian history to hold both World and European titles for three-day eventing at the same time.

The occasion was not recorded for public consumption, but we can tell you that Zara executed a deep curtsey as she approached her grandmother, the Queen.

In the front row were her mother, Princess Anne, her rugger man boyfriend, Mike Tindall, her brother, Peter Phillips, and his fiancee, Autumn Kelly.

Another recipient of the award, Dorothy Petticrew, said : “She was showing us how to curtsey and making us all feel relaxed. As we were waiting to go up, she said ‘Oh, why does my mother have to be sitting there?’. Princess Anne kept looking for her coming and peering to see her. It was lovely seeing the mother’s pride. Zara was totally relaxed. She said ‘I’m coming in military style today and it’s very comfortable’.”

Zara and Mike Tindall at Buckingham Palace today

Miss Petticrew added : “She said she would have been happy to receive her award privately but her family wanted her to do it publicly and said ‘Let’s do this right’.”

Zara’s stepfather, Tim Laurence, a Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy, was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) at the same ceremony.

A good day for the Royal Family, with talented members getting their just rewards.

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.

There are strongly positive noises coming from Clarence House on the love(ish) match between Prince William and Kate Middleton — the girl who won’t go away.

A Clarence House insider said: “Kate being given a pass to Clarence House is a very clear and practical step towards putting her relationship with Prince William on a more official footing. It’s a logistical way of bringing her into the fold. Things are a lot more imminent than you understand. Plans for William and Kate have been ring-fenced.”

“Ring-fenced” is certainly a step up from “pencilled-in”, the last phrase we heard from Palace sources on this matter. Since then, the couple have gone through a series of ups and downs, ons and offs and general confusion.

The words, “Things are a lot more imminent than you understand.” strongly suggests an announcement of their engagement very soon, perhaps as soon as they have returned from the Seychelles.

I can’t remember such openness from senior Palace sources before. We must now expect a third engagement among the Queen’s grandchildren in short order. And there’s also Zara waiting in the wings until after the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

It looks like wedding cake is going to feature on every Royal menu for the next year.

The Royals are a hardy breed. Never mind a near-Biblical Deluge that threatened life and limb and centred on Gloucestershire and Highgrove, the show went on with just a few hiccups.

In the event, the Duchess of Cornwall’s 60th birthday, black-tie dinner party for 200 was moved indoors out of the raging torrents.

Zara Phillips and craggy Mike Tindall arriving at Highgrove

On Friday, the celebrations had seemed in some doubt with road and rail access blocked. Camilla had hoped the party — organized by Michael Fawcett, and Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot — would feature a three-course organic dinner in the open air. But that was replaced by champagne and cocktails in the gardens, with the meal moved indoors.

Prince William was present but there was no sign of Kate Middleton, who was smuggled into Highgrove for the evening.

Also invited were Dame Judi Dench, David Frost, Prunella Scales, Joanna Lumley, Stephen Fry and Lord Puttnam. Camilla’s ex-husband Andrew Parker-Bowles attended with their children Tom and Laura.

As for presents, Prince Charles had commissioned a dazzling piece of jewellery from diamond specialist and newly-appointed Crown Jeweller, Harry Collins of G. Collins and Sons of Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

He had saved the best for last as, on Monday — Camilla’s actual birthday — he had given her two sheep (one pictured) and some potted plants for her garden.

I’m sure the Duchess would have been satisfied with that.