𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛. ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ

30 ♔♕ 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱

𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚗 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟶

She had been persuaded.

Damn it. She had been persuaded.

It was the idea of increasing recognition for the sport that got her. That bit always got her.

Why had she allowed herself to be persuaded?

Now she was being followed by cameras.

Everywhere.

Well, maybe everywhere was a touch of exaggeration.

But it felt like that and that was the point.

Now she was getting ready to do another interview. Another interview. Not that they hadn't already asked her all the questions before.

But anyway, that wasn't the point. The point was to smile, be natural, funny, and she could do that. That was Bella. It was just after the third time of being asked to do it for one documentary that it all got a bit tiresome.

"Your Royal Highness, huge congratulations on coming second at Burghley this year!"

"Thank you." Bella smiled back, okay maybe she could hear that a few more times.

"You must be so pleased, three years after you had to retire on the cross country, you came back the year after and did very well but to be there, with a new horse as well, and to do so well, how does it feel?"

"No it's wonderful, and as you say to do it with Rio as well, yeah it's fantastic."

"He seems to be an amazing horse..."

"He's so cool," she laughed, beginning to forget her earlier misgivings about the interview, "no, I'm um, I'm so lucky to have him, he's really amazing."

"Seems quite strong and hot at times?"

"Oh yeah definitely! He's um, he's a hard horse to ride because he's quite fussy and he doesn't like you to faff around with him but then also at the same time he thinks that he always knows best and I sort of have to constantly remind him that galloping full pelt at a solid 6ft fence isn't a good idea!"

"He had, if I may say so, an amazing recovery from the dressage, you climbed a rather outstanding 16 placed following the cross country..."

"Yeah he's not a fan of dressage...he um, he just really feeds off the crowd and obviously their excited so all he wants to do is show off and, because he's so big as well, he finds it quite hard I think to sort of, keep it all under control."

"But a very good cross country horse..."

"Very good yeah, as I said I'm so lucky, he just eats up the ground and he always feels like he could go round again so, yeah he's fab!"

"Your now based at Windsor at the stud, is that permanent?"

"Um, I think so, for the time being anyway! No, it was um, I was at Highgrove with the polo ponies but Windsor is a bit closer to everything so it's easier to get everywhere and also the routine of the race horses is slightly more similar to mine compared to the polo ponies."

"Do you ever get a chance on any of The Queen's horses?"

"Some of them! None of the good ones though...they usually chuck me on to the young ones who are a bit wild because if I fall off and hurt myself it doesn't matter as much!"

"Future plans? The European's are next year and then obviously the Olympics after that, are they in your horizon?"

"Oh god!" Bella chuckled, "I mean that would be amazing, I think the Europeans definitely, especially if Rio keeps going as well as he is but I think with horses you can't really plan too far ahead so..."