No-one has worked harder at her chosen sporting career than Zara Phillips, the Queen’s grandaughter. Boyfriend, superfit rugby star Mike Tindall, has even been roped in to improve her fitness, while her father’s second wife, an American three-day eventer, has stepped in to tighten up her dressage performance.

Over the next three days, Zara and her trusty horse Toytown defend their European three-day eventing title in Rome.

Zara says, “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 they produce sparkling form in Rome over the next three days.

The 10th anniversary of the death of Pincess Diana in a car crash in Paris has just passed.

It was celebrated by a concert at Wembley in July and a memorial service in London, both organized by her sons, Princes William and Harry.

In many ways Diana was the ultimate celebrity. She combined the starry title of Princess of Wales with the allure of a future Queen, and an outgoing personality that entranced the world.

Combined with a deep sense of compassion and mission to help those in need, this was a compelling mixure which led to the explosion of grief worldwide following her unexpected early death.

But what was Diana really like? Behind the hype and heroine worship was she any different to many other celebrities, or did she possess an undefinable something that singled her out as the most worshipped woman of the 20th century?

Royal Anecdotes has a comprehensive exploration of her character and story. Read it here.

Former U.S. Vice-President, Al Gore has become a celebrity in recent years through a process of nagging the world about climate change. If that sounds like a dreary way to attain fame, the global Live Earth concerts he organized proved it to be the case.

A lot of people were put off by the “carbon footprints” of the performers and the excessive use of bad language at times when children would be watching.

Also, fewer people are now convinced by the self-serving views of the climate change lobby. In other words, this charity concert was controvertial.

The lineup of the London gig was good, but a bit tired :

The London Live Earth Lineup

Without the uncontrovertial zing of the previous week’s Concert for Diana, the whole project just went belly up.

Sorry, Al. Better luck next time.