Queen Camilla giggles over drawing as she meets Olympic and Paralympic heroes

Queen Camilla welcomed Olympic and Paralympic equestrians, arsenic good arsenic the grooms, coaches and managers astatine a reception astatine Clarence House aft past year's successes

The Queen was tickled to person a drafting from the girl of an Olympic horsewoman successful which she shared her imagination of being a princess.

Camilla giggled arsenic she was presented with the artwork by team eventing golden medallist Ros Canter, whose girl Ziggy, five, had asked her to walk it on. “My girl was jealous of maine coming here,” Ros told the Queen, adding, “She wants to beryllium a princess.” “That’s precise sweet. Tell her I volition nonstop her a letter,” replied Camilla.

“She loved it,” said Ros afterwards. “She said she was going to constitute her a missive back. So that'd beryllium amazing. She'll beryllium the speech of the school, truthful she'll beryllium precise arrogant of that.

Camilla met Ros and six of her Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic equestrian squad mates arsenic she hosted a reception astatine Clarence House for them and the grooms, owners, coaches and managers who helped marque past summer’s Games 1 of their astir palmy of caller years. Paralympians Natasha Baker, Sophie Wells, Georgia Wilson and Mari Durward-Akhurst, who brought location 1 metallic and six bronze medals betwixt them were among the guests.

Natasha said: “We spoke astir the information that it was my 4th Paralympics and I've go a spot of a seasoned pro now, and we spoke astir wherever we support our medals. I support excavation successful socks, due to the fact that the boxes are truthful large you can't acceptable them successful your handbag, truthful if they're successful socks, they don't clang unneurotic and harm each other.

“Clean socks!” she clarified, adding of the Queen’s response, “She thought it was hilarious.”

Camilla had been owed to be a reception for Team GB athletes astatine Buckingham Palace earlier Christmas, but had to propulsion retired portion recovering from pneumonia. Natasha said: “We met the King then, which was lovely, but she was disappointed to miss it, I deliberation she likes a bully get together.”

“She's conscionable truthful knowledgeable astir horses and equestrian sporting successful general, and she's truthful supportive of us. You know, hosting events similar this, it's specified a immense honour for america to beryllium invited to travel on and to beryllium capable to conscionable her."

Also attending were reserve athletes, grooms and on with show managers, coaches, vets and quality and equine physiotherapists from the British Equestrian World Class Programme. In an impromptu code to 93 guests, Camilla, who has been patron of the British Equestrian Federation since 2006, said: “I’m truthful arrogant to beryllium your patron and it made america each precise arrogant to beryllium British.

“I’m atrocious I wasn’t there, but I was watching precise keenly each spot of it connected the tv and it truly did bring tears to the eyes. So convey you, the full team, for everything you bash and let’s support the British the best.”

Camilla’s words followed those of the BEF’s CEO Jim Eyre, who had joked: “2024 was an unthinkable year. It pains maine to accidental however good the French did. It was a roller coaster year, and determination were the highs and determination were the lows, and that our teams were capable to execute truthful extraordinarily good and each rider came backmost with a medal, it's testament to the endowment we person wrong this country.”

He presented the Queen with a souvenir photobook from the Paris Games, compiled by squad lensman Jon Stroud, joking it had “all the gory snapshots, the tears, the thrills and the medals.”