My horses won’t spook pregnant Duchess of Cambridge

Cousin gives assurance over showjumping in Prince William's front yard
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The Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips has promised William and Kate that his showjumping tournament in their “front garden” at Kensington Palace will not disturb them.

Mr Phillips is bringing the Global Champions Tour, featuring the world’s top 30 riders, to Kensington Gardens in June. He hopes to recreate the excitement of the Olympic equestrian events held in Greenwich Park.

He chose the site to capitalise on the “iconic” setting — even though Kate will be about eight months pregnant at the time. Asked if his cousins — Prince Harry also has an apartment at Kensington Palace — had asked him to keep the noise down, Mr Phillips laughed and said: “You know I can’t talk about that, but we are far enough away.”

He said it was the perfect setting for the tournament’s London debut. Riders will compete for a £640,000 prize pot, and the field is likely to include 2012 GB gold medallists Nick Skelton and Ben Maher. “It’s an exciting opportunity. Hopefully, if planning permission is granted, we’ll be able to deliver a great legacy event the borough and London can be proud of. Kensington Palace provides a backdrop that is pretty impressive within the Royal Parks.”

Kensington & Chelsea councillors are due to decide on the plan at the end of the month. Mr Phillips admitted that residents had raised concerns about being unable to use part of the gardens for 28 days, but he said he would aim to keep all paths open.

About 280 horses will be stabled in Perks Field, the royal family’s private helicopter landing pad north of the palace. A 3,000-seat arena and hospitality marquees for 700 people will be erected on parkland south of the palace’s black and gold “Diana” gates, where floral tributes were laid to the late princess. Last summer the area was taken over by a production of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.

Mr Phillips, 35, the Queen’s eldest grandchild, said: “Previous events have been on site a lot longer than we’re going to be. We’re putting plans in place to mitigate the area that is going to be closed.”

Tickets will start at £10, with free access to a giant screen and shopping area. Olympic-style “games makers” may be asked to help with crowds to recreate the “2012 spirit”.

He hopes to make the event a regular date. “It’s following on from the success of the Olympics,” he said. “There were 23,000 turning up each day at Greenwich to watch the equestrian events.”

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