Princess Anne needs Team GB ‘each little bit of success’ in Paris Olympics

Princess Anne has wished Team GB‘s stars ‘every bit of success and that it goes as well as you hope’ ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The King’s sister, 73, was speaking at the British Ambassador’s residence in Paris, where Tom Daley and Helen Glover were confirmed as joint flag bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony.

The Princess Royal, who has returned to royal duties this month after a horse-related incident that left her with head injuries, attended the event in her role as the British Olympic Association president.  

It is part of a gradual return to royal duties since she was taken to hospital on June 23 with minor head wounds and concussion after walking around her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. Her doctors believe her injuries to be consistent with being struck by a horse. 

In her speech today, Anne, who was the first British royal to compete at the Olympics, said: ‘I hope you all feel that this is the environment that encourages you to perform at your best, but you won’t know that until it happens.

Princess Anne has wished Team GB’s stars ‘every bit of success and that it goes as well as you hope’ ahead of the Paris Olympics 

‘But if it’s a personal best, you can be imminently proud of what you’ve achieved because you’ll know you couldn’t have done any better.

‘It is the process of getting here, and some of you are getting here again and again and again… and again. That is extraordinary because it requires such inspiration and innovation to maintain those levels of excellence for an Olympic Games.

‘That says something enormous about your achievements and your skills. Thank you for your commitment and your support and I just wish you every bit of success, and that it goes as well as you hope in every way – and also do take the chance to enjoy it, the village does have its moments where it can be enjoyed.’

Her speech came as Daley and Glover were named as Team GB’s joint flag bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

The duo boast three Olympic gold medals between them with Daley coming into the Games as the defending champion in the men’s 10 metre synchro diving event.

Glover won coxless pairs gold in both London and Rio, and came out of retirement in 2021 in a quest to add to her medals tally in the French capital.

Daley is the first diver to be afforded the honour of carrying the flag in the opening ceremony, while Glover is the second consecutive rower, following Moe Sbihi in Tokyo.

Daley, 30, said his first thoughts were with his father Robert, who died of cancer one year before his son won the first of his four Olympic medals in 2012.

The royal spoke to Team GB stars Helen Glover and diver Tom Daley

Dame Menna Rawlings, Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, Tom Daly, Helen Glover and Mark England pose for a photo in front of the athletes of Team GB

Anne, who is often known as the ‘hardest working royal’, was back to her usual businesslike self

The Princess Royal appeared in great spirits for her trip abroad – which comes after she took time away from engagements

‘My dad would not have ever believed I would be a flag bearer one day,’ said Daley. ‘He always considered flag bearers to be Olympic icons and legends. I think he would be so incredibly proud of me being a flag bearer of Team GB.’

Daley said winning his gold medal alongside Matty Lee in Tokyo ensured he could approach Paris with a healthier mindset and is determined to soak up the experience.

‘This Olympics has all been about enjoying it and soaking it in,’ Daley added. ‘At the other Olympics I have tortured myself through those experiences because I wanted the gold medal so badly. I have won one and this time I am going to soak in all the experiences.’

Glover, 38, who will be competing in the women’s four in Paris, described the news as ‘probably the biggest honour of my life.’

Director of Sports Services Mark England introduces Anne to Team GB athletes during her visit to Paris

Princess Anne stood between Helen Glover and Tom Daley, who have been named as Team GB’s joint bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony

The Princes Royal, 73, attended the Team GB flagbearer photocall at the British Embassy in Paris

Princess Anne has wished Team GB’s athletes ‘all the best’ ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

She added: ‘I just love the Olympics and have always loved what it stood for. But I still pinch myself that I am an Olympian, let alone doing something that I just saw as going down in history. To be flag bearer for a nation, it’s an honour.

‘You can work hard to become an Olympian but this is bestowed upon me by somebody else who has seen that hard work. That just means so much.’

The princess returned home to Gatcombe Park some weeks ago after receiving treatment at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

While the details of the incident are still unclear, doctors believe her injuries are consistent with being struck by a horse’s head or legs.

Anne is in France for 12 days to undertake a busy programme of engagements related to the Olympics.