Zara fills her first role for charity

Zara Phillips with Catwalk Trust founder Catriona Williams at the launch of the charity for spinal cord injuries in Auckland yesterday. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Informally dressed in a casual top and black pants, young royal Zara Phillips stepped into her first role as a charity patron at a star-studded champagne launch in Auckland yesterday.

The 24-year-old daughter of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips kissed New Zealand's most famous equestrian, Mark Todd, twice on arrival at the Government House reception, but turned down a glass of Moet champagne as assembled media watched her every move.

The CatWalk Trust - set up to raise money for victims of spinal injury - is the first to get Zara signed up as a patron.

It has been driven almost single-handedly by New Zealand equestrian Catriona Williams, confined to a wheelchair after a riding accident three years ago.

"The CatWalk Trust is the dream of all wheelies," Ms Williams said. "We want to continue in the push Christopher Reeve started, to find a cure for spinal cord-injury victims."

Reeve, the Superman actor, was confined to a wheelchair after a riding accident left him paralysed in 1995. He died last year aged 52.

In a short speech at yesterday's launch, Zara Phillips said it was "great to be back" in New Zealand and paid tribute to Ms Williams.

"Catriona is the strongest person in the world and I'm honoured to be a part [of the fundraising]," she said.

A formal dinner and charity auction were held last night to raise money for the trust. The menu included 2004 Marlborough sauvignon blanc donated by winemaker Michelle Richardson, whose brother Sean suffered a paralysing spinal cord injury while swimming in Australia two years ago.

As well as Zara Phillips as patron, the CatWalk Trust has four New Zealand patrons - All Black great Sir Brian Lochore, former world superbike racer Aaron Slight, former Black Caps cricketer and now selector Dion Nash and former champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan.