This is Somerset --janet.hughes@b-nm.co.uk
The Princess Royal has attacked glitzy, over-the-top Olympic opening ceremonies, even though her own mother had a starring role in the London 2012 show.
The Princess said that athletes like her daughter Zara had become marginalised and were now merely an "add-on" to larger, excessive celebrations.
One of the highlights of the London Olympics in 2012 was when the Queen pretended to parachute into the Olympic stadium during the opening ceremony. But for Princess Anne the proudest moment was presenting daughter Zara with a silver medal when she became the first royal to win an Olympic medal.
The 2014 Winter Olympics, which have cost £30 billion, started in Sochi, in Russia, yesterday with British athletes competing in "snowboard slopestyle" and figure skating.
It is the first time in 30 years that events are getting under way before the opening ceremony, which will take place at the Fisht stadium on the newly built Olympic Park on Friday.
Speaking to the International Olympic Committee in Sochi, Princess Anne said: "I am old enough that I remember when the opening ceremony was only with the athletes. To me, the balance has gone too far the other way."
She said the opening ceremony was meant to remind athletes that they "are committing themselves to the Olympic ideal".
During the 2012 London show created by film director Danny Boyle the Queen filmed a cameo with James Bond actor Daniel Craig. Two stuntmen dressed to look like the Queen and Craig parachuted from a helicopter, landing inside the Olympic Stadium.
British IOC member, Adam Pengilly said many athletes could not enjoy the "wonderful show" because they were queuing up in the bowels of the stadium waiting to begin their parade into the main arena.
"I think it is something athletes should have a chance to see properly," he said.
As the Russians prepare for the opening ceremony, British skeleton slider Lizzy Yarnold is being tipped as Britain's hottest gold medal prospect after producing some winning times at the Sanki Sliding Centre.
Billy Morgan and Jamie Nicholls will compete for Britain in the slopestyle qualifying round while Aimee Fuller and Jenny Jones fly the flag in the women's competition. Matthew Parr and pairs couple Stacey Kemp and David King are figure stating for Britain.
There will be 98 gold medals over 16 days of competition, with 2,871 athletes from 87 National Olympic Committees competing, seven of which – Dominica, Zimbabwe, Malta, Paraguay, Togo, Tonga and East Timor – are first-timers. Reported by This is 22 hours ago.