{"id":787987,"date":"2026-02-25T12:14:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T12:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/787987\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T12:14:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T12:14:26","slug":"im-clare-baldings-6ft-9in-nephew-i-want-to-win-the-rugby-world-cup-with-england-jonno-balding-on-being-cheeky-with-the-late-queen-while-training-her-horses-and-how-famous-aunt-is-helping-his-glou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/787987\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Clare Balding’s 6ft 9in nephew. I want to win the Rugby World Cup with England: JONNO BALDING on being cheeky with the late Queen while training her horses, and how famous aunt is helping his Gloucester career"},"content":{"rendered":"

The story, so Jonno Balding has always been told it, is that when the late Queen Elizabeth II arrived at the family stables at Kingsclere to inspect her horses, a four-year old Jonno shuffled up to Her Majesty and enquired curiously: \u2018Where\u2019s your crown?\u2019<\/p>\n

Balding, now 19 and a towering 6ft 9in second row for Gloucester and England’s Under 20s, saw her two days later at Newbury for Greenham Weekend. \u2018She was wearing one of those headscarves she always wore,\u2019 Balding tells Daily Mail Sport. \u2018Apparently, she asked me: \u201cIs that any better?\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

Royal encounters such as this were to be expected for the infant Balding because, as the name suggests, he comes from serious sporting stock.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the nephew of British broadcasting icon Clare. His father Andrew succeeded his own father Ian as the licensed trainer at Kingsclere, the family stables, that have long held the horses for the late Queen and Queen Mother.<\/p>\n

Aubrey Hastings, his great-great-grandfather, trained three Grand National<\/a> winners. His great-grandfather Gerald played polo for Britain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018The Queen always used to come and see our horses in the spring, usually before the Greenham Week,\u2019 adds Balding. \u2018It was always a big deal for everyone at the yard. I remember cleaning the gates and sweeping the drive.’<\/p>\n

\"Jonno <\/p>\n

Jonno Balding, nephew of Clare and from horse racing royalty, is now a second row for Gloucester and England’s Under 20s<\/p>\n

\"At <\/p>\n

At the darts world championships with Clare (centre) and his father Andrew (right), trainer of the late Queen’s horses<\/p>\n

Balding met King Charles at Ascot last year, who was there to watch his horse King\u2019s Lynn run in the Schweppes Handicap. He spent his childhood wearing Manchester United shirts bought for him by racing enthusiast Sir Alex Ferguson, whose horses also resided at Kingsclere.<\/p>\n

\u2018Much to Dad\u2019s disgust,\u2019 laughs Balding. \u2018We\u2019re big Southampton fans in our family, it didn\u2019t amuse Dad to see all three of his kids walking around in United kit!\u2019<\/p>\n

It was his grandfather Ian, the legendary trainer, who passed away in January, whose footsteps Balding wishes to follow. Ian played 92 times for Bath and would have played more had it not been for his training duties.<\/p>\n

Balding is in the England Under 20s training squad for the Six Nations, but has not made a matchday squad in the opening three rounds. He found his love for rugby at Radley School under Gloucester\u2019s professional-era record appearance-holder Nick Wood.<\/p>\n

Balding is yet to make a senior appearance for Gloucester, playing most of his rugby at Bristol University as he continues to develop, but has set his sights on the Junior World Championship in Georgia in June.<\/p>\n

He signed his first professional contract last year and had a national treasure on hand to make sure everything was in order.<\/p>\n

\u2018Clare\u2019s been a great support,\u2019 says Balding. \u2018If I ever have any questions, she\u2019s a good person to talk to, whether it\u2019s contracts or things like that. She\u2019s good for reading through them because she\u2019s done a fair share of that!\u2019<\/p>\n

Like millions of others, Balding watched Clare take part in the first series of Celebrity Traitors late last year. Like millions of others, too, he also couldn\u2019t believe his eyes when his aunt prematurely pulled a lever during an early task that locked the contestants out of the mission.<\/p>\n

\"Balding <\/p>\n

Balding found his love for rugby at Radley School and is on the brink of breaking into Gloucester’s first team<\/p>\n

\"Balding <\/p>\n

Balding was recently named in the England Under 20s training squad for the Six Nations<\/p>\n

\u2018Oh God,\u2019 he says and lets out a sigh. \u2018She\u2019s had a lot of abuse from us for that. She was… confident, wasn\u2019t she? She can be quite sure of herself, she\u2019s confident, so when she got it wrong she suddenly become very quiet and that was quite amusing!\u2019<\/p>\n

She\u2019s a decent Christmas present giver, mind. \u2018Aftershave every year, me and Tobes (brother Toby), for the last four years. This year it was Tom Ford.\u2019<\/p>\n

Balding, his dad and Clare were all pictured together at the World Darts Championship over the festive period. \u2018We go quite a bit, I love the darts,\u2019 says Balding. \u2018Dad used to go when it was back at the Circus Tavern before it was a big deal. It\u2019s amazing what they\u2019ve done turning it into a world-famous sport.<\/p>\n

\u2018We saw Gary Anderson. I\u2019m glad he made a bit of a resurgence because he\u2019s pretty cool. I was hoping to see someone else win this year other than Luke Littler. I was a big Justin Hood fan for three weeks of my Christmas!\u2019<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve pulled up chairs at a table at Gloucester\u2019s Kingsholm Stadium after training. You can\u2019t miss him. Balding was 5ft 11in by the time he was 12, 6fit 3in by 13. He was more of a cricketer until then. \u2018I just kept growing,\u2019 he says. \u2018I think I\u2019m done now.\u2019<\/p>\n

His next goal is to pile on the pounds. Less protein, he says, more carbs. Lots of pasta. He\u2019s in the gym \u2018quite a bit\u2019. For a lad that\u2019s only just turned 19, he has a remarkably mature head on his shoulders. He knows he\u2019s on a long road, one longer than others among his peers.<\/p>\n

\u2018For people in my position, it\u2019s a game of developing,\u2019 he says. \u2018I\u2019m definitely not the finished article but I\u2019d like to see a bit of improvement week on week, year on year. If I\u2019m pushed before I\u2019m physically ready that can lead to injuries, poor form, stuff like that. It\u2019s better just to get it right and make it a slower process.<\/p>\n

\"With <\/p>\n

With his father Andrew on King George Day at Ascot last July. Andrew’s father Ian was also a trainer, and played 92 times for Bath<\/p>\n

\"He <\/p>\n

He has his sights set on winning the rugby World Cup, but then sees himself going into the family business of training<\/p>\n

\u2018There are different paths for different players. There are players like Will Knight here, who is a really talented guy my age and he\u2019s been on an accelerated path and doing great, has played in the Prem. People like me, the path is a bit slower but hopefully we end up in the same place just at different times.\u2019<\/p>\n

He puts much of that patience down to his family\u2019s life in horse racing.<\/p>\n

\u2018If we have a good year, a quarter of our horses will win,\u2019 he says. \u2018Seventy-five per cent of the time, we\u2019re disappointed. I think learning to take defeat or things not going your way, it\u2019s an important lesson for professional sport and dealing with the ups and downs.\u2019<\/p>\n

Balding was one of five Gloucester players called up to the England Under 20s squad alongside centre Knight, back row Olly Allport, fellow lock Freddie Ogden-Metherell and prop Harry Wright.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s the great thing about being in a club like this, if you are prepared to work hard, be patient and take your opportunities when they come, they will be there.\u2019<\/p>\n

He\u2019s back off to Bristol once we\u2019re done to continue his freshers year studies in politics and international relations. A few of his friends have already been pulled in for meetings about using AI to write their essays.<\/p>\n

Quite the time, we suggest, to have an interest in international relations, with what\u2019s going on in America with Donald Trump. So, what is the general view of the student population of the current state of the world?<\/p>\n

\u2018It differs quite a bit,\u2019 he says. \u2018There\u2019s some strongly-felt debates between the students. Some of them are very passionate. That’s good. There are both sides of the spectrum. I take more of a backseat role. I\u2019m more of a note taker!\u2019<\/p>\n

Balding\u2019s grandfather Ian, the legendary trainer of the 1971 Epsom Derby winner Mill Reef, passed away in January after a battle with Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

\"Balding <\/p>\n

Balding was one of five Gloucester players called up to the England Under 20s squad this year<\/p>\n

\u2018There were some lovely obituaries in the papers and that was really nice,\u2019 says Balding. \u2018He\u2019d been ill for quite a long time. He\u2019d had a great life. He was a great man. With Alzheimer\u2019s you grow distant towards the end but, as a young boy, I was very close with him.\u2019<\/p>\n

Balding is only at the start of his rugby journey and would love to win the World Cup with England one day \u2013 \u2018that\u2019s the dream, isn\u2019t it?\u2019 \u2013 but, like his grandfather, he too sees himself going into the other side of the family business one day.<\/p>\n

\u2018I love going back home and watching the horses,\u2019 says Balding. \u2018I\u2019ll get up with dad on a Saturday morning, watch them do their exercises. I\u2019d still like to go into it because rugby isn\u2019t going to be a career forever.\u2019<\/p>\n

A trainer, too, perhaps?\u00a0\u2018Definitely not as a jockey!\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The story, so Jonno Balding has always been told it, is that when the late Queen Elizabeth II…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":787988,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4107],"tags":[192,75392,92,393,4211,287,288,518,1071,448,4214,4204,4209,93,79,2417,16,15],"class_list":["post-787987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-racing","tag-bbc","tag-clare-balding","tag-dailymail","tag-england","tag-england-rugby","tag-grand-national","tag-horse-racing","tag-king-charles-iii","tag-racing","tag-royals","tag-rugby-world-cup","tag-rugbyunion","tag-six-nations","tag-sport","tag-sports","tag-the-queen","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116131218961860071","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/787987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=787987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/787987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/787988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=787987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=787987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=787987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}