LIFE for Jemima Phillips is exciting and fabulous.

The words are her own description of the way fate has taken her into the Royal castles and palaces of Britain and to share her talents with people in countries across the world.

Jemima, aged 24 is a harpist extraordinaire, a fact recognised by the Prince of Wales 18 months ago.

Prince Charles decided to revive the defunct 500-year-old post of official harpist to the Prince of Wales, mainly to encourage young musicians, and Jemima was the second to receive the honour.

Since then her life has been a rollercoaster of Royal occasions and given her an unexpected insight into some of the best known Royal homes in the country.

And for the girl who went to Hereford Cathedral School and is a former winner of the Hereford and Worcester Young Musician competition, life could hardly be better.

Jemima still lives with her family at St Briavels, just over the Herefordshire border, but also has a small flat in London to cut down on travelling.

Her constant travelling companion is her acoustic harp - a six-foot full-size concert grand and she has just bought a new estate car to accommodate it. Recently the harp itself faced competition when Jemima chose another companion, a Weimaraner - a German hunting dog puppy called Belle.

The young harpist's performances have been as high profile as you can get.

When the Queen hosted a dinner for the Olympic Committee at Buckingham Palace, Jemima played at the hour-long reception beforehand and a week later she was back at the Palace as a guest of the Queen at an event to celebrate British music.

She was the only one to provide music at the reception at the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla at Windsor Castle and has played many times at St James Palace and Clarence House.

Last year she took part in a carol concert at Buckingham Palace, which was broadcast on Christmas Day, and is giving a repeat performance this year.

But of all the Royal homes she has visited, Jemima likes Balmoral Castle the most. She has taken part in several functions there and on one occasion rented a cottage for a week so that her mother Jenny, grandmother, Elma, and sister, Genevive, could go along too.

"Balmoral is very large but it is not so grand and is a lovely retreat and hideaway,'' she said.

Jemima's music has taken her to places like Russia, Japan, the United States and France and recently she played an electric harp in Spain.

Being harpist to the Prince of Wales will probably be one of the highlights of Jemima's professional life and has probably opened many doors for her. But she knows that there must still be life after her prestigious 'by Royal appointment' days are over towards the end of 2006.

Now a Master of Music, she is a freelance musician and has to earn a living with the aid of her harp and her talents.

With her mother Jenny in the background working as her agent, Jemima finds work mostly as a soloist at recitals and providing background music at events such as weddings and private and public receptions.

She has just recorded her first CD, expected to be released in February.

Jemima's success has not been achieved without hard work. Even as a child she made 300-mile round trips from her home to London every Sunday for the best tuition.

She has little time for hobbies, or boyfriends, but there is not one word, or thought of regret.

Music is my life, she says.