Why Is Zara Tindall Not a Princess? Inside the 'Normal Life' of Princess Anne's Daughter
Zara Tindall is in a unique position as a non-titled member of the British royal family. She lives a relatively "normal" life, and royal watchers love to see her down-to-earth nature when she attends events. Learn more about her below.
Who Are Zara Tindall's Parents?
Zara's mother is Princess Anne, the second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. Her father is Captain Mark Phillips, an Olympic gold medal-winning equestrian and former British Army officer. Anne and Mark were married from 1973 until their divorce in 1992. Zara has an older brother, Peter Phillips, and two younger half-sisters, Felicity Tonkin and Stephanie Phillips.
Why Is Zara Tindall Not a Princess?
Zara and her brother, Peter, do not have royal titles, despite being in the line of succession to the throne. Anne and Mark politely declined when Elizabeth offered to give their children courtesy HRH titles at birth in the hopes that their children could live more private lives.
"I think it was probably easier for them," Anne told Vanity Fair in 2020. "I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles. So I think that was probably the right thing to do."
Zara feels grateful not to have the burden of a royal title and has reflected on having more freedom in her younger years.
"From my point of view, I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn't give us any titles, so I really commend her on that. We were very lucky that we got to do it a bit our own way," Zara said during an appearance on the "Seven: Rob Burrow" podcast in December 2023.
What Is Zara Tindall's Job?
Zara may not have a title, but she definitely inherited the royals' love of horses. Much like Queen Elizabeth and Princess Anne, Zara is an accomplished horsewoman and continues to compete as an elite equestrian. A peak in her career came when she won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. She also advises as a non-executive director at Cheltenham Racecourse.
In addition, Zara is a brand ambassador for Musto, Land Rover, Rolex, and luxury stroller company iCandy.
Who Is Zara Tindall's Husband and Kids?
Zara has been married to Mike Tindall, a former professional rugby player, since 2011. In Mike's 2024 book, The Good, the Bad & the Rugby: Unleashed, he sweetly called his wife "the better Tindall" and described their down-to-earth courtship.
"Believe it or not, marrying into the royal family was pretty easy for me. They were always nice to me, and I was always nice to them. Simple, really," he wrote.
Mike and Zara share three children: Mia, born in January 2014, Lena, born in June 2018, and Lucas, born in March 2021.
Is Zara Tindall Close to the Royal Family?
Zara is very close to the royal family, especially her cousin Prince William, with royal insiders describing their dynamic as sibling-like.
"Zara is the sister William never had," royal author Ingrid Seward told Hello!in 2024. "They've always had terrific fun together and they've always supported each other."
Zara has supported him at many royal events throughout their lives, most recently appearing at William and his wife, Kate Middleton's, garden party at Buckingham Palace on May 8. Despite being a member of one of the most famous families in the world, Zara admitted the royals are just like anyone else.
"It is very hard to see from the outside, but 100 percent, it is a family that is still going through the same struggles other people do," she said at a London Sporting Club lunch in May 2025.
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This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 10:09 PM.