Everything you need to know about: Zara Phillips

Who is Zara Phillips?

Born Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips on May 15, 1981, Zara is the Queen’s oldest granddaughter. Her parents are Princess Anne and Mark Phillips, and her older brother is Peter Phillips.

When she was born, she was sixth in line to the throne, but is now 18th.

On July 30, 2011, she married rugby player Mike Tindall. In 2016 she stopped using her maiden name and became known as Zara Tindall.

Why is Zara Phillips not a princess?

Even though Zara’s mum is Princess Anne, and her female cousins, Eugenie and Beatrice both have princess titles, Zara is not a princess.

Eugenie and Beatrice are princesses because they are children of the Queen’s sons, and Zara is the child of the Queen’s daughter.

The Queen is allowed to offer titles to her daughter’s children – which she did, but Princess Anne declined the offer, preferring to give Zara the chance of living a more normal life.

Does Zara Phillips have a baby?

Yes, she has two children. Zara and her husband Mike have two daughters, Mia Tindall, born in November 2014 and Lena Tindall, born in June 2018. After having Mia, Zara had two miscarriages before carrying Lena to term.

Does Zara Phillips have siblings?

Yes, her brother Peter Phillips, was born on November 15, 1977. Peter married Canadian-born Autumn Mooney in 2008, and they have two daughters, Savannah and Isla, who were both bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie’s wedding.

Reportedly the Queen’s favourite grandchild, Peter says: “I’ve always been very close to my grandmother, and we speak often. She has been an inspirational person throughout my life.”

Peter has his own sports management company, and works privately instead of being a ‘working royal.’

Zara also has two half-sisters. Felicity Tonkin was born in 1985 after her dad had an affair. Stephanie Phillips was born in 1997 from her dad’s second marriage to American equestrienne Sandy Pfleuger. The pair divorced in 2012 after he left her for another woman.

What does Zara Phillips do for a living?

Zara is an accomplished equestrian. She won the Eventing World Championship in 2006, and a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics.

She’s designed her own range of equestrian clothing and her own range of jewellery. She’s patron of several charities, including Lucy Air Ambulance which flies critically ill children from local hospitals to specialist hospitals. She’s also a qualified physiotherapist.

What’s Zara Phillips net worth?

Zara is worth around AUD$29 million, mainly because she’s used her lack of royal title to her advantage.

Titled royals aren’t allowed to endorse products, but Zara has made her fortune from endorsement deals such as Rolex, Land Rover and her own jewellery line with Cajella.

She was also the first Magic Millions Racing Women Ambassador in 2012, and she travels to the Gold Coast every year to support the event.

Where did Zara Phillips get married?

Zara married English rugby union player Mike Tindall on July 30, 2011 at 17th century church Canongate Kirk, in Edinburgh. Their reception was held at the Queen’s Scottish residence, Holyroodhouse.

The wedding was very relaxed by royal standards. In the private family ceremony, Zara wore on off-the-peg dress, designed by one of the Queen’s favourite designers, Stewart Parvin, and Jimmy Choo shoes. She also wore Princess Anne’s famous ‘Meander Tiara’ which originally belonged to Prince Phillip’s mum, Princess Alice.

Her engagement ring was designed by Mike and has a single solitaire diamond in the middle of a pave platinum band.

Zara broke with royal tradition by not taking her new husband’s name, saying she wanted to keep her maiden name to preserve her sporting achievements and business interests. However, in 2016 she took Mike’s surname and became Zara Tindall.

The couple waited three months before they went on honeymoon due to their sporting careers. When they finally made it, they went to Cyprus, to the five-star Columbia Beach Resort.

Where did Zara Phillips go to school?

Zara went to the esteemed boarding school, Gordonstoun in Scotland, where most of the senior members of the royal family – apart from Princes William and Harry – have attended. She represented the school in hockey, athletics and gymnastics.

Mike Tindall has hinted that it’s unlikely their daughters Mia and Lena will follow in the royal tradition and attend Gordonstoun, saying he would prefer they come home every night rather than board away from home.

Does Zara Phillips like Meghan Markle?

There were rumours the women didn’t get on after Zara’s daughter Mia wasn’t chosen to be a bridesmaid at Meghan and Harry’s wedding in 2018.

Zara was close to her cousin Harry while they were growing up, but royal commentators suggested “bridesmaids are often the choice of the bride rather than the groom and it may be that Meghan doesn’t know Mia very well.”

Cameras focused on Zara during the wedding as she was heavily pregnant with daughter Lena and looked uncomfortable during the ceremony.

“It just wasn’t comfy at all and it probably showed on my face,” she admitted. “I was uncomfortable! My bum sort of slid over either side and Lena kicked the hell out of me for an hour.”

What’s Zara Phillips relationship with Prince Harry like?

Zara and Harry are cousins and were good friends as they were growing up. Harry is reportedly envious of the low-key life that Zara has with her family, and would like to enjoy some of the freedom that the non-titled Zara does.

How does Zara Phillips know Richard Johnson?

Richard Johnson is Zara’s ex-boyfriend, and a jockey. The pair lived together for two years in the UK’s picturesque Cotswolds before breaking up in 2003.

The relationship was reportedly extremely tumultuous, with Zara feeling like “Richard’s racing comes first, second and third while she comes a poor fourth,” according to friends.

The pair are now on friendly terms, and are often seen chatting at equestrian events.

Did Zara Phillips appear on Top Gear?

Yes, in 2019 she appeared on the UK show, where she raced Mike around the track in a Toyota GT86.

Mike beat Zara on the lap by one second. Viewers commented on their natural appearance and obvious affection for each other during the show.

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