Who could blame the King if he really wanted to make Zara Tindall a princess? After all, thanks to a combination of illness (the King and Princess of Wales) and disgrace (Prince Andrew), the Royal Family has never needed reinforcements so badly.
Just last Sunday, Zara’s mother Princess Anne joined the growing ranks of the disabled after being rushed to hospital with concussion and minor head injuries after apparently being hit by a horse. Naturally, Zara was one of the first to rush to her bedside at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
So it’s tempting to believe reports earlier this month that Charles was looking to give his 43-year-old niece a title and an important new role in the company.
Because Zara – warm-hearted, sure-footed and, Andrew and Harry beware, universally loved – is a valuable addition to the beleaguered House of Windsor. In Kate’s temporary absence, she would certainly bring new splendour to the royal squad.
Anne wanted to give her children as “normal” an upbringing as possible and refused to give titles to Zara and her brother Peter. This meant that the siblings remained outside, members of the royal family, but not “working” royals.
Zara Tindall on the first day of the Cheltenham Festival in March this year. Her life seems to be a dizzying social whirlwind
Barely a week goes by without Zara and Mike, 45, attending some glamorous event, writes Natasha Livingstone. The pair next to the car of winner Max Verstappen at the Bahrain Grand Prix in March
However, it would not be far-fetched to imagine Zara telling a joke with a sergeant major at a troop inspection, charming hospital patients or flying the flag overseas. Like everything else in her life, she approaches new challenges with enthusiasm.
Her husband would also be an asset. In the past, the blunt-talking Mike Tindall, who is no stranger to bar fights, would have proved a liability. That is no longer the case. His charm and infectious humour have endeared him to audiences. The late Queen adored him.
But don’t expect horse-mad Zara, the reluctant queen, to come to the rescue on her steed anytime soon. She’s just having too much fun.
Their lives are a dizzying social hustle and bustle. Hardly a week goes by without Zara and Mike, 45, attending some glamorous event. Last week they attended the hottest show in town, Taylor Swift’s sold-out concert at Wembley.
While the other royals dutifully tick off their obligations, the Tindalls always seem to have a great time.
Because of her Olympic career (she won silver at the 2012 Games), her marriage to a former captain of the England national rugby team and her fame as a member of the royal family, Zara is something of a celebrity in her own right.
And she is not a burden on the taxpayer either. As a “private individual,” Zara is completely free to earn her living through sponsorship contracts.
A partnership with sportswear brand Musto is said to be worth £500,000, a deal with Land Rover £200,000, Rolex £100,000, VST Enterprises £200,000 and jewellery brand Calleija £80,000.
Zara’s Olympic career (she won silver at the 2012 Games), her marriage to a former captain of the England national rugby team and her high profile as a member of the royal family make her a celebrity in her own right.
Last week, Mike and Zara attended the hottest show in town, Taylor Swift’s sold-out concert at Wembley
Mike isn’t bad at closing deals either. He’s said to be the fourth richest former rugby player in the country and his appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2022 helped him land a number of sponsorships and endorsement deals.
Some estimates put the couple’s fortune at £30 million. Would these deals be so beneficial if Zara had not been born sixth in line to the throne? Unlike Harry and Meghan, the Tindalls have managed to avoid accusations of exploiting their status.
Zara also works with charities linked to racing: CatWalk in New Zealand, Retraining of Racehorses, World Horse Welfare and the Mark Davies Injured Riders Fund.
A friend thought it was highly unlikely that Zara would be made a princess, saying: “If she were a full-time member of the royal family, she would not be allowed to complete her sponsorship deals and so it would be very difficult for her financially.”
“Now she can attend and be absent from royal events, but also enjoy her private life as a mother of three young children.”
Money aside, a look at her diary shows why she’s in no hurry to give up an enviable life. In addition to performing with Taylor Swift, Zara was also welcomed to P!nk’s London concert this summer, attended a film premiere, a charity golf competition and the Royal Ascot almost every day.
In the spring, Zara and Mike flew to the Bahrain Grand Prix and two weeks later were at the Cheltenham Festival, which is known for its combination of alcohol, music and racing.
Polls earlier this year showed that Zara was the fifth most popular royal, after the late Queen, Princess Anne and William and Kate.
After her victory at the Eventing World Championships in Germany, Zara was named Sportswoman of the Year in 2006 and remains an enthusiastic rider.
But it’s not all fun and no work. Zara, who was named Sportswoman of the Year in 2006 after winning the World Eventing Championships in Germany, remains a keen rider and regularly takes part in equestrian events. Last month she took part in the Badminton Horse Trials. Friends say Zara sees herself first and foremost as a “competitive rider and mother”.
Not that she shirks larger family responsibilities. In May, she helped William host a garden party at Buckingham Palace, and she is a regular at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, where she hugged the royal last month.
But she enjoys freedoms that many in her family do not have, which became clear in the new year.
After attending church with the rest of the royals at Sandringham on Christmas Day, Zara and Mike flew to Australia for 12 days of horse racing organised by thoroughbred sales company Magic Millions. It wasn’t just the Gold Coast that attracted them. Zara is sponsored by Magic Millions, a deal reportedly worth £125,000 a year.
Photos show the couple fooling around with Harry’s Argentinian polo buddy Nacho Figueras and his wife Delfina Blaquier, as well as on a double date with actor Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky.
Zara also took to Instagram to promote Magic Millions’ brand partner, a shopping mall, and posed for photos while browsing designer boutiques and sipping wine.
The couple then travelled to Iceland. Snaps shared with Mike’s 600,000 Instagram followers showed the pair on glaciers, snorkelling in wetsuits and trying on oversized fur hats. This carefree approach was well received by audiences.
Polls earlier this year showed that Zara was the fifth most popular member of the royal family after the late Queen, Princess Anne, William and Kate.
Since Zara and Mike are not yet tainted by a scandal, many find them “approachable”. Friends say: “What you see is really what you get.”
An insider who once worked with Zara said: “She is tactile, friendly and down to earth. Don’t forget she was the first royal to have a stud in her tongue.”
This teenage piercing earned Zara the nickname “rebellious royal” and friends admit she had a wild side even before she met Mike. A friend who encountered Zara at foodie parties in west London and Cheltenham said the young royal enjoyed “wild nights” and could “drink a beer like any rugby guy”.
She must be more than a match for her cousin William, whom Mike mischievously dubbed “One Pint Willy,” apparently because he is “not the best drinker.”
In his biography of Zara, author Brian Hoey wrote that Zara’s wilder years coincided with her relationship with jockey Richard Johnson. “Zara admits that she enjoyed drinking during this period, perhaps more than she should have,” he wrote. “But she never smoked or tried drugs. She denied being seen lying in the gutter, too drunk to know what was going on.”
Mike is said to have had a “calming influence” on Zara. Another friend said: “It’s clear that she and Mike have a really good marriage, they’re very tactful with each other. You see the children competing in various horse riding competitions. It’s a very normal family unit.”
Since 2013, the Tindalls have lived on the luxurious Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire, which they share with Anne. It is a permanent home for their children Mia (10), Lena (6) and Lucas (3).
So the Tindalls were baffled by recent rumors that the family was planning to move to Australia. Spoiler: That’s not the case.
Although it is officially denied that Zara could be named princess, the idea of Zara playing a more important role in the company appeals to many. But to use an expression familiar to this rider: don’t bet on Princess Zara anytime soon, who has no future.
