The Princess Royal and Zara Tindall in the royal procession
(Picture: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)Unlike her cousins Prince William, Prince Harry, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara Tindall doesn’t hold a royal rank.
She, and her brother Peter Phillips, are the eldest of the late Queen’s grandchildren; however, they don’t participate in royal duties, and also have no official HRH status.
Instead, Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne, built a successful life as an equestrian, winning a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
With her husband, Mike Tindall, she now has three children, after recently welcoming baby Lucas Philip, alongside Mia Grace and Lena Elizabeth.
But, why doesn’t Zara Tindall have a royal rank? Here’s everything you need to know.
Why isn’t Zara Tindall a princess?
The reason Zara Tindall doesn’t hold a royal title is because of a centuries-old family tradition.
According to the Express, when a member of the royal family has a child, tradition dictates that only the father may pass on his title, and the only princes and princesses in the family have fathers in the direct line of succession.
Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips are the children of Princess Anne, and her ex-husband Mark Phillips, who’s not in the royal family, which means they have no title to take on.
However, it was reportedly Princess Anne’s decision not to give her children titles. Former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dickie Arbiter said: “It was a masterstroke of the Princess Royal when she decided not to give her children titles.
“Growing up as a commoner allowed Zara to thrive as her own woman, and there has never been pressure on her to conform. She has benefited from it in all sorts of ways.”
Commenting in 2015, Zara revealed she was “thankful” for her lack of a title, stating it opened up further opportunities for her.
She said: “I’m very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do.”
She also revealed that her father imparted some good advice, that still resonates, revealing: “Papa said to me, ‘If you want to get to the top, you’ve got to do it properly, and if you want to stay at the top, it’s even harder.’”
