Zara Phillips - Making Her Own Way

For my biography about Zara Tindall, you can find it at Smitten by Britain.

Zara Phillips during a charity event for Walking With the Wounded in 2011.

     On the day after the spectacular Opening Ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics – during the “Queen” famously jumped from a helicopter with James Bond – a reporter from NBC News attempted to ask Zara Phillips about her thoughts on the Bond act. Phillips, who was on her way to continue preparations for her Olympic events, brushed past the reporter without saying anything. 

     Such is the life of Zara Phillips, who comes from royal blood, but does not have a royal or aristocratic title. Additionally, she does not carry out duties on her grandmother’s behalf, and is not considered part of the “royal circle.” Nonetheless, since she was born, she has made her fair share of appearances at major royal events, including the christening of Prince George, for whom Phillips is a godmother.

     The result is that for many people – especially before the Olympics – she is vaguely known as the “un-royal” royal, who is a cousin to Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as the Queen’s eldest granddaughter. She is seen, though not always heard. Her very name raised eyebrows for not being a “traditional” royal name, like Anne or Elizabeth (which happen to be her middle names).

     Perhaps the choice of name was part of a deliberate effort to distance Zara, as well as her brother Peter, from being at the center of royal life, an effort likely orchestrated by their parents, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips. This effort also likely prevented the granting of noble titles, for being the grandchildren of a reigning monarch was enough for them to handle, especially given their place in the line of succession.

Phillips riding her horse, High Kingdom, at Greenwich during the 2012 Olympics.

     Because of this, Zara has been able to live a relatively normal life largely outside of the royal fishbowl. She has been able to craft an independent existence as a successful equestrian rider who has earned several medals and awards, including at the Olympics in 2012. Most importantly, she has not had to face the same kind royal pressures or scrutiny as her cousins with titles.

     No doubt, she is mindful of her royal heritage and loves her grandmother, but she does not want to be defined by her lineage or being the Queen’s granddaughter. She wants to be known for her achievements which she has earned in her own right (and which no one can take away from her), and she has thus far proven that she can be herself as an individual with a successful career in something at which she excels.

     Now formally known as Zara Tindall following her marriage to rugby player Mike Tindall, she has a child of her own, whose name was revealed to be Mia Grace Tindall this week. There’s no doubt that she and Mike will want keep Mia away from the public eye as much as possible and allow her grow up normally, just as Zara’s parents had done for her, which probably (partly) explains why baby Mia’s name was not known for nearly a week.

     Given that Mia is a great-grandchild of the Queen – and like her mother, without a royal title – it’s likely that she will not receive a lot of press coverage, save for some life milestones (birthdays, wedding, etc.). As time goes on, she will increasingly be on the periphery of the extended family, especially as the core is developed around Prince Charles and his family. Like her mother, Mia will have to make her own way in a non-royal life, but given the tough stock from which she hails, I expect that Mia Tindall will find a path for herself with the encouragement of her family.



Photo Credit: Walking with the Wounded via Flickr cc, Jerry Pank via Flickr cc