Who Is the Queen's Oldest Granddaughter, Zara Tindall?

Queen Elizabeth's oldest granddaughter, Zara Anne Elizabeth Tindall (née Phillips), is one of the most interesting members of the royal family. Zara is an Olympian, mom of three, and 21st in the line of succession to the British throne.

Here's everything you need to know about Zara:

She doesn't have a royal title.

Princess Anne leaves St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, with her three day-old baby daughter, Zara Phillips.

As the child of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, Zara was not entitled to the royal rank of "Her Royal Highness" at birth. Titles in the royal family pass through the male line, so the children of a princess won't necessarily be princesses (more on that here), and given that Captain Phillips does not have a royal title, neither do his children.

Zara in 1987.

According to the BBC, Zara's parents "are said to have rejected an offer from the Queen of titles which would have enabled their children to be born into the peerage." They reportedly thought it would help their child to lead a more normal life.

She has three children.

Zara is married to Mike Tindall, a former English rugby player. Their first daughter, Mia Tindall, was born in January 2014, Lena Tindall arrived June 2018, and the littlest, Lucas Tindall, in March 2021.

She is 21st in the line of succession.

Following the accession of her uncle King Charles, Zara is 21st in the royal line of succession, behind her nieces, Savannah Philips and Isla Phillips.

She won an Olympic medal.

Zara, an accomplished equestrian, won a silver medal as a member of the Great Britain eventing team at the London 2012 Olympics. Her mom, Princess Anne, presented her with the medal, in a sweet mother-daughter moment:

Princess Anne was the first British royal to compete in the Olympics. Her father, Captain Mark Phillips, is also an Olympian and won gold with the British team in 1972.

Zara is a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).

Queen Elizabeth II and Zara Phillips at the Royal Ascot on June 19, 2015.

She was appointed an MBE in 2007 for her services to equestrianism. An MBE is a military or civilian honor given by the monarch for exceptional achievements or service to the community.

Liz Cantrell

Assistant to the Editor in Chief

Liz Cantrell is the assistant to the Editor in Chief of Town & Country, covering arts and culture, and has previously written for Esquire.