14th in line to the throne and Chief Commandant of Women in the Royal Navy, Queen Elizabeth’s only daughter Princess Anne does not command the headlines of her brother Charles, who is heir to the throne. She is a keen equestrian and the first royal to compete in the Olympic Games. In 1973 she married Captain Mark Phillips and they had two children, Peter and Zara. At the time of his marriage to Anne, Phillips chose not to take a royal title and therefore their children, with their surname Phillips, have been able to lead relatively normal lives out of the public eye. Anne and Phillips divorced in 1982 and not long after, Anne, Princess Royal married Sir Timothy Laurence. Like their mother, whilst Peter and Zara might not be front cover material they have been no less successful than their more famous cousins. So who are Peter and Zara?
Peter Phillips
Born: 15th November, 1977
Anne’s first child is Peter Phillips, he is the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth. He’s reputed to be her favourite grandchild, Phillips once said that, ‘I’ve always been very close to my grandmother, and we speak often. She has been an inspirational person throughout my life.’ A natural leader, he has had a distinguished career in business at blue ribbon companies like Jaguar, Williams F1 and the Royal Bank of Scotland. He is now managing director of sports and entertainment company SEL UK.
In 2007 Peter was engaged to Autumn Kelly, a Canadian who he met whilst working at Williams F1. They wed in May 2008 and in 2010 had their first child Savannah, the Queen’s first great-granddaughter. In 2012 their family grew to include second daughter, Isla. In 2018, both Savannah and Isla were bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie’s wedding.
Zara Tindall
Born: 15th May, 1981
Anne’s second child, Zara, was born in 1981. Her name was suggested by Anne’s brother Charles as he thought its meaning (being Greek for ‘bright as dawn’) was perfect for the newborn child. Zara shares a sporty streak with her mother and father and is a successful equestrian. She was unfortunate to miss both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics due to injury but in 2012 she made it to the Summer Games and won silver. Guess who presented her with her medal? A very proud mum named Anne, Princess Royal!
In July 2011, Zara married English rugby champion, Mike Tindall in what was a slightly quieter ceremony than their cousin William and Kate’s wedding a few months earlier. In 2014, they welcomed their first child Mia. For the next few years Mike and Zara tried to have another child but sadly Zara suffered two miscarriages. But in 2018, Zara gave birth to their second child, Lena at Stroud Maternity Hospital. Along with her cousins, Isla and Savannah, Zara and Mike’s daughter Mia was bridesmaid at Princess Eugenie’s wedding in 2018.
