Not every member of the Royal Family holds a title, and for Princess Anne’s children, this was by design. Despite Queen Elizabeth’s wishes, the Princess Royal opted not to give her kids prince/princess titles, and because of this, they’ve grown up in a much more “normal” way than their cousins William and Harry. Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, is so down-to-earth, in fact, that her fellow equestrians sometimes blank on her royal status.
In an interview in Hello! magazine’s latest print issue (via the Daily Express), competitive equestrian Laura Collett opened up about riding alongside Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter and the special honor she received from Princess Anne.
“She’s so normal, we forget she’s a royal…she’s so lovely,” Collett said of Zara.
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Zara Tindall competes as a professional equestrian.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Zara (far left) poses with husband Mike Tindall, future sister-in-law Harriet Sperling and brother Peter Phillips
(Image credit: Getty Images)
In 2024, Collett received an Olympic gold medal from Princess Anne in Paris, and in 2022, the Olympian was given an MBE from the Princess Royal for her services to sports.
Like Zara, Princess Anne is a lifelong rider and she competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Of her investiture ceremony with the princess, Collett said, “It was one of those surreal moments because she started chatting [to me] like a friendly face.”
Collett added, “It was nice because we have something in common.”
Princess Anne gives gold medals to (from left) Laura Rosalind Canter, Laura Collett and Tom McEwen during the 2024 Paris Olympics.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Another thing the Princess Royal has in common with Collett is surviving a terrifying horse-related accident. In 2024, Anne was hospitalized after injuries consistent with being hit in the head by a horse, although she doesn’t remember anything about the incident. Collett nearly died in 2013 when her horse fell on top of her, resulting in severe injuries and permanent blindness in one eye.
After another injury earlier this year, Collett had a very Princess Anne-like response. “Accidents happen and it’s important to realize it’s not all plain sailing,” she said, per Horse and Hound. “You just have to pick yourself up and come back stronger.”