Zara Tindall's daring and 'unroyal' piercing 'didn't faze' Princess Anne
Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, is frequently praised for her less formal approach to royal events and the sense of fun she brings along with husband Mike.
Despite her close relationship with her uncle King Charles and other senior royals, Zara doesn't hold a title and has never been a working member of the Firm, allowing her more freedom to express herself publicly. This included a decision to get a piercing at the age of 17, a move that might be typical for an average teenager, but was quite audacious for a Royal. Although, as daring as it may have been, Princess Anne had a clever tactic to deal with the situation.
As Hello Magazine reported, Zara was seen flaunting a tongue piercing - not exactly what the public expects from the traditionally formal royals - when she was just 17 years old, back in 1998. The bold accessory was first spotted at her uncle King Charles' 50th birthday party - however, by the next year, the magazine notes, the tongue piercing had disappeared.
It's believed that Zara got the piercing at a tattoo studio near Gordonstoun, the Scottish boarding school she attended, which also counts the King and the late Prince Philip among its alumni, with Prince Philip being one of the school's earliest students after its opening.
"At least I didn't have it coming out of my nose, or anything," Zara said to Tatler Magazine years later in 2011, discussing her teenage style choice, and it has been reported that Princess Anne didn't mind her daughter's metallic accessory at all. The Princess Royal, "unfazed by [Zara's] shocking new look, simply [asked] if her daughter could speak properly with her piercing".
The Princess Royal, not at all shocked by Zara's daring new look, simply asked if her daughter could still speak properly with her piercing.
Zara and her mum have always shared an incredibly close bond, and she currently resides on Anne's Gatcombe Park Estate, along with her husband, former England rugby star Mike Tindall, and their three children: Mia, Lena, and Lucas. The family reportedly calls a sprawling 700-acre property, Aston Farm, home. Nestled within Anne's Cotswolds estate, the seven-bedroom renovated farmhouse is rumoured to feature its own home cinema, gym and games room.
Also tucked away in this "royal enclave with discreet security", as Vogue Australia puts it, is Zara's older brother Peter Phillips and his two children Savannah and Isla, making for a close-knit family setup.
