Princess Anne's children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall might have been born into the Royal Family, but their mother didn't necessarily see this as a benefit. Even though Queen Elizabeth was "anxious" to honor her grandkids with a special royal privilege, Princess Anne didn't see eye-to-eye with her mom.
The late Queen reportedly was "left disappointed" by the Princess Royal's choice not to give either of her children royal titles, per royal author Ingrid Seward (via the Daily Mail). While the monarch had to be "persuaded," she ended up stepping back and honoring her daughter's wishes.
In his biography of The Princess Royal, Brian Hoey wrote that Anne thought, "in this day and age a title would be more of a hindrance than an advantage as her children try to make their way in the world."
The author added that Queen Elizabeth had been "anxious" to give Peter a royal title, especially since he was her first-born grandchild.
Hoey noted that even though he's not a prince, Peter Phillips is "not exactly a run-of-the-mill commoner," either. Peter, 47, and his younger sister, Zara, 44, grew up on the luxurious Gatcombe Park estate and make frequent appearances at events like Royal Ascot, polo matches and parades with their parents and royal aunts, uncles and cousins.
Peter—who is divorced from wife Autumn Kelly and shares daughters Isla and Savannah with his ex—works for a boutique sports management company and enjoys a jet-setting lifestyle. Meanwhile, Zara has followed in Princess Anne's footsteps as an Olympic silver-medal winning equestrian and is married to former England rugby player Mike Tindall, with whom she shares three children.
Not having a title has opened up the brother/sister duo to take on endorsement deals and other jobs that members of the Royal Family normally wouldn't be able to do. Zara, for example, has her own jewelry line, and currently serves as an ambassador for apparel brand Fairfax & Favor.
However, she recently opened up about some of the "disadvantages" of her royal lineage. Speaking at a luncheon for the London Sporting Club, Zara admitted that it was hard to compete when people had a misconception about you as a member of the Royal Family. Per the Mirror, she said, "No one would believe me, but there were a lot of disadvantages."
"But the amazing thing about sport is that it is a level playing field," Zara continued. "You have to run out and you have to perform."
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Princess Anne reflected, "I think it was probably easier for them, I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles." The royal added it "was probably the right thing to do." And Zara's husband, Mike, agrees, recently telling Closer (via the Express), "I would definitely turn that down," when asked if he'd ever want to be a prince.
