Why Don't Princess Anne's Children Have Titles? Everything to Know About Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall's Royal Status

Julie TremaineSat, April 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC

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Peter Phillips ; Princess Anne ; Zara TindallCredit: Samir Hussein/WireImage; Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty (2) -

Princess Anne has two children: son Peter Phillips and daughter Zara Tindall

The royal declined official titles for her kids when they were born

Peter works in sports management, while Zara is an equestrian

Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall are two prominent members of the British royal family, but they don't have royal titles.

Two of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren, Peter and Zara were born to Princess Anne and her ex-husband, Captain Mark Phillips, in November 1977 and May 1981, respectively.

Peter has worked in sports management for years, holding positions at Jaguar, Williams F1 racing team, the Royal Bank of Scotland and SEL UK before opening his own firm in 2012. He has two children — Savannah and Isla — from his previous marriage to Autumn Phillips, and he is currently engaged to Harriet Sperling.

Zara, meanwhile, is a professional equestrian who won a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. She married retired professional rugby player-turned-coach Mike Tindall in 2011. Together, they have three children: Mia, Lena and Lucas.

So, why don't Princess Anne's children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, have official titles? Here's everything to know about the decision.

Why don't Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall have royal titles?

Princess Anne and her childrenCredit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty

When Captain Mark Phillips married Princess Anne, he turned down a title that would have been given to him as a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth.

When the couple welcomed Peter and Zara, they were not entitled to royal status by birth, since titles could only be given to a monarch's grandchildren through sons, not daughters. However, the Queen extended the offer of titles to the Princess Royal's children, which Anne declined.

"I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles," Princess Anne told Vanity Fair in May 2020. "So I think that was probably the right thing to do."

Are Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall still in the line of succession to the British throne?

Peter Phillips and Princess Anne in 2010Credit: Indigo/Getty

Yes, Peter and Zara remain in the line of succession. Peter is 19th in the line of succession, while Zara is 22nd, after Peter's daughters, Savannah and Isla.

Peter and Zara aren't the only heirs to the throne not to have royal titles. Traditionally, royals are granted titles on their wedding days by the monarch; however, since Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie did not receive titles upon their nuptials, their children do not have titles.

Princess Beatrice's daughters, Sienna and Athena Mapelli Mozzi, are currently 10th and 11th in line to the throne, respectively. Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie's sons, August and Ernest Brooksbank, are 13th and 14th in the line of succession.

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Do Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall still have royal duties?

Zara Tindall and Princess Anne in 2023Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images via Getty

While Peter and Zara do not have formal royal duties, they have attended a number of events with their family over the years.

They have been seen at royal events like the Trooping the Colour — the annual celebration of the reigning monarch's birthday — and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in 2022. As a family of equestrians, Peter and Zara are also regular attendees at horse racing events such as Royal Ascot.

What have Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall said about not having titles?

Zara Tindall and Peter PhillipsCredit: Antony Jones/Getty

Zara has said that she's "lucky" to not have an official title.

"I'm very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do,” she told The Times in 2015.

She emphasized that idea during a December 2023 episode of the Seven: Rob Burrow podcast, adding that not having a title has allowed her to pursue careers and follow their passions.

“From my point of view, I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn't give us any titles, so I really commend her on that,” she said. “We were very lucky that we got to do it, a bit, our own way.”

Her father-in-law, Phil Tindall, told the Sunday Times in June 2020 that "Zara always says she's so pleased she wasn't given a title." Phil added that not having a royal title allowed Zara and her brother "to live their own lives."

In fact, in April 2025, Zara's husband Mike told Hello! magazine that if he was offered a royal title, he would “definitely turn [it] down.”

Do the children of Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall have royal titles?

Peter Phillips and his family ; Zara Tindall and her familyCredit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty (2)

No, none of their children have royal titles. Because neither Peter nor Zara has a title, their kids don't have titles to inherit.

However, Peter and Zara's children still participate in many royal events, like Christmas at Sandringham.

“My family has a great work ethic, as well, which I'm hoping they instilled in me and is still going to this day," Zara said during her appearance on the Seven: Rob Burrow podcast. "Hopefully, that we can pass it onto our kids."

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