4 Things Zara Tindall Is Allowed to Do That Prince William Absolutely Can't

A decision Princess Anne made when Zara Tindall was born changed her life forever. Queen Elizabeth offered royal courtesy titles for Anne’s children, but she and Mark Phillips chose to let Zara and Peter Phillips grow up without them. That choice ended up giving Zara a very different kind of royal life from Prince William’s. She could stay close to the family without having to step into the same formal role, and that freedom has followed her well into adulthood.

For Zara, being royal never meant having to make royal duties her full-time career. She found her own path, representing Great Britain and winning an Olympic silver medal along the way. William didn’t get that same freedom. His working life is tied to the monarchy and the responsibilities that come with it. Zara, on the other hand, has been able to follow a career she genuinely loves.

Zara has been able to turn her equestrian career into real commercial opportunities and has worked with major brands including Land Rover, Rolex and Musto. That is a lane Prince William cannot really enter. As a senior working royal, William is expected to steer clear of commercial endorsements that could create conflicts of interest. Zara, not being a working royal, has far more freedom to put her name to a deal.

Zara can enjoy the royal family’s big moments without having a calendar packed with official engagements. She is not a working royal, so she can decide when to step into the public eye rather than having royal duties built into her everyday life. William does not have that luxury. As Prince of Wales, his schedule comes with a steady stream of visits, events, and official responsibilities.

Zara’s decision to go without a royal title has carried on to her own children, giving Mia, Lena and Lucas a childhood without the formal labels their royal cousins have. She even told The Times that she feels “very lucky” her mother made that choice, saying it let her and Peter do things their own way. However, for William's children, things are completely different. George is being trained to take the throne from a very young age, and the expectations attached to him are far greater.