Zara Tindall's most rebellious moments: From her tongue piercing to her driving ban

Publish date: 2024-05-20

Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips' daughter Zara Tindall is a force to be reckoned with in the equestrian world. Whilst the former Olympian is relishing her wholesome family life with her husband Mike and their three children Mia, Lena and little Lucas, you may be surprised to know that Zara once had a rebellious streak…

Join HELLO! as we take a closer look at some of her boldest moments in the spotlight.

Zara's bold tongue piercing

Zara, 43, once had a tongue piercing. Yes, really. The mother-of-three was just 17 when she rocked up to King Charles's 50th birthday party in 1998 sporting a metallic tongue barbell.

Speaking about her surprising body modification, Zara told Tatler in 2011: "At least I didn't have it coming out of my nose, or anything." 

Zara's mother Anne was reportedly unfazed by her shocking new look, simply asking if her daughter could speak properly with her piercing.

It is believed that the royal obtained the piercing at a tattoo parlour close to Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland, where she was a boarder.

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Zara's tongue piercing didn't stick around long, however. When the royal was photographed just a year later in 1999, her gleaming, silver tongue embellishment was nowhere to be seen.

Her driving ban

Back in 2020, Zara hit the headlines after she was banned from driving for six months due to speeding in her LandRover at 91 mph near her Cotswolds home. 

At the time, she was given four points on her licence, on top of the nine points she had previously wracked up.

Her mother Princess Anne was caught speeding on the same stretch of road in 2001. In March that year, the late Queen's only daughter admitted to driving her Bentley at 90 mph in a 70 mile-per-hour zone.

Her black wedding outfit

In her youth, Zara was renowned for her quirky sense of style. Not one to follow the rulebook, Princess Anne's daughter frequently stepped out wearing bold ensembles complete with eye-catching hats. Think leopard print panama hats, bold thigh-high split dresses and fashion-forward cowboy boots.

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Back in 1998, 17-year-old Zara veered away from tradition at the wedding of Santa Palmer-Tomkinson and Simon Sebag-Montefiore. 

Whilst wedding guest attire typically calls for pastels, florals and floaty dresses, Zara made a bold entrance in a black pinstripe mini-skirt and matching tailored blazer. She finished off her look with a pearl choker necklace and a black boater hat. Iconic.

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