Mike Tindall reveals Zara's ‘special bond' with the Queen over horses

Zara Tindall was among the spectators briefly evacuated on Saturday afternoon when a fire alarm sounded in the Princess Royal Stand at Cheltenham’s 2026 Trials Day, sending guests outdoors in mild confusion.

According to HELLO!, the 44-year-old Olympic equestrian emerged from one of the top floors, bundled up in a chic indigo coat.

A spokesperson for Cheltenham Racecourse reassured attendees that the alarm triggered a full evacuation so staff could complete safety checks. 

Guests, including Natasha Archer, the former personal assistant to the Princess of Wales, were allowed back inside shortly after.

Zara was not just enjoying the racecourse as a fan, she is a Cheltenham Racecourse Committee member and regularly attends key events, including the Parade Ring visit on January 24 and the cross-country prize presentation. 

Her deep roots in equestrian life run in the family her mother, Princess Anne, made history as the first British royal to compete in the Olympics, riding Queen Elizabeth’s horse, Goodwill, in Montreal in 1976.

The love of horses clearly flows through the family. Zara told PEOPLE in 2023, “The passion and love for horses has been passed down through our family. 

Being able to do it every day is incredible and it’s such an amazing sport.” 

Her husband, Mike Tindall, also highlighted the bond Zara shared with the late Queen over equestrian pursuits, saying on his podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, “Zara loved the Queen beyond everything else their connection with horses was special. Same with the Princess Royal, they had a real bond around that.”