King Charles seems to have a special fondness for his beloved niece, Zara Tindall, often overlooking her tendency to break royal protocol.
Zara's well-known bear hugs, which eschew formalities, were prominently on display during a heartfelt reunion at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, capturing the deep affection between them. According to In Touch Weekly, King Charles has been devising strategies to strengthen the monarchy's waning numbers by potentially bestowing the title of Princess upon Zara.
Observers speculate that a recent encounter may have been the pivotal moment when he shared this intention with her. An eyewitness remarked, "He was thrilled to see her, and there was something he said that definitely made her pause for a moment."
Making Zara a princess would be a significant move. "She’s like a surrogate daughter to him. He clearly worships her," the source added. Despite King Charles's aspirations for a streamlined monarchy, challenges have arisen, including the Princess of Wales's recovery period and his own health limitations.
Introducing someone of Zara's stature could have a profound impact. "She’s an absolute powerhouse for the Royals, even in an unofficial capacity," an insider noted. "Everyone loves her; she’s an incredible mom, has an amazing husband, and she’s won silver at the Olympics. But more than that, Charles adores her and wants her on his team."
However, Zara herself has expressed no regrets about her current status. In a December interview on the Total Sport podcast, she said, "I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn’t give us any titles, so I really commend her on that. We got to do it a bit our way." Despite this, Charles remains persistent. "It’s wrong that Zara and her brother Peter aren’t princess and prince," an insider stated.
"They would have automatically received those titles had Anne been a boy. It doesn’t matter that Anne turned down the Queen’s offer to fix this when they were younger. If they've changed the laws of succession to include females, then Zara should automatically be a princess. She can turn it down, but Charles is hoping she won’t. He adores her—she’s the daughter he never had and he respects and admires her as much as his sister."
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jenny Bond believes Zara is leading a change within the royal family, evidenced by her public behavior. Referencing Zara's warm embrace with King Charles at the Royal Windsor Horse Show on May 3rd, Bond noted, "We’re seeing a lot more public displays of affection from the royals these days, and it’s a good thing." In an interview with OK! magazine, Bond added, "It makes them all much more relatable and genuine. The days of the stiff upper lip and polite handshake are passing. Hooray!"
Heartwarming images showed Zara pulling the reigning monarch in for a warm embrace and a kiss shortly after his surprise appearance at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The King was in high spirits at the event, held in the grounds of Windsor Castle, and was undeterred by the wet and gray weather as he spoke to officials under the cover of umbrellas. Jenny Bond remarked on the encounter, highlighting the warmth of the embrace, "Now that's a proper hug and a proper relationship—loving, warm, and unselfconscious."
