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TL;DR

  • Zara Tindall had a tongue piercing as a teenager in the late ’90s but didn’t break any royal rules by doing it.
  • A former palace butler revealed his excitement about seeing the piercing in person and noted that Zara has “always done it her way.”
  • Zara is reportedly in talks to appear on the next season of I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here, as her husband Mike Tindall did.

According to former palace butler Grant Harrold, a tongue piercing in the royal family isn’t all that surprising considering that the individual in question has “always done it her way” despite her status. Zara Tindall is the oldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II and a world-famous equestrian. But she’s also a bit of a rebel, at least in terms of the royal family.

Zara Tindall had a royal tongue piercing

During Prince Charles’ 50th birthday party, photographers caught an image of Zara’s tongue ring. She was 17 then, and piercings were pretty average for teenagers in the ’90s but not exactly for the royal family. She seemingly was the first royal to step out with such an accessory.

Princess Anne’s daughter didn’t upset her mother with the piercing. But Anne supposedly wondered if it would affect Zara’s ability to eat.

The Sun reported that there are no official rules about such body jewelry for non-senior members of the royal family, and Zara didn’t see the big deal in trying it. She thought it could have been worse. “At least I didn’t have it coming out of my nose or anything,”  Zara told Tatler (per The Sun).

Former royal butler says Zara Tindall’s tongue piercing was ‘exciting’ to see

A glimpse of Zara Tindall's tongue piercing.
Zara Tindall | Barry Batchelor/PA Images/Getty Images

Former butler Grant Harrold spoke to Spin Genie about Tindall’s piercing, revealing he was happy for a chance to see it himself. “She was the very first royal I met in Scotland. I was working, and it was the weekend it was all in the press that she had her tongue pierced, and it was so exciting because when she was speaking to us I suddenly saw the tongue piercing, and I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve seen it.’”

According to Harrold, Zara is unlike other royal family members. “She’s always done it her way and done her thing,” he explained. “You see her in the local towns with her kids doing the shopping; she doesn’t have bodyguards or anything …”

Zara Tindall might be on ‘I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here’ in 2023

Related

Mike and Zara Tindall Share a ‘Different Dynamic’ Than Prince William and Kate Middleton, Says Royal Expert 

Some royal sources believe Zara might be on I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here in 2023. Notably, Zara’s husband Mike Tindall was a contestant on a previous season of the show. He was the first member of the royal family to participate in the popular television contest.

Harrold shared his thoughts. “It’s really possible that we’ll see her go into the jungle, and I think it will be positive if she does, I think people will like it,” he explained. “Even the palace might quite like it because it could be good PR.” 

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