Zara Tindall made a sarcastic remark about her cousin Prince William after hearing an anecdote about an awkward encounter he had with equestrian Pippa Funnell. The royal appeared on the Talk Horse podcast alongside hosts Pippa Funnell MBE and Made in Chelsea star Tristan Phipps when Pippa recounted meeting the future King while she was "covered in blood and mud" following a fall from her horse.
Awkward encounter at Badminton
Pippa described how she met William at the Badminton Horse Trials after suffering a nasty fall. She explained that her horse left a leg at the gate going to Huntsman's Close on a wet day, forcing her to take a helicopter to return in time for her second horse due to a stud wound. The same thing happened with the second horse, as she fell off at the same gate on the same piece of mud.
Walking back to the stables, she described it as "the walk of shame back through Badminton" when Prince William appeared and asked, "You had a good day?" Pippa laughed as she recalled thinking she was covered in blood and mud.
Sarcastic response and family bond
Zara responded with a sarcastic quip, asking: "Does it look like it?" which prompted laughter. Her husband, Mike Tindall, who joined the conversation later, suggested the incident could serve as an "icebreaker" if Pippa were to cross paths with William again. Tristan joked that the Prince might struggle to recognise Pippa without the blood and mud covering her.
Zara is believed to share a close bond with her cousin and has reportedly never shied away from telling him when he is being "pompous". Royal author Robert Jobson told the Daily Mail that Zara "can tell the heir to the throne he is being pompous" and claimed that "he takes it". He added that "she knew him before he was a headline" and that she "has no angle" when she tells the future King how it is.
Zara is also one of the godmothers to Prince George, the eldest of William and Princess Catherine's three children. The equestrian shares three children with her husband Mike: Mia, 12, Lena, eight, and Lucas, five.
