What did Zara Tindall inherit from the Queen, and why doesn’t she have a title?

It's no secret that the late Queen Elizabeth II's inheritance sum was astronomical. While we can't be sure exactly how much money the Queen left behind, experts have estimated her wealth to be in the region of £500 million. 

Royal expert and writer Marlene Koenig told Reader's Digest last year, "The late Queen’s personal fortune is assumed to be between $447 million and $600 million." And this isn't taking into consideration additional wealth that's tied up with the Crown. Estimating the Royal Family's net worth is a complicated affair, as much of their finances belong to the Crown, a body that separates the personal wealth of the monarch and that of the state, according to the House of Commons Library. 

The Queen shared a close bond with eight grandchildren, but her bond with Zara Tindall (previously Phillips), in particular, was often in the spotlight due to their shared love of horses. While the Queen's grandchildren didn't inherit money directly from their grandmother, it's thought that other precious items, such as items from her jewellery collection, were passed down to the younger generations. This is what Zara Tindall inherited from the Queen and why she doesn't have a royal title. 

What did Zara Tindall inherit from the Queen?

It's thought that Zara Tindall didn't inherit any money from the Queen directly, her mother Princess Anne inherited a share of the Sovereign Grant, according to i24 News, though the exact amount isn't known. 

When the Queen passed in September 2022 at 96 years old, King Charles, Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest son was the sole beneficiary of the Queen’s wealth, including her £650 million estate. Charles inherited the lion's share of the Queen's personal assets, including her investments, art collection, jewellery and property, which include Sandringham House in Norfolk and the Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, according to reporting by Forbes.

It looks likely that some of the late Queen's jewellery collection may have been shared out among other members of the royal family. "It is likely that she would want to pass on items from her private collection to her loved ones,” royal commentator Josh Rom told New York Post." This means the likes of Princess Anne, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Kate Middleton, Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall are thought to have received some of the Queen's tiara collection, according to reporting from The Independent.

Financial inheritance aside, the Queen has passed on a major passion down the family line to both her daughter Princess Anne and granddaughter Zara Tindall - a keen interest in all things equestrian. Zara and the late Queen were said to share a close bond due to their love of horse riding. In an interview with PEOPLE, "I think just the passion and love for horses that's been passed down through our family. We're very lucky to have them in our lives. Being able to do it every day is incredible and it's such an amazing sport." 

Why doesn't Zara have a royal title? 

It's somewhat confusing that unlike her cousins Prince William, Prince Harry, and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips don't have royal titles. 

The reason behind this is actually a centuries-old tradition. When a member of the Royal Family has a child, the tradition dictates that only the father may pass down royal titles - meaning that Princess Anne isn't officially able to pass on Prince and Princess titles to her children. 

However, the Queen did make an exception for her daughter, offering titles to both Zara and Peter - to which Anne politely declined. Speaking to Vanity Fair in 2020, the Princess Royal explained: "I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles… So I think that was probably the right thing to do."

Zara has previously spoken about not having a title as a blessing. Commenting in 2015, she told The Times, "I’m very lucky that both my parents decided to not use the title and we grew up and did all the things that gave us the opportunity to do."