08 February 2024 , 09:39
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Zara Tindall is a very well-known public figure - but people might be unaware that she has a secret sister.
Zara and Peter Phillips are the children of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. The former couple were married from 1973 until 1992 - and following their divorce, Mark went on to find love again with Hawaiian equestrian Sandy Pflueger.
Together, they had one child, Stephanie Phillips - half-sister to Zara and Peter - before separating on May 3, 2012.
Despite being related to members of the Royal Family, Stephanie has kept a low profile. She attended the prestigious Dean Close School in Cheltenham, before studying business management at the University of Worcester. To help fund the student lifestyle Stephanie even worked as a barmaid in a local pub, the Express reports.
Zara and Stephanie has a close bond and are often seen together at horse trials (Jon Stroud/REX/Shutterstock)
Stephanie is also an accomplished equestrian (Quiet Media)She grew up at Aston Farm on the Gatcombe Estate close to her royal half-siblings, as Princess Anne's ex continued to live there after their divorce in 1992.
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Her social media highlights her love of horses and riding, something she shares with her half-sister. It's hardly a surprise she has fallen into the equestrian world; her father Mark was an Olympic gold medal-winning horseman for Great Britain, while her mother Sandy was part of the US Olympic dressage team at the 1984 Olympic games in Los Angeles.
She took part in many other competitions, is still an active dressage and eventing jury member, and was a member of the jury during the Olympic games in 2016.
Stephanie is also an accomplished equestrian (stephh_phillipss/Instagram)Stephanie is herself an accomplished rider, who's competed at Barbury International, Wellington International Horse Trials and the West Wiltshire trials.
She is also a keen traveller, posting snaps from travels across the world including trips to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Croatia and Slovenia.
Touchingly, Stephanie has a very close relationship with her royal relatives. She was a flower girl at Zara's wedding to Mike Tindall in 2011 and at Peter's to Autumn Kelly back in 2008. And she sweetly returned the favour at her own wedding in 2022, asking Peter's daughters Savannah, 11, and Isla, 10, and Zara's daughters Mia, 8, and Lena, 4, to be her flower girls. Notably, Princess Anne was also in attendance on the big day.
The Worcester-based eventing pro previously described Peter as 'the best big brother out there' in an Instagram post, and she is regularly seen with them at eventing competitions - in one fun snap was seen giving her brother-in-law Mike Tindall a piggyback.
Stephanie tied the knot with William Hosier in July 2022 at St Mary The Virgin Church in Tetbury, Gloucestershire. The couple announced their engagement in September 2021, after he proposed with a sapphire and diamond oval ring.