Zara Tindall was among the spectators briefly evacuated on Saturday afternoon when a fire alarm went off in the Princess Royal Stand on Cheltenham’s 2026 Trials Day, sending guests outdoors into mild confusion.
According to HELLO!, the 44-year-old Olympic rider emerged from one of the upper floors, bundled up in a smart indigo coat.
A spokesman for Cheltenham Racecourse assured attendees that the alarm prompted a full evacuation to allow staff to carry out safety checks.
Guests, including Natasha Archer, the former personal assistant to the Princess of Wales, were soon allowed back inside.
Not only did Zara enjoy the racecourse as a fan, she is a member of the Cheltenham Racecourse Committee and regularly attends key events including the visit to the Parade Ring on January 24 and the cross-country prize giving.
Her equestrian roots run deep in the family, her mother, Princess Anne, made history as the first British royal to compete at the Olympics, riding Queen Elizabeth’s horse, Goodwill, in Montreal in 1976.
The love of horses clearly runs through the family. Zara told PEOPLE in 2023, “The passion and love for horses has been passed down through our family.
To be able to do that every day is incredible and it’s such a great sport.”
Her husband Mike Tindall also highlighted the bond Zara shared with the late Queen over equestrian activities, saying on his podcast The good, the bad and the rugby“Zara loved the Queen above all else, their connection with horses was special. Same with the Princess Royal, they had a real bond around it.”
