Resplendent in a purple satin dress, huge gold earrings and gripping a full glass of champagne, Zara Phillips strikes a Bond Girl pose.
She may not be model perfect, but as she sits on a table at a charity poker event in Monte Carlo, she has a certain allure. And only the faintest hint of her mother Princess Anne’s famous frown is evident when she realises her photograph has been taken with two empty lager bottles in the corner of the shot. In the money: Zara Phillips poses at a charity poker event in Monte Carlo As is typical of the modern generation of royals, she has harnessed her regal connections, first accepting a commercial deal with the betting firm Cantor Index in 2003 while her riding career was still in its early days. But as reigning Eventing World Champion and someone who receives not a penny from the Civil List, no one would begrudge Zara the six-figure deals that she says she needs to help finance the estimated £500,000-a-year cost of keeping 12 horses. Regular fixture: Princess Anne’s daughter is photographed with rugby player boyfriend Mike Tindall (left) and TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher
Unlike her cousins, Prince Andrew’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, Zara does not bear the title of Her Royal Highness. Her mother declined on her behalf, wanting her children to make their own way in the world. This means Zara can accept work without the Queen’s permission.