The Tragic Life of Zara Tindall

Having followed in the footsteps of her mother, the rebellious Princess Anne, Zara Tindall is a talented and highly decorated equestrian. But her beloved pursuit has not been without tragedy. In 2006, Tindall’s close friend, Sherelle Duke, was killed while horse riding. She was just 28. Duke suffered catastrophic head injuries, including brain damage and a fractured skull, after her horse fell and landed on top of her during a competition.

Tindall was devastated by her friend’s death. At the time, she was in Germany preparing for the Eventing World Championship, so she never got to say goodbye. She was also unable to go to Duke’s funeral, with her brother, Peter Phillips, attending instead. When she won the championship a week later, she took the opportunity to honor Duke. “I went out today to do it for a friend of mine who died a week ago today and to try and get her a gold medal,” she said, per the BBC. “I was just so relieved that I managed to give that to her, because we didn’t manage to go over and say goodbye.”

As a sweet tribute to her late friend, Tindall also rehomed Glenbuck, a horse previously ridden by Duke. “Sherelle’s family has told Zara it’s what she would have wanted,” a source told Express. “Sherelle herself was training for the Olympics when she died. Zara was unbelievably touched to be asked to take on Glenbuck.”