2 min read
The annual Cheltenham Festival horse race got off to a flying start on Tuesday. Zara Tindall, one of the event’s regular attendees each year, arrived at the racecourse toting a purse from Aspinal of London, a brand that counts the Princess of Wales among its customers. Zara was carrying one of the British brand’s most classic styles, the top handle Mayfair with a black patent croc finish. Described by the brand to offer “refined vintage styling with a contemporary flair” and to be “perfect for transitioning from weekday meetings to evening events,” the purse is available in three sizes and comes with a detachable chain strap.
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Mike and Zara Tindall arrive at Cheltenham Racecourse.
Fortunately for shoppers, the purse is widely available in all three sizes and in many shades. Zara left the detachable chain at home for the day, but she appears to be carrying the midi style. She also wore a pair of the brand’s cashmere-lined leather gloves.
The daughter of Princess Anne attended day one of the annual equestrian event alongside her husband, former England rugby star Mike Tindall. Zara paired a navy peplum-style cropped wool jacket by The Fold, cinched with a leather belt, with Fairfax & Favor black suede boots and a felt leaf cocktail hat in a dark cerulean hue by Juliette Botterill featuring a curled ostrich quill. The London-based milliner has previously designed hats for other royals, including Zara at last year’s Royal Ascot as well as Princess Beatrice for Ascot the year prior. Later in the day, Zara pulled out a familiar pair of Monc “Tampere” sunnies that she wore last summer at the Royal Windsor Cup final.
Mike, meanwhile, wore the Cheltenham Coat by Holland Cooper, a hand-crafted single-breasted mid-length style in wool with notch lapels and horn-style button fastenings, all in a “Glen Green” tartan pattern.
The Cheltenham Festival holds particular significance for the couple. An Olympic silver medalist in equestrian sport at the 2012 London Summer Games, Zara was appointed to the Cheltenham Racecourse committee by The Jockey Club in 2019. The four-day event runs through Friday, March 13.
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.