The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has been encouraged to learn from William and Kate's penny-pinching ways in the lead up to her wedding after her fiancé rang up a $19,000 bar tab at his bachelor party.
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Prince William's cousin, Miss Phillips is set to marry her partner of eight years English rugby captain Mike Tindall on July 30 in an intimate ceremony in Scotland.
However with just seven weeks until he walks down the aisle with the 11th in line to the throne, Tindall's lack of royal decorum has raised eyebrows after pictures of him flirting with women and downing bottles of vintage French champagne and top-shelf spirits surfaced in the UK tabloids.
While he celebrated his final days as a single man in Miami, Phillips reported for royal duty back in London to celebrate Prince Philip's 90th birthday.
Phillips, 30, is no stranger to controversy; she was the original royal wild child with a love of partying, body piercing and bad boys. She is now better known for her laid-back attitude and decorated equestrian career, winning numerous European and world event titles.
As she has no royal title, as requested by her mother, Princess Anne, Miss Phillips is not included on the Queen's payroll or the British Civil List, and has spent years brokering sponsorship and commercial deals to support her horse riding career.
In 2006 she was awarded the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year and became an ambassador to Land Rover. She became the first royal in direct line to the throne to star in a commercial advertisement when she appeared in a mud-splattered Roberto Cavalli gown and high heels for the luxury four-wheel-drive company.
With no royal purse to borrow from, Tindall's 10-man party was self-funded, however Princess Anne is likely to cover the majority of the wedding budget while the Queen will host a reception for the couple at her official residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Royal watchers are hoping the athletic and outdoorsy bride-to-be will undergo a glossy makeover before her big day, with stylists summoned to her Cheltenham townhouse since she posed for her first engagement pictures dressed in a $90 windcheater with poorly-manicured nails.
"I'm at the stables most days from about 7.30am, riding my 10 horses and training through the afternoon. We have an event every weekend from March to October, then training in the week and all the horses need riding every day. I do whatever needs doing," she said.
Following the wedding the top-class event rider will continue to work towards selection for the British Olympic showjumping team for next year's games in London. She missed out on representing the Crown in Beijing in 2008 after her horse, Toytown, was injured and forced her to withdraw.
A dream her husband-to-be supports and understands. Throughout his 14-year career, Tindall has sustained numerous broken bones and fractured his nose eight times.
Follow Jenna Clarke on Twitter @JennaMClarke
