Zara Phillips' father Mark spills the beans on his famous daughter

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Captain Mark Phillips, 66, was speaking in a joint interview with Zara
Quipped that Zara 'still is' the family wild child - much to her amusement
For her part, the mother-of-one says she was never a wild child at all
Zara is currently preparing for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

Published: 05:27 EST, 6 August 2015 | Updated: 06:29 EST, 6 August 2015

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Captain Mark Phillips has revealed his daughter Zara Tindall is still a wild child - despite being a 34-year-old mother-of-one.

He made the tongue-in-cheek quip during a joint interview with Zara herself, who for her part, said she doesn't think she was particularly naughty at all.

'I don't know if I was that wild,' she explained. 'I guess it looked like that because of my family background. I'm sure that is what it's probably compared to.'

Close: Zara Tindall and her father Captain Mark Phillips have given a rare joint interview

Zara first hit the headlines for her 'wild' behaviour in 1996 when she had her tongue pierced and, in the process, became the first royal to do so.

More untypical royal behaviour followed, not least a deal with a spread-betting company struck in 2006 and designed to support her then fledgling eventing career.

She was also thought to have hosted an Ann Summers party at her Gloucestershire home - with drinks served by a waiter who was nude but for a G-string.

Now married to rugby star Mike Tindall, himself no stranger to headline-friendly shenanigans, the 34-year-old has seen her equestrian career go from strength-to-strength and won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics.

Wild child: Captain Phillips joked that his daughter is still a wild child - but Zara says she never was

Comparison: Zara, pictured at Balmoral as a child, says she was only bad in comparison to her royal relations

Success: Captain Phillips, who is Chef d'Equipe for the US eventing team, said Zara is more successful

Credited with helping her make it in the sport is Captain Phillips who was himself a champion eventer and currently serves as Chef d'Equipe for the US eventing team.

Also gone is Zara's deal with the spread betting firm with her riding career now sponsored, like her father's, by Land Rover.

'I think as Phillipses, we're always going to have to fend for ourselves in life,' explained the captain in an interview with the Times newspaper.

'They've [Zara and son Peter, 37] got to make of life what they can make of life. I was lucky enough to win a gold medal when I was quite young and that opens so many doors all around the world.

Zara's carried it to another level. She's more successful than me.'

Glamorous Zara Phillips on launch of jewellery collaboration

Glamorous: Zara, pictured with husband Mike, Storm Uechtritz and Ronan Keating at an M&S Ireland charity event last month, is currently working towards Team GB selection for the Rio Olympics next year

Support: Captain Phillips, pictured with Zara at the 2012 Olympics, gave his daughter her first riding lessons

Keeping busy: Zara, pictured in Scotland last month, is also mother to 18-month-old Mia

The pair also spoke of their continuing close relationship - a feat all the more impressive given that Captain Phillips and Princess Anne divorced when Zara was 11 after he fathered an illegitimate daughter during an affair.

'Well, I know we got divorced but the one thing we did really well when we got divorced was how we handled the Zara and Peter situation,' says Captain Phillips, adding: 'The princess [Anne] and I get on great.'

Zara, who revealed in the same interview that she gets her work ethic from her parents, is currently preparing for next year's Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

She is hoping to be selected to take part in the three day event but faces serious competition for a place from the likes of William Fox-Pitt, Dani Evans and Pippa Funnell.