Mail readers weigh in to defend Zara

There’s only one thing the Daily Mail likes more than the latest immigrant statistics to brighten up a page: totty, preferably of the royal variety.

So shots of world champion show-jumper and BBC Sports personality of the year Zara Phillips wearing a “less than flattering outfit” made it into last Friday’s paper and its website under the headline “Zara Phillips shows off her fuller figure…”

But it seems Mail readers are less then happy with the paper’s treatment of the Queen’s granddaughter ‒ not that you would know it at first.

The first three reader comments on the online story, the only ones visible without further clicking, are fairly tame: Amberdallas, from Texas, now apparently part of middle England, says Phillips “looks gorgeous and… healthy; Marcie, of Florida, says Phillips’ non-flab “looks like muscle and womanly curves from here”; “Normal… and lovely!” says Sue Timbers from Baldock, Bedfordshire.

But on the “view more” section of comments, Sneeze in Shropshire writes: “In this day and age, when we are talking about size 0 models starving themselves to ‘look good’ but ruining their health, you go and give totally the wrong impression…”

Suzanni in Ireland says: “What an unpleasant and disappointing attitude to adopt towards a world-class athlete.”
Angie in Minnesota goes even further: “I see absolutely nothing wrong with her figure! She looks healthy, strong, and confident… This article is just ridiculous.”

Axegrinder wishes her well in this week’s World Equestrian Championships and suggests that she lays off the chips.

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