Zara and Mike Tindall's marriage behind closed doors from huge royal plans to heartbreak
They may not be working members of the Royal Family, but Mike and Zara Tindall are certainly among the most popular members of the Firm.
Their shared easy-going nature, cheeky sense of humour and sweet relationship, coupled with their appreciation of the traditions of the monarchy, seems to have endeared them to the public. And their loving partnership is set to be celebrated today as the pair mark 14 years of marriage. It was in July 2011, just months after Zara's close cousin Prince William tied the knot with wife Kate, that the Tindalls finally got hitched.
Since that day, the couple has seen highs with the births of their children Mia, 11, Lena, seven, and four-year-old Lucas, as well as weathering the heartbreak of miscarriage.
But despite the trials and tribulations, 14 years on, the couple has stood the test of time - putting in cosy, loved-up appearances at the likes of Royal Ascot and Wimbledon, as well as being seen letting their hair down at parties with celebrity pals and at music festivals.
And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells the Mirror the secret to their strong marriage. She explained: "I think Mike and Zara have everything going for them, they are clearly still madly in love, they don't take themselves or life too seriously, and they know how to have a whole load of fun.
"Probably more important than any of that, they are really good friends. And that's really how it started, 22 years ago. They met in Australia, bonded over a love of sport - and went out for a boozy lunch. 'We realised we both like to get smashed', Mike later said!
"It didn't hurt that Zara was, and remains, an extremely beautiful woman, and Mike has the rugged looks of an international rugby star. They are both huge favourites in the royal family, lighting up any occasion with their vivacious good humour."
The couple's love story goes all the way back to 2003, when it was actually Zara's other cousin, Prince Harry, who introduced her to former England international rugby star Mike.
It came after Mike, who had been Down Under for the 2003 rugby World Cup, had been drowning his sorrows in a Sydney bar after being dropped for the England team's semi-final match, when he was introduced to the now 22nd in line to the throne.
After their chance meeting and Mike returning to the team for the final to win the tournament, they returned to the UK - and Zara extended an invite to her new love interest to a ball and from there the pair began spending more and more time together, eventually announcing their romance in 2004.
Mike once recalled: "She said, 'Do you want to come to the North Cotswold Ball?'. I said, 'Why not?' We became mates, really. Eventually, it was one of those things where you realise you're spending all your time with someone, and it went to the next level."
Mike then popped the question back in 2010, and a year later, they married in a beautiful ceremony in Edinburgh attended by the entire Royal Family with Zara wearing a stunning gown by Stewart Parvin, a favourite designer of her beloved grandmother, the late Queen.
Speaking about their romance, Mike previously said: "I've never been in love before, but Zara is the love of my life. No doubt." After supporting Mike's sporting triumph in 2003, a year after they married, Zara enjoyed a high in her career, winning a silver medal in three-day eventing at the London 2012 Olympics - cheered all the way by her then-new husband.
In 2014, they welcomed Mia, and suffered two devastating miscarriages before welcoming Lena several years later. Lucas was born in 2021, with Zara memorably giving birth on the bathroom floor at their home in Gloucestershire as a close pal delivered the baby.
As the daughter of Princess Anne and a niece of King Charles, Zara and, indeed, Mike, are firm fixtures at royal events, joining the family for the likes of Christmas at Sandringham and being especially close to the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
But as neither of them has royal titles or formal royal roles, both have busy careers with Zara continuing with her illustrious equestrian career and earning sponsorship deals with brands such as Rolex.
Mike, meanwhile, has retired from rugby but has become something of a media personality, co-hosting a rugby podcast, having a hilarious Instagram account - and even doing a stint in the jungle on ITV's I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here, finishing in a respectable fourth place.
He's no stranger to giving insights on what goes on behind palace walls, memorably revealing his unflattering 'One Pint Willy' nickname for Prince William, his cosy lunches with the late Queen watching the horse racing and how he felt he easily fitted into the Firm after being welcomed - seen as some as a dig at the Duchess of Sussex, who said her experience was very different.
In a recent book, he wrote: "Believe it or not, marrying into the royal family was pretty easy for me. They were always nice to me, and I was always nice to them. Simple really."
Meanwhile, on I'm A Celeb, he revealed an eyebrow-raising story about how some rather energetic dance moves at a birthday party led him to splitting his trousers in front of his mother-in-law Anne, revealing his boxer shorts that had the words 'nibble my nuts' printed on them.
And just last year, in a joint podcast interview with the late rugby league and Motor Neurone disease campaigner Rob Burrow, the Tindalls gave a cheeky sneak peek into their marriage, revealing the private nicknames they have for each other.
Mike said: "We basically call each other munchkins a lot. I don't know why that started, but it has stuck. I will let Zara decide whether she wants to give away what I am down in her phone as.." And later in the chat, Zara revealed: "He is in my phone as something else, and it ends with kitten."
But despite the interviews and their successful careers, they have steered clear of any royal controversy. And Jennie added: "Somehow, possibly thanks to the fact that neither has a title or is a working royal, they have both managed to combine commercial careers with being part of the royal family and attending formal occasions.
"Sometimes Mike has given a bit more away than expected, for example, his boxer shorts 'nibble my nuts' moment with his mother-in-law, but somehow, he can get away with it.
"And that's because he seems to be a thoroughly decent bloke, not over-awed by being part of the royal family, and yet respectful of all they represent. He just knows how to fit in easily and in a relaxed way. Mike is increasingly the brother William no longer has; they are really firm friends and big huggers.
"Zara is, I think, a good deal less buttoned up than her mum. Anne is business-like and professional at all royal appearances - you'll never catch her nuzzling up to her husband in public, cuddling a baby or enjoying a few drinks.
"Zara and Mike are equally professional, dressing up for the occasion and playing their part, but they bring a lightness of touch and a sense of fun to almost everything they do."
When Zara was born back in 1981, her mother, Anne, decided against royal titles for her and her older brother Peter Phillips, carving the path for both of them to pursue their own careers rather than royal work.
However, now with Charles' slimmed-down monarchy looking slimmer than ever, many have suggested that Zara and Mike could be the perfect couple to draft in to help out with royal duties. In fact, in recent years, William has called on the couple as well as his other cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, to help out at Buckingham Palace garden parties that he has hosted.
Recent reports have suggested that when the time comes and William takes the throne, he could hand Zara, and in turn Mike, an important role running all royal horse racing matters - something that he has less of an interest in compared to his father, the King.
And Jennie added: "There will be so many demands on William's time when he is King that I think it's a brilliant idea – if the reports are to be believed – that he might hand over racing matters to Zara.
"Like her mother, she lives and breathes horses; she's also extremely glamorous and well-liked, and it would be a perfect fit. As the years go by, I think they'll be a highly valued support for William when the time comes for him to be King. They are both very close to William, and if he calls on them again, as he did at a garden party last year, they will definitely agree."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Stevenage woman gives unwanted Plushies a new lease of life
A card-shop owner says she wants people to "see cuddly toys in a different light" after launching a scheme to smarten up second-hand Sorrell, 58, was inspired to start the Preloved Plushy Project at her Stevenage shop Cardies after noticing how many were being discarded."I was seeing some going to charity shops, and because they were marked or grubby, the charity shops couldn't do anything with them and had to throw them away," she said."I'm a big recycler and upcycler, so I'm keen to find a new love-life for lots of things – one man's rubbish is another man's treasure," she told the BBC. She explained her secret to restoring the toys so they looked nearly-new."A lot of people make the mistake that they just wash the teddy bear, and it gets all matted," Ms Sorrell said."I wash it and leave it to dry thoroughly, and then use [a] brush to bring it back to fluffiness."I've got labradors, and there's a specific dog brush with very fine pins that teases the undercoat."It's a slicker brush and it does a similar thing with the cuddly toys. Of course, I don't use the same brush that I use on my dog!" Ms Sorrell explained that she had already been able to match up donations with keen owners."We had a couple of lads come in and their mum said they were looking for Super Mario characters," she said."There was a giant sack of washed toys we hadn't sorted, so we rummaged through it and found two Super Marios. They went away very happy!"Another lady tagged them on social media, saying she worked with young people and one would be thrilled to have an Eeyore toy."Funnily enough, an Eeyore appeared the next day in one of our bags, as if by magic."Ms Sorrell hopes people beyond Stevenage will start doing the same thing to prolong the life of soft toys."I'm keen that other people should take this idea up and see cuddly toys in a different light," she said."It's also just presenting them differently – rather than a box of sad-looking teddies in the corner – [to] make them look appealing." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
VERY fishy behaviour! Parts of Sir David Attenborough's latest series Parenthood are filmed in a TANK, BBC admit
Parts of David Attenborough 's latest series were filmed in a fish tank rather than in the wild, the BBC has admitted. The beloved British broadcaster used tanks during key scenes that featured boxer crabs, skeleton shrimps and Banggai cardinalfish across the five episodes of Parenthood. Airing its first episode on Sunday, August 1, the series promised viewers 'astonishing, never-before-seen animal behaviours in stunning ultra high definition, from the remote jungles of Bhutan to the grasslands of Botswana'. The near hour-long programme by Sir David, aged 99, focuses on animal parents that are 'having to adapt to a world that is changing rapidly', with the creatures facing 'a unique set of challenges' that they must overcome. It is the first BBC natural history series to focus on parenting, with the team using new technology to capture the weird and wonderful in the wild. However, the BBC have now revealed parts of the unique show were not filmed 'in situ', as viewers may have initially expected, but instead were shot in manufactured environments such as tanks and incubators. The decision was taken, the public broadcaster insists, due to the 'tiny scale of the animals, fragility of the environment and sensitive nature between parents and their young', The Times reported. In an article published by producers Jeff Wilson and Olly Scholey it was revealed that during the five-minute opening of an episode that showcased turtle hatchlings, filming occurred in a specialist 'incubation project' in Brazil, rather than actually underwater. The pair said that the use of the incubation project ensured that the eggs would not be disturbed while also allowing viewers to witness an 'unbelievable spectacle' that ultimately 'was crucial to the story'. In the incredible scene, described as 'a seminal moment for the film', hundreds of young turtles are shown following their mothers calls to the safety of the river, acting as a visualisation of the unpredictability of parenting in the animal kingdom. On Monday, the BBC told The Times that distributing the eggs in situ 'would've overstepped the mark'. Insisting that filming underwater 'would mean risking the survival of the young', Mr Wilson and Mr Scholey also said that the decision to use tanks was taken to 'ensure that we got the balance absolutely right'. Due to the 'incredibly fragile' animals, the filming crews sought to 'tread carefully' in order to avoid infringing on the natural wildlife. As a result, a specialist tank set in Indonesia was also used during a five-minute scene of boxer crabs shown in the opening of the show's first episode. Both Mr Wilson and Mr Scholey also acknowledged that several parts of the programme were indeed captured on location, with filming said to have taken place across locations spanning Botswana, Arizona, Tanzania, Namibia, southern Spain and Indonesia. They added that unlike on land, filming underwater presents a host of unique challenges, with water visibility changing hourly, and divers forced to wade through water in search of the story. A fascinating clip captured from the show's first instalment showed Attenborough's team as they attempt to build up a relationship with the unique silverback gorillas and their infants. Described by Max Kobl, cinematographer for the show, as 'probably the most powerful of all primates', Sir David, narrating, warns that 'it isn't going to come easy' for the film crew as they attempt to get close to the sneaky gorillas. Initially, the team face great difficulty even finding the animals, seen wading through thick swamps in order to locate them and using indicators such as the types of twigs on the ground. Commentating, one member of the crew says: 'The swamps don't pose challenges for the gorillas, the swamps pose one of many challenges for us.' In the insightful footage of their challenging trek, one member of the team is seen nearly toppling over due to the thick, knee-deep water. When asked 'you okay?', he simply responds: 'Nope'. Sir David, narrating, adds: 'The team try as best they can to keep up and just as they reach dry land, the gorilla family has other ideas'. In response, viewers took to social media to praise the 'stunning' new show, with one commenter on X gushing: 'All the contributors to Parenthood are amazing', while another added: 'Parenthood is another great programme. Congratulations once again Sir David Attenborough and the BBC'. Meanwhile, a bone chilling moment during the programme captured the moment a colony of newborn African spiders turn to hunt their own mothers. In the never before seen behaviour, a pack of African social spiders are shown hunting in packs and responding to the vibrations of their prey as they struggle in the webs. The spiders move in unison, starting and stopping at the same time, freezing together in a sinister game of musical statues. Even more disturbing, after displaying their hunting skills on their usual prey of insects, the 1,000 strong colony then turns on their own mothers and eat them alive. Parenthood also features striking footage of the lives of orangutans, elephants and cheetahs, among many others. Unique technology used across the five-part series includes military-grade infrared cameras mounted on gimbals on off-road vehicles and show hippos being chased by lions at night. The BBC was approached for comment.
South Wales Guardian
5 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
The Traitors winner Harry Clark announces debut memoir focused on his faith
The 24-year-old won the second series of the hit BBC show, which sees a group of 'faithfuls' attempt to banish the 'traitors', who murder during the night-time, in order to win a prize pot of up to £120,000. Staying Faithful is slated for release this autumn and will recount Clark's formative years serving in the British Army, before his reality TV fame, along with how his Christian faith has and continues to guide him through his life. Speaking about the release, Clark said: 'Faith has always been important to me. 'It's the blueprint to everything I do, it helped me when I was younger, it guided me when I served in the British Army, every day I'm thankful that I'm part of something bigger outside of myself.' The reality star and former British Army engineer took home £95,150 in the 2024 series of The Traitors, after deceiving his friend Mollie Pearce. An average of 5.5 million people tuned in to watch the dramatic finale that crowned Clark as the series two winner. He recently also starred in the seventh season of BBC Two's Pilgrimage: The Road Through The Alps, where he joined six celebrities on a 300km pilgrimage through the Austrian and Swiss Alps to Einsiedeln Abbey as they discussed their different faiths and beliefs. Clark previously opened up to the PA news agency about how the pilgrimage changed him for good and why he thinks people need to talk about faith more openly. He said: 'People think you can't talk about religion – especially the youth – because there's something wrong with it, or it seems like if you believe in one particular religion, you hate all others. But that's not what it is. It doesn't have to be that deep. 'Everyone makes it so serious. If you believe, you believe. If you don't believe, you don't have to, and it's not the end of the world.' Clark also stars in the new series of Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, which sees recruits endure special forces training in an attempt to make it through to the end. He is joined by former Premier League footballer Troy Deeney, Strictly Come Dancing 2025 runner-up Tasha Ghouri, singer Lucy Spraggan, and ex-Love Island contestants Chloe Burrows and Adam Collard. The memoir will be published by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK), a charity and independent Christian publisher founded in 1698. The SPCK has also published a range of Bibles, guides to faith, academic texts and books for children with the aim of serving readers 'at every stage of the Christian journey'. Staying Faithful will be published on September 30.
