Video LoadingVideo UnavailableClick to playTap to playThe video will auto-play soon8CancelPlay nowSign up to our free email to get all the latest royal news and picturesMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Sign up to our free email to get all the latest royal news and picturesInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeThere are very few royal couples who are more admired for their relatability and their sense of fun than Zara and Mike Tindall. Frequently praised as being some of the most popular members that the Royal Family has among its ranks, Zara, 43, and Mike, 45, have an extra special reason to celebrate this week as they mark their 13th wedding anniversary. “They seem to just get better and better as the years go by,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond exclusively tells OK! “It’s really great to see a couple who are still clearly head over heels for one another and act like newlyweds when they’re out and about. They are the most tactile of all the younger royals, and also the most fun loving which makes them immensely likeable.”
Zara and Mike Tindall have been married for 13 years
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Read More
Related Articles
Meghan Markle’s blunt 7-word reply when asked about quitting career for Prince Harry
Read More
Related Articles
Prince William and Kate’s strong bond with ‘mini-me’s’ Prince George and Princess Charlotte
“I’ve never met anyone who has a bad word to say about the Tindalls. They are an incredibly charismatic couple and the fact that they have remained so down-to-earth in spite of their royal status has endeared them to the public.” This is something that relationship expert Nicky Wake says is the key to their success. “While they maintain a low profile, they are known for their affectionate and playful interactions – which is charming to the public and media alike. They have a lot of date nights which will help to keep the spark and remind them why they love one another.” It was back on a beautifully sunny day on 30 July, 2011 when the couple said ‘I do’ at Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh in a fairytale ceremony in front of members of the Royal Family.
Zara and Mike married in 2011
(Image: Getty Images)
For her big day, the bride looked beautiful in an elegant Stewart Parvin gown and the Meander Tiara – which previously belonged to Prince Philip’s mother and has been worn by Princess Anne many times – meanwhile, Mike looked dapper as he arrived with his ushers to huge cheers from the crowds who had flooded the Royal Mile. In the typically unpretentious way that has gone on to characterise their entire relationship, Zara and Mike had met eight years earlier in a bar in Sydney, Australia during England’s Rugby World Cup-winning campaign in 2003, while Zara was on her gap year from university. Mike later revealed that his future wife had left her number for him and after they spent some time texting, she invited him to be her date at the North Cotswold Ball back in the UK.
Zara and Mike first met in 2003
(Image: 2004 Getty Images)
Mike soon met his future in-laws, the Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and described Princess Anne as a ‘legend’, before revealing what his welcome into the world’s most famous family was really like. “My mates in Wakefield are forever asking how I fit in among the Royal Family, but they are really down to earth,” he quipped. The former rugby star popped the all-important question in a proposal at their home in 2010. “I was upstairs, plucking up the nerve to do it, while Zara was downstairs watching television,” he recalled. “It was all about shock value – I wanted to catch her when it was quiet, and she wasn’t expecting anything… She was completely in shock. Then, when she stopped laughing, she said, ‘Yes.’ That was a relief.” So what are their tricks to keeping their blissfully happy marriage alive? “I think one of their secrets is that they have never lost their sense of humour about the ups and downs of life and they have been one another’s biggest support in times of need,” Jennie says.
The couple frequently share sweet moments in public
(Image: Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
“They have had profoundly difficult and emotional times with Zara’s miscarriages, but they faced that grief together and she later said it was a time when she needed her family most and Mike and the others came to the fore.” The couple were already parents to their first daughter, Mia Grace, at the time of the losses, with Zara later saying: “When things like that happen, normally it’s just your family and friends,” pointing out how, “the hardest thing in our situation is that everyone knew.” Thankfully, luck was back on their side with the birth of a second daughter, Lena Elizabeth, in 2018. The couple’s only son, Lucas Philip, completed the family in 2021, much to Mike’s joy as he made no secret of his hopes to have a son.
Mike was thrilled when Lucas arrived in 2021
(Image: 2022 Max Mumby/Indigo)
Speaking on his The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast before Lucas’s birth, Mike joked, “I’d like a boy this time, I’ve got two girls, I would like a boy. I’ll love it whether a boy or a girl, but please be a boy.” The way they raise their children is also one of their biggest assets, Jennie says. “As much as they adore their children, they also take time out to enjoy being the close couple they are. “Not everyone is lucky enough to be able to do that, but they’ve had some cracking trips together when they really let their hair down. Even when they are at home, they’ll be enjoying regular date nights, romantic dinners, pub lunches and walks – so they never seem to forget the meaning of the word ‘FUN’.”
Zara and Mike share three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas
(Image: 2023 Max Mumby/Indigo)
And, even though the couple are not working royals and do not carry out regular charity visits, this approach has also prompted success. “They’ve also been extremely skilful in maintaining their relatively carefree and private way of life whilst taking on royal duties when needed,” Jennie points out. “They were a great hit at the recent Buckingham Palace garden party as they made conversation easy and people enjoyed their down-to-earth company.” The final string to their bow is the expert way they have balanced their royal lives with commercial opportunities. “Mike and Zara have been perhaps the most successful of the younger royals in capitalising on their status without tarnishing the royal brand,” Jennie says.
The couple have been married for 13 years
(Image: Getty Images)
“It must be quite a tightrope to walk – but even in the I’m a Celebrity jungle or with his podcast, Mike managed not to upset anyone whilst hugely entertaining his audience – he’s obviously very popular within the family as well as with the public.” The praise for Mike is mirrored by Nicky – who set up the dating site Chapter2 – as she tells OK! , “Zara and Mike Tindall’s marriage is seen as a blend of royal tradition and modern relatability, characterised by love, support, and a strong sense of family. “Mike is often seen participating in daily activities with his children, from school runs to playground outings. His active involvement in these routine aspects of family life underscores his commitment to being a present and engaged father. His hands-on approach and visible affection towards his children have contributed to a positive public image.”
Zara and Mike are loved for their connection with family members
(Image: 2019 Samir Hussein)
The couple often delights the public with their close bonds with everyone from King Charles to Princess Anne – but there is another royal pair whose lives are inextricably linked with Zara and Mike’s. They are some of the closest allies for The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 42, and, as a result, the group are often spotted sharing light-hearted moments at royal events. From their similar, naughty sense of humour to their love of country life and the fact their children are all very close in age, the two families will undoubtedly have been a source of strength for one another in difficult times.
The two couple’s lives are linked in numerous ways
(Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
“There are so many parallels between the two couples, it’s no surprise that they are so close,” Jennie says. “It’s strange really that I suppose we now regard Catherine as the complete royal and Zara rather as the girl about town, when in fact she’s the one of true royal blood. In Mike she has found a diamond of a husband: loyal, loving, funny, naughty and fabulous company. William and Catherine have absolutely lucked out in having him as part of the family and as a down to earth, big hearted friend.” For the heir to the throne, in particular, this relationship has been invaluable ever since the princess began her treatment for cancer, Jennie says. “William obviously hasn’t wanted to burden his father with his fears and emotions given that Charles is also undergoing similar, worrying treatment and he no longer has his brother for support, so I think Mike and Zara have become even more important to him.”
Mike has been a brother-figure for Prince William
Catherine, too, has benefitted from these ties, particularly through her friendship with Zara. “Even though Zara has always been a rock for William as they have grown up together, she will have been a particular support for Catherine as she knows exactly what it’s like to go through heartache. “Although it’s very different circumstances, she’s faced health problems with her two miscarriages and knows how difficult it is to have to admit it to the world – so I’m sure she will have been there for Kate.” On how the Waleses and the Tindalls will have leant on each other in challenging times, Jennie adds, “The two young families will have spent time together, trying to regain some normality and fun in their lives. I can’t think of a better couple to keep William and Catherine feeling positive and upbeat about the future.”
The couples both married in 2011
(Image: Getty)
Mike has frequently shared hilarious stories about his royal relationship with the couple on his podcast. From casting off royal protocol to pull William in for a hug, to joking that he calls the heir to the throne ‘One Pint Willy’ because “he is not the best of drinkers”, it’s clear Mike has become someone William can trust implicitly, knowing anything he says won’t go any further. “In times gone by, Harry would have been there for William. But those times have passed,” Jennie laments. “In recent years it is Mike who has stepped into the role of brother for William. And he comes to it as a man who is grounded, uncomplicated, big hearted and unselfish. I can’t think of a better bloke for William at this difficult time of his life.”Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnMike TindallRoyal FamilyZara TindallLucas TindallLena TindallMia TindallPrincess AnneKing Charles IIIPrince WilliamKate MiddletonWilliam and Kate
