Zara and Mike Tindall admit that having children is the ‘biggest challenge’ in their marriage, but accepting change helps keep their relationship strong.
The King’s niece and the former rugby international first met over 21 years ago, married in 2011, and now share three children – Mia, Lena and Lucas. While they don’t undertake official Royal duties, Zara, Princess Anne’s daughter, and her husband frequently attend prominent occasions and are recognised for their warm demeanour.
However, during an appearance at the Beauty Awards, Zara revealed that their formula for marital happiness is to “accept that nothing runs smoothly ever.”
She told the Daily Mail: “We’ve been together for 21 years. Nothing runs smoothly ever. You’ve got to accept that in life. It’s a work-in-progress [but] you’ve got to have fun.”
Meanwhile, Mike acknowledged that “kids are the biggest challenge that ever comes your way” in a marriage. He said: “Having three of them, everyone is doing different things.”
This follows a hectic week of prestigious engagements for the Tindalls, who also attended the Tusk Conservation Awards, celebrating individuals protecting Africa’s wildlife and natural environment.
The pair joined Zara’s cousin Prince William at the event, where he warned attendees in his speech that this generation must not remain passive while “wildlife and biodiversity disappears”.
Earlier this year, Zara and Mike celebrated 14 years of wedded life after exchanging vows in July 2011, mere months following Zara’s close cousin Prince William’s wedding to his wife Kate. Since that day, the couple has experienced highs with the births of their children Mia, 11, Lena, seven, and four-year-old Lucas, as well as enduring the heartbreak of miscarriage.
Despite the ups and downs, the couple has proven their resilience, making affectionate appearances at events such as Royal Ascot and Wimbledon, as well as being spotted letting loose at parties with celebrity friends and at music festivals.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond previously told he Mirror about the secret to their strong marriage. She said: “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.”
Despite their high-profile interviews and successful careers, they have managed to avoid any Royal controversy. 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.”
