Mike Tindall has admitted there are 'difficult moments' in his 15-year marriage to wife Zara, but has shared the secret to their successful relationship. The former rugby star and member of the royal family married Zara in a lavish ceremony in 2011.
Now, 15 years on, Mike, 47, has opened up about their relationship. In public, the couple are often seen laughing and joking, appearing to lead a perfect life with their three children: Mia, 12, Lena, eight, and Lucas, five. However, he admits they are just like any other couple and have their fair share of difficulties.
Dealing with confrontation
While he said it 'depends on the scenario', he claims neither of them are quickly confrontational. Speaking on the Talk Horse podcast, he said: "I think it's very easy when it's around sport or whether it's around the animals and the kids, but obviously other nuances become more difficult."
He added: "I think neither of us necessarily chase out confrontation until it happens. That's sometimes not the best way of doing it. But then when it happens, I think we're probably pretty good at actually talking about it. You've just got to try and muddle your way through. It's never easy, is it?"
Supporting each other
In his own cheeky way, he confessed that he sometimes annoys his wife just for the fun of it. "I probably do that a bit too much," he admitted. He also said his wife often suffers with 'working mum guilt', revealing she is still keen to compete as an equestrian, but that decision sees her racked with guilt sometimes.
"You've got to try and play a support role at the same time because mums do have mother's guilt. It's a thing," he said. And while he knows he won't always get it right, he said he's always prepared to help in whatever way he can.
How they met
The couple first met in 2003 at a bar in Sydney, Australia, during the Rugby World Cup. At the time, Mike was playing for the England squad, while Zara, who is the daughter of Princess Anne, was on a gap year. Their first meeting was later described as a 'sliding doors' moment.
Mike admitted that a friendship was first to blossom rather than romance, and he claimed their common background in professional sports allowed them to understand each other's careers. A year after meeting, they entered a relationship, and in 2019 Mike proposed at their home in Gloucestershire.
The late Queen Elizabeth II gave her formal consent to the marriage in May 2011, as was required by the Royal Marriages Act 1772 at the time. The couple tied the knot on July 30, 2011, at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, a location chosen due to Zara's deep connections to the country.
