Mike Tindall and his wife Zara have enjoyed a fairytale romance, tying the knot 15 years ago today and going on to welcome children Lena, Mia, and Lucas. It appears it didn't start this way, however, as Mike previously admitted he barely talked to his future wife the first time they crossed paths.
Mike and Zara first met in a Sydney bar during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, with Zara's cousin, Prince Harry, introducing the pair. But reflecting on their first meeting when speaking with Manish Bhasin for The Gambling Zone, Mike admitted that his emotions from being dropped from the squad clouded the day for him.
© Getty"When we met, I basically only said hello," Mike admitted. "I didn't really even talk to her because I was, as I said, I was still quite down."
During his time in the I'm a Celebrity jungle, Mike opened up about dating Zara, revealing that the pair were friends before they started seeing each other. "We were friends first and then William and Harry were massive England fans at the time, so we’d met them numerous times," he told fellow campmate Owen Warner. "Met more of the family than you'd normally have met of the woman you start dating."
The father-of-three also revealed what happened on the couple's first date, sharing: "First actual date, just went out for lunch locally. And ended up being quite a boozy one. Then we figured out that we both quite like getting smashed. It was a good start."
Zara took their relationship to the next level when she invited Mike to join her at the North Cotswold Ball. By 2004, the besotted couple became "official" and Mike was often spotted appearing at public events with the royal.
Zara and Mike's love story
© Mike MarslandMike proposed to Princess Anne's daughter in December 2010 after five years of dating. Speaking to HELLO! in 2009, the rugby player teased: "I don't think it is about whether we will get married but when."
Zara was reportedly "very happy" with her dazzling engagement ring. The sparkly ring has an estimated worth of £140,000 and was carefully selected by Mike based on a handful of prompts.
"I was upstairs, plucking up the nerve to do it, while Zara was downstairs watching television," he told The Daily Mail when remembering the special moment. "It was all about shock value - I wanted to catch her when it was quiet, and she wasn't expecting anything."
The couple were at home when he walked in and got down on one knee with a ring and popped the question. Her reaction? "She started laughing", Mike revealed. "She was in complete shock. Then, when she stopped laughing, she said yes. That was a relief."
Zara and Mike tied the knot at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh in July 2011, and the ceremony was attended by senior members of the royal family including the late Queen and the late Prince Philip, Prince William and Prince Harry.
© GettyZara and Mike went on to hold their wedding reception at the Queen's official Scottish residence, Holyrood Palace, where her mother would stay while she was at Gordonstoun.
The royal couple's parenting style
These days, Zara and Mike are often spotted enjoying family-friendly outings at eventing competitions, bringing their three young children along for the ride.
Ensuring that their children are part of their daily routines is very much their philosophy when it comes to parenting.
“We’ll just carry on as normal,” Zara previously told Woman's Day magazine, explaining that she did the same with her own mother, Princess Anne, when she was growing up.
© Max Mumby/IndigoZara admits that having children has turned their lives upside down, but they wouldn't have it any other way.
“The logistics are much greater. You can’t just drop everything anymore. I do have to plan my season around the kids and what they’re up to. “They’re very much part of our lives and what we do anyway. But I have to work out how to fit everything in. You look back and realise how much time you used to have before you had kids and then wonder, what was I doing with it?
“We make sure we’re looking after the kids properly and then our jobs come alongside. It’s about putting everything into place."
And it seems the girls are following in their mother's equestrian footsteps, too. “They both ride,” Zara said at the time. "Lena is in a little basket on the saddle, purely a passenger. But we just bought Mia a new pony called Magic.”
