Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall are not working royals but being members of the royal family put them in a position of importance. However, a friend revealed that the couple does not really want a lot of the privilege accorded to their status because they are simple people.
Friends of the couple describe Zara and Mike Tindall as "friendly and approachable," despite their pedigree. Matt Hampson, who has worked with Mike on his foundation, said that the former professional athlete has not changed despite marrying into the royal family.
Hampson said that Mike is still the same even as the media spotlight around him heightened because of his wife, who is the first granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth. Instead of taking advantage of his fame for his own benefit, Mike apparently uses his profile to further causes that Zara also supports.
Roly Owers told People, on the other hand, that Zara is such a driven person, especially when it comes to horses. Princess Anne's daughter inherited this love and passion for the animals from her mother and grandmother.
Zara and Mike are content on being out of the royal spotlight and it is thanks in part to Zara's mother who chose a more normal life for her children. The couple is raising their daughters, Mia, 6, and Lena, 2, in the same manner. The family stays in a large farmhouse at Gatcombe Park, Princess Anne's private estate.
According to reports, Prince William loved hanging out at Zara's childhood home when they were children because of the "controlled-chaos vibe" compared to the formalities of living in palaces. When they got older, it was Prince William and his brother, Prince Harry, who prodded Zara to be friendly with Mike when they spotted him during a trip to Australia.
While in Sydney for the 2003 Rugby World Cup, William and Harry apparently noticed Zara sizing up Mike, who played for England's national team. From there, Zara and Mike started hanging out especially when they all got back to England.
Mike said in one interview that William and Harry used to come around during practice sessions to boost the England team. So, he knew the royal brothers before he started dating their older cousin.
He proposed to Zara in 2010 during a basic and quiet afternoon at the former townhouse they shared in Cheltenham. The former Rugby star joked that he was pressured to propose because his cousin had proposed and then the Duke of Cambridge also got engaged. Zara and Mike's wedding wasn't a live event unlike William or Harry's but Buckingham Palace released photos.
