Zara Tindall has always been close to her cousin Prince William, with the pair spending much of their childhood together, but he could still manage to surprise her. The two cousins, born just 13 months apart, have continued to be good friends throughout adulthood and have formed a tight-knit group with their respective partners, Princess Catherine and Mike Tindall.
As the royal family grapples with the news of Princess Catherine’s cancer diagnosis, all eyes turned to Zara and Mike Tindall, often regarded as the glue that holds the family together. The two couples have three children around a similar age, and Zara is even Prince George’s godmother.
During the Princess’s treatment, close friends of the Prince and Princess of Wales gave an insight into who the mother of three will turn to for support. Known for their unwavering loyalty and steadfast support, the Tindalls are poised to rally around Princess Catherine at this challenging time, offering comfort, strength, and a shoulder for the Waleses to lean on.
They live on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, around an hour and a half drive away from Adelaide Cottage, the home of William and Catherine. The friendship between the two families is something inherited by their six children, who frequently enjoy playdates together.
Mike has been known to pull silly faces to make the children laugh at official engagements, providing an air of normality to the Wales children’s lives. While some family members can be very royal, Mike is just himself and is relaxed and playful with George, Charlotte, and Louis.
At a 2023 podcast of rugby star Mike, it was then that the prince made a surprising confession about Zara. William sweetly admitted to crying when he watched Zara win the European Championship on her beloved horse Toy Town in 2005. “I was down in Exmoor at the time camping,” he said. “We were all huddling around the phone watching it. She was there, she was bubbling away, and the flag was going up. I was in pieces.”
His wife Catherine then added, “I could remember because you came back and said I’ve never been so proud of anyone.” Though Zara is not a working royal and has experienced less media attention than William, the pair are very protective of each other. For William in particular, trust is everything, so when you’ve got a cousin that understands what it is to be a member of the royal family but doesn’t have the same pressure associated with it, they can be a tower of strength and support.
It’s Zara’s loyalty and total dedication to her family that’s made her such an asset to the cousins who have to endure the negative side of royal life. Alongside Mike, three months later, Zara admitted, “I’ve never heard him say that before. I was very surprised. All of my cousins came and watched on the final day. Everyone’s usually so busy it’s hard to come and watch, so I was amazed to have everyone there. It made it even more special than it already was. They were all very supportive and proud. It was great.”
As the Royals arrived for the traditional Christmas Day service last year, little Louis was seen beaming as he held hands with his second cousin Mia Tindall, while Mike affectionately ruffled Prince George’s hair. After the service, Princess Charlotte and her cousin Mia Tindall walked beside each other on the Sandringham estate, giggling and smiling. They were also spotted giggling away together just as they did at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee concert.
The eldest daughter of Zara and Mike was also snapped waving excitedly at Prince George and Princess Charlotte during the Thanksgiving service for Prince Philip in 2022. The royal family is under intense scrutiny, exacerbated by Prince Harry’s recent visit to the UK. The media frenzy surrounding the visit has added to the strain on the already burdened Prince and Princess of Wales. For the past five months, their close bond with the Princess of Wales and their shared experiences as members of the royal family positioned them as invaluable sources of comfort and strength during this difficult period.
