Entertainment
How did Mike and Zara Tindall meet and when did they get married?-Olivia Stringer-Entertainment – Metro
The royal couple have been married for over 10 years.
Caption: Mike Tindall will ‘mind what he says’ about the Royals in I’m A Celebrity
Credit : ITV/REX/Getty
Mike Tindall has made history by becoming the first member of the royal family to appear on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here.
The former rugby union player joined the likes of popstar Boy George and former footballer Jill Scott in the 2022 lineup, and has already won over the nation with his rapping skills.
Despite his sporting prowess, most people know Mike as the husband of Zara Tindall, the late Queen’s granddaughter and an Olympic silver medalist.
But how did the two meet – and when did they get married?
Here’s everything you need to know.
How did Mike and Zara meet?
On Monday night, Mike opened up to his fellow I’m A Celebrity campmates about his first meeting with Zara.
Mike and Zara Tindall met in Sydney in 2003 (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)
The royal told comedian Babatúndé Aléshé and soap actor Owen Warner that he first met his now wife in Sydney in 2003.
Mike said: ‘I was at the World Cup, she was out watching. I got dropped from the semi-final.
‘I was [expletive] off and so I went for a beer with another guy who got dropped and a guy who was over [in Sydney].
‘They’d met her before and they introduced us and then got chatting from there.’
Owen chimed in: ‘So if you never got dropped you never would have met her?’ to which Mike shot back: ‘Best decision of Clive Woodward’s life.’
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The rugby player then went on to discuss his first date with equestrian star Zara.
He said: ‘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.’
When did Mike and Zara get married?
Mike and Zara got married in Edinburgh in 201. Photographer: DYLAN MARTINEZ / POOL / AFP)
Mike and Zara got married at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh in July 2011 – just three months after Zara’s cousin, Prince William, tied the knot with Kate Middleton.
The wedding was attended by a whole host of royals, including the late queen, Charles and Camilla, Prince Harry, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and wife Sophie Rhys-Jones, Lady Sarah, Chatto, and the bride’s mother, Princess Anne.
Also among the guests were the England rugby stars Iain Balshaw, James Simpson-Daniel, Jonny Wilkinson, Ben Foden and their manager Martin Johnson.
Zara’s maid of honour was horse trainer Dolly Maude – the bridesmaids were Stephanie Phillips, Nell Maude, Jaz Jocelyn, and Hope Balshaw.
The newlywed Tindalls then had their reception at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official Scottish residence of the monarch.
Scotland was reportedly chosen as the location for the wedding due to Zara’s close ties with the nation and fond memories of time spent with the late queen at Balmoral.
Mike previously opened up about his proposal to Zara, which took place in 2009.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘I was upstairs, plucking up the nerve to do it, while Zara was downstairs watching television.
‘It was all about shock value—I wanted to catch her when it was quiet, and she wasn’t expecting anything.’
How did Mike and Zara’s families react to the wedding?
Mike’s father, Philip, told the Times in 2021, that the rugby players’ grandmother was concerned about Mike and Zara’s nuptials, as she was afraid her grandson would be shunned.
Philip told the paper: ‘Linda’s mum [Mike’s grandmother] was dead against it. In her day, royalty married royalty and she thought the wedding would be shunned.
‘But right from the start the whole family was just lovely.’
Mike described Princess Anne as ‘a legend’ (Picture: DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty)
However, Mike has had only positive things to say about his wife’s family’s reaction to their relationship.
He previously said: ‘I can only say how kind they’ve been to me, and how welcoming they’ve been to me since joining the family. And how they’ve made my family welcome.’
Discussing how well he gets on with Zara’s parents, he added: ‘Zara’s mum is a legend and her father is lovely too.
‘My mates in Wakefield are forever asking how I fit in among the royal family, but they are really down to earth.’
Do Mike and Zara Tindall have any children?
Mike Tindall with his children Mia (left), Lena Elizabeth (right) and Lucas at the Barefoot Retreats Burnham Market International Horse Trials in Norfolk where Zara Tindall competed. (Picture: Giddens/PA Wire Photographer)
Yes, the couple now share three children, Mia, 8, Lena, 4, and Lucas, one.
Mike recently admitted that he believes he may struggle with being on I’m A Celebrity, as he will be unable to communicate with his beloved wife and children.
He said: ‘The family I will miss the most of course. This will probably be the longest time I have been away and then not having communication, that will be the hardest bit.
‘But also you get your head around what you are doing and try to win some stars. I want to win stars because I want to eat.’
I’m A Celebrity 2022 continues tonight on ITV at 9pm.
MORE : I’m A Celebrity: What is Mike Tindall’s relationship with the Royal Family?
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