Cute And Rare Moments Of PDA Shared Between Zara And Mike Tindall
Royal couples are not usually known for being affectionate when out and about, but Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall have refused to follow that standard. Princess Anne's daughter and her rugby player husband have proudly displayed their love for one another in public since they initially met in 2003. From their sweet engagement in 2010 to even more recent bottom grabbing by Mike while out at a horse racing event in 2024 (13 years into their marriage!), the busy parents of three children still behave like newlyweds even today.
With most royal pairs often shying away from getting too close, many people have assumed that public displays of affection are not allowed. But Myka Meier, a royal etiquette expert, once explained to People magazine when speaking of William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, "There is no actual etiquette or royal protocol that says the couple must refrain from PDA." That's very fortunate for Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall's relationship, as these lovebirds show no signs of curbing their public embraces any time soon. Here are some of their most notable public displays of affection.
The royal couple's engagement photos were quite cozy
Even a quick glance at Zara Tindall (then Phillips) and Mike Tindall's official engagement photos shows that they are not like other royal couples. While Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, took their photos in the State Apartments of St. James Palace, both dressed to the nines. On the contrary, Zara and her future husband, rugby player Mike, opted for a much more casual look. Their photos were taken outside, with both bundled up in casual outerwear; Zara sported a newsboy cap with her hair pulled back. Despite the low-key dress code, the couple's love is anything but understated.
Although he and Zara don't follow their typical PDA guidelines, Mike Tindall has said lovely things about the royal family. Following their engagement, he said that he felt right at home with his future wife's kin. As he told "Good Morning Britain" at the time (via Hello! magazine), "The best thing about the royal family is that they are so lovely and they'll spot the people who are looking a little bit nervous and go straight over and take away all of that tension straight out of the room, and that's what they are amazing at. Then suddenly you're in the family and they welcome you with welcome arms."
PDA on full display at Zara and Mike Tindall's wedding
Eight years after Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall went on a low-key first date, they tied the knot. The laid-back couple opted to wed at Canongate Kirk on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, a much more subdued location compared to, say, Westminster Abbey or St. George's Chapel. The fact that the Scotland-based nuptials weren't held at a venue typically used by royals wasn't the only difference between Zara's ceremony and her cousin Prince William's, which took place just three months prior. Zara and Mike's royal wedding included plenty of PDA — like this kiss outside the church directly following their ceremony. They left with their arms linked, both beaming.
The love fest continued at the couple's wedding reception, which took place at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, which was the official Scottish residence of Zara's grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. And despite there being a massive crowd that turned out to celebrate the new royal union, only 300 guests were in attendance, just a fraction of the amount of the whopping 1,900 attendees at her cousin William's wedding earlier that year.
Before the big day, Zara chatted with Hello! (via People) about what royal pundits could expect from her ceremony. "My wedding will be nothing like Kate and William's," she said. "It will be a lot smaller, just close family and friends."
They playfully wrestled at a 2011 charity polo match
Just a month before Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall tied the knot, they were seen looking extra cozy in the grass at a charity polo match. The engaged couple were seen embracing and all over one another while they cheered on Zara's cousin Prince Harry, who was competing in the match. They kissed, hugged, and wrestled. At one point, Zara even attempted to lift her rugby player beau off the ground, showing off the playful nature of their relationship. Prince Harry eventually got in on the fun, as he and Mike were seen wrestling in the grass as well.
Mike's shared a number of surprising things about the royal family over the years, including some tidbits about his history of roughhousing with Harry. When Mike appeared on BBC's A Question of Sport Live event at the London Palladium in 2021, he revealed that he and his teammate Iain Balshaw once tried to punch Zara's cousin to see what the royal security team would do. They got their answer rather quickly: Mike and Balshaw were subsequently pinned down in mere seconds.
Zara Tindall planted neck kisses at the 2011 Festival of British Eventing
Normal newlyweds are often seen canoodling, and Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall were no exception to that rule. While attending the Festival of British Eventing in August 2011, the newly married duo were spotted being super affectionate, with Zara kissing Mike's neck, while taking in the event at Gatcombe Park. Prior to this PDA fest, equestrian Zara actually competed in the annual festival, which also served as her horse Toytown's final appearance. She was seen crying over the sentimental occasion, as she'd previously won multiple medals and awards riding the horse, whom she called, "the horse of a lifetime."
The Festival of British Eventing took place just one week after their wedding, and clearly, they were still very much in the "honeymoon phase" — even though they chose to skip out on their honeymoon. After the nuptials, Zara chatted with Hello! magazine about the day's highlights. As far as she was concerned, the people made the event. "To have all your friends there in one place, for both of us, was the best part of the wedding," she said.
They were spotted kissing at the 2012 Royal Ascot
Just a year after their wedding, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall were spotted smooching once more while out in public. This time at the Royal Ascot, an annual event attended by many members of the royal family, which takes place every June at the Ascot Racecourse located in Berkshire, England. Known to be a glamorous social event year after year, on this occasion Zara rocked a plum colored coat and matching fascinator; Mike donned a smart navy blue suit. The dressed up duo couldn't keep their hands off of each other, as they still basked in the newlywed phase just ten months after their wedding.
A year and a half later the couple would welcome their first child, a daughter named Mia Tindall. Zara famously gave birth at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in January 2014, only to be discharged and reportedly enjoying a cup of tea at her home just six hours later. For his part, Mike took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the good news. "Thanks so much for all your kind messages," he wrote. "Definitely the best day of my life today. so happy.! The girls are both doing great!"
Zara Tindall leaned down for a kiss during a 2013 polo match
Charity polo matches are not just for the royal men. Though Zara Tindall was often seen cheering on her royal cousins, Prince William and Prince Harry, at various polo matches over the years, she herself competed in one back in July 2013. Zara competed in the Rundle Cup at Tidworth Polo Club in Tidworth, England that year, and it comes as no surprise that her devoted husband, Mike Tindall, was on hand to cheer her on during the match. She's seen here taking a break from the action to come snag a kiss from Mike, who was seated in the grass watching his wife compete.
Princess Anne's daughter is no stranger to competing on horseback, as the royal kicked off her equestrian career after graduating from the University of Exeter. Zara Tindall would go on to transform into a talented equestrian, winning gold medals at the 2005 European Championships, a gold and silver medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games, and even a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Zara and Mike Tindall cuddled at a golf event in 2015
Four years of marriage and one kid later, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall showed no signs of slowing down their public displays of affection for each other. Seen here at the 2015 ISPS Handa Celebrity Golf Classic, the happy couple were pictured holding one another and smiling on the course. Elsewhere at the event, the couple could be seen cuddling and laughing together, where Mike competed in a red polo and some brightly colored patterned pants.
The happy couple and proud parents to daughter Mia Tindall would later welcome another daughter to the family, but not right away. The Olympian told the Financial Times (via Hello!) that she was waiting to start trying for baby number two until after the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. "I won't be able to have any more children between now and then," she said. Princess Anne's daughter also opened up about the challenges of pregnancy and childbirth. "What surprised me about having a baby is losing all your fitness and how tough it is to get it back," she said.
They stayed close at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding
In May 2018, just a month before Zara Tindall would give birth to her second child, there was a very glamorous event to attend — Zara's cousin Prince Harry's wedding to American actor Meghan Markle. The highly publicized event was watched around the world by a whopping 1.9 billion people. Zara and Mike Tindall were not only in attendance — arriving hand-in-hand and staying close throughout the ceremony — but they reportedly partied the night away. Mike was spotted in the trailer for Prince Harry and Meghan's Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," dancing away in the background during the evening festivities that night.
Though there have been rumors about a supposed feud between Meghan and Zara, Mike spoke highly of the newly minted royal prior to the couple's union. When the rugby star chatted with Sunday People in 2017 (via Elle), he seemed confident that Meghan would be able to find her footing in the royal family. "She has been under enough scrutiny and pressure in her day-to-day life so I'm sure she will get through it. She will be fine," he said. "As long as they are both happy that's all you can ask for."
Some cheeky grabs were shared at the Festival of British Eventing in 2018
At the July 2018 Festival of British Eventing, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall simply couldn't keep their hands off of each other... or each other's derrieres. The royal couple were all over one another at the annual event, holding hands, kissing, and squeezing each other's bottoms right in front of other festival goers. The behavior certainly turned heads, considering other royal couples like Zara's cousin Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle faced criticism for much more subdued PDA.
The loved up display came less than two months after Zara and Mike had welcomed their second child together, daughter Lena Tindall. Zara gave birth to Lena in June 2018, a year and a half after suffering a miscarriage in 2016. She spoke about the tragic event to The Sunday Times a month after welcoming Lena. "I think you need to go through a period where you don't talk about it because it's too raw," she said. "But, as with everything, time's a great healer."
Zara and Mike Tindall smooched at the 2019 Celebrity Golf Classic
Eight years of marriage and two kids didn't slow down Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall's PDA status. The couple are seen here stealing a kiss at the 2019 Celebrity Golf Classic, and it wasn't just one smooch. Throughout the day the couple were seen kissing and being affectionate, as Mike played a round of golf at the event at Belfry Golf and Resort Hotel in Sutton, West Midlands. The former rugby player sported a pair of wild trousers for the occasion, a newfound tradition for the athlete, this time rocking a pair of purple pants emblazoned with rainbow-horned unicorns.
The annual golf tournament, which drew celebrities like Boyzone member Ronan Keating and Westlife member Brian McFadden that year, is all done for a good cause — supporting The Cure Parkinson's Trust and the Matt Hampson Foundation. Fellow royal, Zara's sister-in-law Autumn Phillips, was also on hand for the festivities.
Zara and Mike Tindall looked loved up at Wimbledon in 2022
Thought of as the most prestigious grand slam tennis tournament of the year, Wimbledon takes place annually at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London starting in late June or early July. Due to its proximity to London, many royals have been known to sit in the stands year after year. But we would venture to bet that out of all the royal couples taking in tennis, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall have amassed the most public displays of affection while attending the event.
They are seen here in 2022, planting a kiss on one another during their day date at the tennis matches. The couple, who at this point were parents of three after welcoming son Lucas in March 2021, continued to smatter kisses upon one another while taking in the tennis. As regular attendees of Wimbledon, the royal couple interestingly opt to sit in regular seats as opposed to frequenting the Royal Box. The Tindalls have yet to publicly comment on this choice, but Hello! magazine speculated that the decision is likely due to the fact that Zara happens to be a Rolex brand ambassador, and they choose to sit in seats reserved for Rolex's invited guests.
They shared a kiss at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival
Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall are both athletes and known for their love of sports, so it's no surprise they enjoy attending the annual Cheltenham Festival. The four-day horse racing festival takes place in March at the Cheltenham racecourse, where Zara started serving as director in 2020. In 2024, the passionate parents of three kicked off day after day of horse racing with a big smooch in front of the cameras. The event requires a fancier dress code than the laid back Tindalls typically opt for, with Zara arriving at the races in a maroon fascinator and a navy blue plaid suit. For his part, Mike opted for a gray newsboy cap and brown plaid suit, a white dress shirt, and a tie that matched his wife's fascinator.
Hello! magazine asked body language expert Darren Stanton to weigh in on the Tindalls PDA at the event that year. Stanton recognized the couple's frequent public displays of affection, noting, "They are probably the most tactile and more visually affectionate than any other couple in the royal family." The expert added, "Zara and Mike have always had a great rapport. They're always together in terms of body language, they're tactile, often holding hands and kissing... It's apparent there's a deep love between them, which is completely reciprocal. What's true of their relationship is that they're always there to help and support each other."
Mike Tindall got cheeky at 2024 Royal Ascot
Blink and you missed this next PDA moment. On day three of Royal Ascot in June 2024, Mike Tindall was spotted palming wife Zara Tindall's behind while the couple posed for a photo. The stealthy grab could not be seen by the woman taking the royal couple's photo, but was caught by a professional photographer stationed behind the couple, making the move even cheekier. It appeared that Zara cosigned the flirty move, as she was seen grabbing her husband's hand behind their backs.
The sporty couple were dressed to the nines for the fancy annual festivities, with Zara opting for a gorgeous pale blue Rebecca Vallance dress that had fashion outlets such as InStyle likening the royal to Disney princess Cinderella. Mike opted for a gray suit — complete with tails! — and a top hat for the occasion, which takes place at the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire every June.