Princess Anne made a conscious decision not to give royal titles to her children, so Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall’s spouses also have the freedom of being able to live a more normal lifestyle. Phillips married NHS nurse Harriet Sperling in June, while Zara married England rugby player Mike Tindall in 2011. The sports star might not be your typical royal, but former royal butler Grant Harrold says Mike has “done some extraordinary things” during his time in the family.
“Mike is very grounded. That's what I like about him,” Harrold says. “He’s got a great relationship with everyone, obviously Princess Anne and The King. He’s just Mike. I think they like the fact that he's a bit different.”
Princess Anne’s son-in-law is a co-host of the popular podcast “The Good, The Bad & The Rugby,” and has also starred on the reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! Harrold says that his appearances have influenced a new generation to become interested in the royals.
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Harrold says that Mike has “done some extraordinary things on reality shows to basically promote the royal family to get a younger audience into it.” He adds that Zara’s husband “also brings a whole new fan base to the royal family,” making him “a huge asset” to the monarchy.
Even though a professional rugby player might not seem like “the typical boyfriend material that Zara might have brought home before,” Harrold points out that Princess Anne is familiar with Mike's world. The Princess Royal has served as the patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since 1986, and Harrold says Mike "is probably someone that she is very used to being around.”
“I think maybe Anne is reminded of Prince Philip and she’s seeing a little of his attitude and behavior in Mike,” the former butler says. “He is who he is.”