aaZara Royal exclusive SlugRoyal here 10 A perfect A perfect The Australian Women’s Weekly Zara andMike Tindall’s arealready daughters horseriding and now theroyaland now family’s couple mostdown-to-earth W depends howfar awayitis, butyes, they’vebeentoafew thisyear. Italsodepends the girlscome with her? “Mia isatschool soshecanonlycomeonweekends andit I’m wonderinghowthe ‘business asusual’planpannedout. as thelatestadditionto Tindall clan. domestic order. Foritwasjust18monthsagothatMia’s sister, Lena, arrived energetic outdoorlife, there’s definitelyawarm glowofslightlyfrazzled is oneofmanyfamilydogsrunninginandout. Buthangingintheairaroundthis four whitesocks)–areexercisinginthestableyardsand one-year-old boxerBlink still laughing, jokingandsparkingoffeachotherlikecomfortableromantics. Zara andhusbandMikebothhaveafullscheduleofwork commitmentsandthey’re of Britain’s greenandpleasantCotswolds, andonthefaceofitnotmuchhaschanged. what shedidwithhermumPrincess Anne, Zaraadded. explaining thateventingkidsjusthavetofitinwiththeir parents. After all, that’s is bringing them Down Underis bringingthemDown barbiesand forsurf, Zara breaksintoabroadsmile. “I’m stilleventing,” shesays, laughing. And do So, asIsettledowntochatZara andMikeabouttheirnewworldofparenting, Outside, threeofZara’s horses–Cracker, ShowtimeandSocks(namedforhis That wasfiveyearsagoandnowIambackinher Aston Farmhome, intheheart a sizzling match, polo they tell Juliet Rieden. match |

JANUARY 2020 her horsetruck. “We’ll justcarry onasnormal,” shetoldme, involved hertravellingalloverBritainandoverseas, sleepingin decidedly unsocialscheduleofcompetitivehorseriding, which we talkedabouthowshewouldfitmotherhoodaroundher hen Zara Tindall waspregnantwithherfirstdaughter, Mia, PHOTOGRAPHY & Mike by HUGO BURNAND →

PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE

PICTURE CREDITS TO GO HERE PLEASE

JANUARY 2020 | The Australian Women’s Weekly worn high-heeledboots on happy to give it agofor Zara admits she’s never grounds of her homein a horse before but was our fantasy shoot with England’s Cotswolds. husband Mike inthe Slug here

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on how many horses we’ve got with Family is central to the “But no matter how prepared you us. I think Mia just likes the camping Tindalls’ life. Zara and get physically for giving birth, your – it’s probably more like glamping – Mike’s daughters, Mia body is never quite the same. For me in a truck. I don’t think she bothers and Lena, share a close trying to get my body physically bond with cousins Isla about watching me too much.” and Savannah (left). strong enough to do the right job But while Zara is determined to stay Meanwhile, Zara has on the horse, getting it back to where very much in the saddle, she concedes remained close to her I was before the pregnancy takes a lot it’s not quite been as easy as chucking cousins, including Prince of work. I go to the gym, ride the bike, the children in with the horses and Harry (below, with Mike). run a bit and swim if I can. I’ve been driving off into the – more often than competing since this time last year not, rain-soaked – great outdoors. so I’m just getting back into it.” And whether she brings her girls with Zara would love to compete in her to competitions or leaves them at another Olympics – she won a silver their home (which is down the road medal at the 2012 London Olympic from her mum’s residence in Gatcombe Games – but says it’s not just about Park) involves a lot of variables. “The her own readiness, it’s about having logistics are much greater. You can’t the right horse. “I’ve got a horse just drop everything anymore. I do [Class Affair], he’s a nice horse for the have to plan my season around the future; whether he’s going to be quite kids and what they’re up to. ready to go to the next Olympics “They’re very much part of our lives I’m not sure – physically, mentally, and what we do anyway. But I have to experience-wise, he might not be work out how to fit everything in. You quite ready for that.” look back and realise how much time In her sport, Zara notes, women you used to have before you had kids “Mia is a compete into their fifties so she’s not and then wonder, what was I doing panicking yet. “Luckily in it with it? We make sure we’re looking Mike had to lift fantastic depends on the horse. If you’ve got a after the kids properly and then our Zara up onto the good horse and the combination works, towering bales for jobs come alongside. It’s about putting bundle of then you can go on a lot longer.” everything into place,” she explains. this fun, flirty shot But like all mums, Zara can be prey Fortunately, so far Mia and Lena in the hay barn. to bouts of mother guilt, even though are loving their mother’s horsey life. energy.” they have staff to help take the strain. “They both ride,” says Zara, looking As for the mythical “special bond” “If I’m away and Mike’s here I don’t rather pleased. “Lena is in a little traditions that you learn with treating girls. Plus we have lots of girls on between a father and his daughters, feel as guilty, whereas if we’re both basket on the saddle, purely an animal – looking after your stuff, the yard working with Zara … at Mike says, “Yes, it’s true. I do think away then I feel much more guilty.” a passenger. But we just bought looking after the animals and learning least I’ve got Pete, my brother-in-law. that girls look to their dads to be Mia is a real livewire and already Mia a new pony called Magic.” good balance, all those skills you learn And Andy, who works on the farm able to get away with things.” at school. “She goes to the local village “Should be called Magic Millions, – but I think Mia will probably want as well,” he jokes. At 38, Zara knows she needs to school in , which she right?” jokes Mike, name checking the to do her own thing anyway.” Before Mia and Lena came along, literally get back on the horse if she’s loves. She’s a very active child. Australian race carnival Zara has been Mike confesses he did think he might to stay on top of her career, and She does gymnastics and a lot of the ambassador of since 2012 (which Proud dad like a son, but now he wouldn’t have she and Mike, 41, work as a team swimming, tennis, skiing, surfing.” we’ll come to later). Mike, who no longer plays rugby it any other way. looking after the girls. For Zara, the Sound familiar? I ask Mike if he thinks Mia is a chip – he retired from the professional “I was so happy with how Mia was most urgent concern was getting I ask both parents – separately – if off her mother’s equestrian block. game in July 2014 – but is still heavily as a girl that I wasn’t really bothered for us because we’re carrying the herself back into competition shape now that girls can play rugby they’d “She can be,” he muses. “She’s going involved in the sport, is relishing the either way and when Lena was child, but for guys it’s kind of that following Lena’s birth. be happy if Mia and later Lena through that period where she thinks new pace of family life. coming along I wasn’t bothered at all helpless feeling, which must be “I think it was easier the second wanted to take up their father’s sport. she knows what to do so we have “I think it’s superb. Mia is a [about] what we got. I was just happy incredibly high and horrible for time around to figure out what you “I have no issues with it,” says Mike someone teaching her. Her cousins, fantastic bundle of energy and that to be having another child,” he says. them. At the end of the day they’ve needed to do, how long your body immediately. “If I was completely Savannah and Isla, and [their father] challenges you as well and keeps it Zara suffered two miscarriages in still lost a child too.” takes to get itself back into semi- honest, I would really like Mia to go Zara’s brother, , all ride interesting. Lena is just starting to find between Mia and Lena, and talked Mike has thrown himself into physical working shape,” she explains. for tag rugby because I think it’s as well and they go riding together.” her feet, but we’ve enjoyed every candidly in a UK TV interview about fatherhood and I sense the Tindall “The second time your body goes, fantastic for body awareness, athletic Zara is thrilled their girls are minute of it. You hope that’s what kids the couple’s heartache through both. parenting is pretty much 50/50. Does ‘oh yes, okay, I’ve done that before’. ability and just a general all-round enjoying hanging out with the horses, do to you and it’s been great.” “I think the hardest thing in our he change nappies? It almost has a motor program, hand-eye co-ordination. but she also wants to make sure they The 1.87m burly Yorkshireman has situation was that everyone knew,” “Oh yes. I definitely do that. I think whereas when you return [after “Would I really want her to play find their own paths. “I love that they now found himself in a house full of she said. “Normally it’s just your you’ve got to now. That’s part of the pregnancy] the first time around contact? Probably not, just because have the opportunity of working with women and he couldn’t be happier. family and friends.” She said Mike had enjoyment anyway, doing the full I think the body goes into shock of my experiences of how hard it is.

animals, being outside, all the “Three female dogs [and] my three been “incredible … It’s very different IMAGES. GETTY BRETON/SHUTTERSTOCK. CHAS PRESTON. KAREN BY STYLING RISTEVSKI. ALISIA BY MAKE-UP AND HAIR BOOTS. AND BELT WILLIAMS R.M. CHINOS, LAUREN RALPH SHIRT, WILLIAMS R.M. WEARS MIKE BOOTS. BECKHAM VICTORIA AND DRESS JOSEPH WEARS ZARA OVERLEAF: DRESS. LAUREN RALPH WEARS ZARA OPPOSITE: JEANS. BODEN AND JUMPER SPENCER & MARKS WEARS MIKE SKIRT. COMPANY WHITE THE AND OUTNET THE @ JUMPER INK & IRIS WEARS ZARA PAGE: THIS thing,” he says proudly. and says, ‘I haven’t done this before’. The girls’ side is not quite up to the →

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men’s side in terms of what you can you want to and I like that. And now do as a professional but if she wants we’ve got the polo as well,” he says. to play I’m never going to stop her. Bringing polo to the Gold Coast in If she finds a love for it and wants to the heart of summer may sound like go on, then so be it.” madness and it does get very sticky, Zara, however, is not as thrilled but since the first match in 2017 it’s with the idea. “No, no,” she says, become a showstopper with a shaking her head. “I’ve had a husband distinctly Aussie edge. playing rugby and I’m not sure “I love polo, it’s a great game to play I would want my daughter playing. … a little bit hard on the Gold Coast They say the game is like being in two because it’s so hot, but it’s good fun car crashes a week. They just run into and since Nacho Figueras [the each other. I don’t think I would be Argentinian polo heart-throb] came on able to watch my daughters do that. “Australians board it’s been even better. He really is I guess you want your children to a great global polo player and makes experience anything but at the end are laidback such an event of it. of the day they’re going to do what “This year we have also got they want to do anyway.” and they have [acclaimed British jockey] Frankie Mike’s answer? “I keep giving her Dettori,” says Zara a golf club. ‘Why don’t you play Zara plays and in the commentary golf?’, I say. And then I can go and good banter.” box is Mike. “I try not to stand next play golf with her,” he grins. are so laidback and they to Nacho for too long, it makes me have good banter. No one’s worried feel bad about myself,” he jokes. Fun in Australia about talking to each other. It’s not “I get to commentate on it with One thing the Tindall girls will a rushed lifestyle. I think it’s a great [Seven Sport’s] Hamish McClachlan definitely be experiencing – and soon place and we enjoy it so much.” and we see how many one-liners we – is sun, surf and swimming in Zara adds, “Mia loves swimming. can throw out. Obviously I support Australia. Since Katie Page-Harvey, Of course, the climate allows you to my wife’s team and try to put the Magic Millions co-owner and chief be able to go swimming all day every opposition under pressure.” executive of Harvey Norman, signed day. When we first took her to Does Mike think he’ll ever join Zara to be the inaugural Magic Australia she was 11 months old; we Zara on the polo field? Millions Racing Women Ambassador kickstarted her love of water.” As the daughter of accomplished “I’ve said for three years I’ve got to equestrian Princess Anne, Zara was in 2012, she and Mike have been Mike explains, “She swims twice learn to play polo and I’ve yet to fulfil destined for competitive riding. That regular visitors to the Gold Coast and a week at home with lessons. If she’s passion has taken her around the world that dream. Riding would be my main Australia. The Aussie vibe suits this anywhere near a pool she’d be in there (above left, at the 2019 Magic Millions). issue. I think I’d be all right at hitting very unroyal, laidback couple perfectly all day. And that came from Australia balls. I’d be good at walking polo. It’s and they tell me that they now see when we went for six weeks when she up with and Mia is already well versed Katie’s original idea. There are way that the bonus has been won is the horsemanship I’d struggle with. Australia as their second home and was three and stayed at a place that had in the top tourist attractions. “In more female jockeys now, there’s fantastic,” says Zara. “Zara is so busy at the moment – can’t wait for their annual January a pool. It was all she wanted to do.” Sydney with Mia, I have done the more females in the sport, so I think When was a lad she hasn’t had time to coach me – and jaunt Down Under. And this year, for This time Mike says he wants to Bridge Run and we visited the Zoo. globally we wanted it to happen growing up in Otley, in England’s I don’t really have a horse to do it with, the first time, they are bringing both introduce Mia to surfing. “She hasn’t Then on the Gold Coast we went to in every sphere of racing, which north, he says the closest he got so it keeps being pushed back. But at daughters with them. done that much in the ocean but she Sea World and Movie World last year. I think we’ve managed,” she says. to horseracing was working on some point I will vow to learn and “Lena’s been flying a couple of times had a few surf lessons down in Devon “We’ve now also made lots of new The Carnival and Raceday has the fish and chip vans at York or spend the year getting ready for it.” but nothing long. I think Greece is [on England’s southwest coast] this friends in the Magic Millions family. developed into a first-class Chester races. Jump forward a couple As they both talk it’s clear Australia probably the furthest she’s been, but year, so it will be quite good to try and So I get to renew my golf rivalry thoroughbred event, now in the of decades and Mike is now a has become a really happy place for the Mia loves flying. She always has,” says get her out on a board in Australia.” with Gerry [Harvey] every year world’s top 10 richest race meets. The regular in the royal box at Ascot, Tindalls so I have to ask: Would they Mike. “She’ll be very overexcited,” Will Dad be joining her? Mike – always good fun,” says Mike. ‘Racing Women’ initiative, of which et al. So how does consider moving Down Under? adds Zara. “Lena is a little bit smaller laughs. “I basically make the board Zara is patron, champions the Magic Millions compare? “Probably not while I’m still so that will be just trying to keep her sink when I try to stand up on it. Gold Coast magic participation of women in the sport “Royal Ascot is fantastic but it’s competing. It would be a little bit hard in one place for long enough.” It literally has to be the size of Zara is rightly chuffed that the Magic with an enticing prize money bonus more dressing up in formal gear. Then commuting. But after that … yes, “Early January is bleak over here so a Cadillac for me. I quite enjoy it Millions has become such a beacon of $500,000 distributed between the you’ve got Cheltenham which is I think if an opportunity came up it’s nice to go and have a bit of sun. though. We tried last year and for women in her industry. first four all-female owned or leased somewhere in between but it’s not we’d definitely think about it.”AWW I love the lifestyle of Australia and the I’m sure we’ll have a go again. “I think we’re challenging the horses, on top of the prize money. really warm, you’re in your coats; ability to get up early, go on the beach I know that Mia will want to go out stigma of racing being a male- “Every year’s been more of a success whereas this is just pure summer fun. The Magic Millions Carnival runs – especially for the kids, taking them so we’ll definitely have another go.” dominated sport. There were a lot than the year before. The amount of People are far more relaxed. No one’s from January 5-11, starting with polo in the ocean is brilliant,” says Mike. The family has an established group of male-owned horses and to be able women who are now involved with worrying about what people are at The Spit at 11.30am on January 5.

“I just think the people over in of mates in Australia who they catch to get more females involved was VICTORIA SHIRT, THEOUTNET @ JOSEPH WEARS ZARA IMAGES. GETTY SHOES. CHOO JIMMY AND TROUSERS OUTNET @THE BECKHAM racehorses and the number of times thinking. You’re free to dress however For tickets visit magicmillions.com.au.

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