and have been happily married for 13 years, but their public displays of affection show they're still as smitten as ever. Despite not being working royals, Princess Anne's daughter frequently grabs headlines, whether it's her passion for horse racing, her impeccable fashion sense, or her relationship with her 46-year-old husband. However, the story of how the couple first met in Australia during the 2003 World Cup, where Mike was competing as an England rugby player, is less well-known.
The pair were introduced by a mutual friend named Austin, who Zara had previously encountered at her favourite local pub. Recounting the tale on the House of Rugby podcast five years ago, Mike revealed that he was initially grumpy and didn't converse much with Zara when they first met in a pub. However, his friend Austin later gave him Zara's number, claiming she wanted to know where everyone was heading after the World Cup Final.
When Mike shared this information, Zara, 43, humorously retorted: "Which I never said, by the way". After the final, a group including Mike and Zara went out to a bar, but it wasn't until they returned to the UK that they began exchanging playful texts, leading to meet-ups and the blossoming of a friendship. They officially became a couple in 2004, got engaged in 2010, and tied the knot a year later, reports the .
The couple, who are parents to three children — Mia, 10, Lena, six, and three-year-old Lucas — reside on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate. Reports .
