He bought me a £12k horse when he was drunk.. it won Welsh Grand National, annoyingly

Celebrating her 44th birthday today, Zara Tindall has looked back at the lighter side of a life of royalty, riding and her relationship with rugby union star husband Mike Tindall.

- MARC BAKER

The couple met when he was playing for England in Australia at the 2003 World Cup, when initially she found him "a bit boring". However, she later realised she had backed a winner.

Recalling how he inadvertently bought her a £12,000 gift on a boozy night out, she said: "We went to Cheltenham, it was sales night. Horses were coming in and you bid on them. He had a few beers.

"Most people when they buy a horse check out what it has done.

"It was the last lot of the night and Mikey put his hand up and that was it. He was left buying this horse.

"Annoyingly it did not backfire. The horse ended up winning the Welsh Grand National and it was third in the Grand National. It was so annoying"

Sharing laughter has been a big part of Zara and Mike's relationship.

Speaking at a £210-a-head charity dinner organised by The Sporting Club in London, the daughter of Anne, The Princess Royal, and Captain Mark Phillips, insisted that the royals function "like any other family" and that things do not always go to plan.

Confessing to a wardrobe malfunction when she joined Queen Elizabeth's other grandchildren for a vigil beside her coffin at Westminster Hall, she said: "Did you see my shoe fell off?

"We were walking out, up the steps and I had tights on and my shoes were a little bit big. We were all walking up and my shoe came off. William was in front and my brother was beside me.

"I went up the next step and I was like 'Shall I pick it up... or leave Harry to pick it up? I picked it up quick and I walked in. William came around the corner and said, 'What are you doing?' I was like, 'I have lost my shoe!"

Zara also missed out on seeing her uncle King Charles being crowned, because of her seat at Westminster Abbey in May 2023.