Marrying into the Royal Family is notoriously difficult, as the events of history both recent and less so have shown. However, Mike Tindall has fared well in the family. An expert claims this is because he is an “alpha sportsman”.

“Unlike other non-royal royal partners who entered the royal family at the very lowest status level, Mike might just have quietly leap-frogged to the top of the ‘authentic status’ leader board thanks to his genuine achievements in the sporting world.

“Sporting heroes tend to exude powerful levels of charisma and this might have helped Mike cope with some of the difficult and more challenging members of the family he married into.”

Mark and Zara live at Gatcombe Park, where Princess Anne lives with her second husband Timothy Laurence.

They have two children, Mia Grace, six, and Lena Elizabeth, two.

His grandmother was “dead against it.” Mike Tindall’s father told The Sunday Times: “Linda’s mum was dead against it.

“In her day, royalty married royalty and she thought the wedding would be shunned.”

Sadly, Mike’s grandmother did not live to see the wedding.

Philip said of Zara: “I know she’d have loved her as much as we do because she and Mike are perfect for each other.”