Prince William was left 'in pieces' during a Zara Tindall event, leaving her 'very surprised'.
The Royal cousins, who have been close since childhood, share a strong bond that has extended into their adult lives, often seen in the company of their spouses, Princess Kate and Mike Tindall.
In a heartwarming revelation on Mike Tindall's podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, in September 2023, Prince William confessed to being moved to tears by Zara's victory at the European Championship with her horse Toytown back in 2005. "I was down in Exmoor at the time camping," he recounted.
"We were all huddling around the phone watching it. She was there, she was blubbing away, the flag was going up. I was in pieces."
Princess Kate chimed in with her memory of the event reports the Mirror, saying: "I can remember because you came back and said I've never been so proud of anyone."
Zara, reflecting on the moment months later in an interview with Women's Weekly, expressed her surprise at William's emotional admission: "I've never heard him say that before. I was very surprised, but one of my absolute favourite occasions was riding at the Olympics and getting a team Silver.
"All of my cousins came and watched on the final day. Everyone's usually so busy, it's hard to come and watch, so it was amazing to have everyone there. It made it even more special than it already was. They were all very supportive and proud. It was great."
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The Tindalls and the Waleses share a close bond, which is evident in their children who often enjoy playdates together.
During last year's traditional Christmas Day service, young Louis was spotted grinning from ear to ear as he held hands with his second cousin Mia Tindall. Mike Tindall was seen affectionately ruffling Prince George's hair post-service, while Princess Charlotte and Mia shared a giggle - reminiscent of their antics at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert.
Despite Zara not being a working Royal and thus receiving less media scrutiny than William, they both fiercely guard each other.
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In the Channel 5 documentary, 'Zara and Anne: Like Mother Like Daughter', Victoria Arbiter noted: "For William in particular, trust is everything so when you've got a cousin that understands what it is to be a member of the Royal Family, but they don't have the same pressures associated with it, they can be a tower of strength and support.
"It's Zara's loyalty and total dedication to her family that has made her such an asset to the cousins who have had to endure the negative side of royal life."
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