As Zara Tindall turns 45, how down-to-earth royal is relied on by William who counts her in his ‘inner circle’ – and she also supported Eugenie amid pregnancy announcement

She has often been dubbed the Royal Family‘s secret weapon thanks to her down-to-earth nature and charm – and as Zara Tindall today turns 45, insiders believe she is poised to have a key role in the Firm’s future.

Often seen as the glue that holds the family together, Zara and her former rugby union player husband Mike Tindall are close with William, the heir to the throne, as well as sharing special bonds with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Indeed, Zara was one of the few who were entrusted with the recent news of Eugenie’s pregnancy and even persuaded her to write to the King prior to the public announcement.

And with a known passion for equestrian sports and her being a regular attendee at the likes of socialite-beloved Ascot and Cheltenham, it is perhaps no wonder that the daughter of Princess Anne could be in a strategic position for the Prince of Wales’ future slimmed-down monarchy.

‘Zara and Mike’s first loyalty is to the institution of monarchy and its future,’ Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail. ‘They are reportedly in the “inner circle” of the future reign of Prince William and were at William’s side when he hosted a Buckingham Palace Garden Party without Catherine in 2021.

‘They are popular with the public, who are divided on whether Beatrice and Eugenie should have titles and have a future as non-working royals.

‘They are independent enough to do as they wish, but nobody should doubt that their loyalty, like that of Zara’s indomitable mother, Princess Anne, is first and foremost to the monarchy at all times.

‘Zara relies on several top sponsorships. She is a highly popular equestrian and she and Mike have a special niche in the nation’s hearts as he has a laconic, likeable style as well as being a former rugby captain.’

As Zara Tindall today celebrates her 45th birthday with her nearest and dearest, the daughter of Princess Anne will no doubt be looking ahead with optimism as she enters into a new chapter

Fondly renowned as the glue that binds the Firm together, the Prince of Wales is said to be keen to carve out a key position for Zara when he ascends the throne

With the Firm weathering numerous scandals and challenges in recent years, Zara is often cited as a steadfast and reliable figure who will pave the way for the next generation.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams previously told the Daily Mail: ‘She is a highly popular equestrian and she and Mike have a special niche in the nation’s hearts as he has a laconic, likeable style as well as being a former rugby captain.

‘The public admire her as a talented equestrian who won a Silver Medal at the 2012 Olympics which her mother presented her with, this was a wonderful moment for any family, and especially for the Royal Family as it made it a national event. Proof of her popularity was being voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.’

And despite her close bond with Beatrice and Eugenie, the recent tranche of documents have raised serious questions about how much the York sisters knew of their parents’ corrupt dealings with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

According to Mr Fitzwilliams, if it ‘came to choosing’ sides, the Tindalls would ‘naturally’ support the Prince and Princess of Wales – and not just because they are the future King and Queen.

Zara and Mike’s popularity and unique position as members of the Royal Family, without the hindrance of titles, has undoubtedly done wonders for their careers, enabling both Zara and Mike to secure longstanding, lucrative deals with brands such as Rolex and Land Rover.

The couple will be anxious to protect their livelihoods and will naturally not want any associations to the Epstein scandal to impinge on their brand – even if that means distancing themselves from their cousins.

Meanwhile, Zara and William are also known to have shared a particularly close bond with one another – with the two cousins born just 13 months apart.

Yet while Zara and her former rugby union player husband Mike Tindall share close bonds with the Prince and Princess of Wales, she is also known to be a rather close ally of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

Zara was one of the few who were entrusted with the recent news of Eugenie’s pregnancy, and even persuaded her to write to the King prior to the public announcement

Zara has long praised her mother, Princess Anne, for allowing her children to carve their own paths and the deliberate decision to not give her or her brother, Peter Phillips, royal titles

Anne was said to have taken on a maternal role for Princes William and Harry when their mother died, while William previously recalled ‘crying’ while watching Zara win her European Championship.

Speaking on Mike’s podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, William said: ‘We were all hustled round the phone and she was there, she was blubbing away, the flag was going up.

‘And I was just like, I was in pieces. I was so proud.’ Catherine also noted how overcome with joy her husband was that day. I can remember because you came back and said I’ve never been so proud of anyone.’

Yet while William has been reportedly keen for Zara to embrace a more forward-facing role, Mr Fitzwilliams feels strongly that she enjoys her unique position of not having the responsibilities and stresses associated with bearing a title.

The mother-of-three has enjoyed numerous high-value brand partnerships and a lucrative lifestyle, which would be less likely if she were to take on a more prominent and leading role.

‘Both of them are well known personalities and that makes them ideal to endorse products. They get the benefits of being royal but not the debits,’ Mr Fitzwilliams explained.

Together, the pair have amassed an estimated £30million fortune from a number of shrewd deals, sponsorships and endorsements.

England Rugby legend Mike is the fourth richest former player in the UK and his time in the I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here jungle in 2022 helped him bag even more brand partnerships.

Zara has long praised her mother for allowing her children to carve their own paths and the deliberate decision to not give her or her brother, Peter Phillips, royal titles.

The enviable life the couple now enjoy, says Zara, is because she wasn’t granted a formal role at birth.

In 2023, Zara Tindall told late former rugby player Rob Burrow’s Total Sport podcast, she felt ‘lucky’ for the life the couple have.

She explained: ‘From my point of view, I was obviously very lucky that my mother didn’t give us any titles so I really commend her on that.’

‘We were very lucky that we got to do it a bit our own way. My family has a great work ethic as well which I’m hoping they instilled in me and is still going to this day.’