The Public Is Becoming More "Intrigued" by This Royal Couple

Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday Trooping the Colour — (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Royal Family might not be big on celebrating Valentine's Day, but ahead of February 14, body language expert Darren Stanton is sharing his thoughts on the most compatible royal couples. Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton says that while King Charles and Queen Camilla have been in an "intense relationship where they've had to overcome a lot," there's another royal couple that has been attracting more attention recently.

Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike have been married since July 2011, and Stanton says the two "have a really natural rapport and a deep connection." Mike is a former England rugby player, and the couple met at the Manly Wharf Pub in Sydney, Australia during the 2003 Rugby World Cup—a similar love story as Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark, who also met at a Sydney bar.

"Mike and Zara are very similar to William and Kate," Stanton says. "I can tell there is a lot of humor, banter and sarcasm. They don't take themselves too seriously and always appear to have a laugh with each other. "

Zara Tindall wearing a pink dress and holding hands with Mike Tindall next to a wall of flowers — Zara and Mike Tindall are pictured at the Magic Millions Raceday in Australia on January 17.

Zara Tindall wearing a blue floral dress and sneakers standing next to Mike Tindall, in shorts and a polo — Zara and Mike Tindall are pictured at the F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain in April 2025.

Zara is a professional equestrian and Olympic silver medalist, and the sporty couple frequently attend horse races and other sporting events together. "We often see them putting on a strong front wherever they go, but they never fail to have fun," Stanton says.

Mike and Zara are parents to Mia, 12, Lena, 7 and Lucas, 4, and they share a strong bond with Zara's cousin Prince William and his family. Princess Charlotte is said to be particularly close with Mia and was seen laughing alongside her cousin on Christmas Day in December.

Speaking of Mike and Zara's increased presence in recent years, Stanton says, "They have definitely become more and more involved in the Royal Family and there is a lot more interest about them as a couple."

"I think the public are intrigued by Mike and Zara—and that is purely down to how they come across during events and engagements," he continues. "They really enjoy each other's company, and there's a strong level of trust between them. You can tell they treat each other well and stick up for each other when times get hard."

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.