For more than a decade, Princess Anne’s daughter Zara and her former England rugby star husband Mike Tindall have called Australia their “home from home”.
As the inaugural Magic Millions Racing Women Ambassador, Zara, 44, spends all of January soaking up the sunshine with her family, while catching up with their Aussie mates on Queensland’s Gold Coast.
Now, it seems the mum-of-three – who won an Olympic silver medal in the team equestrian event at the 2012 London Summer Olympics – has been looking into the best schools in the area.
Their home away from home
“From the moment they arrive, it’s like they’re home,” a well-placed local tells Woman’s Day.
“It makes sense that Zara would see the easy-paced outdoor beach life as an attractive long-term option for Mike and their three kids.
“Their friend group they mingle with every January are largely made up of a lot of private school mums and dads, like Gold Coast power couple Brett and Rebecca Frizelle.”
Our source notes that Zara and Mike, 47, are especially keen on independent Anglican school St. Hilda’s – a “perfect fit” for Mia, who turns 12 on January 17, and Lena, seven.
For Lucas, four, ‘brother’ school TSS – The Southport School – has an “extraordinary rugby program, which appeals to Mike”.
It’s noted as an” important pathway” for former and current Wallabies, including Nathan Sharpe, Mat Rogers and James Slipper.
Breaking with royal protocol
“Mike’s been adamant over the years he and Zara will break royal protocol and won’t be sending their kids to boarding school,” the source explains.
“So if they were to settle in beachside digs in their favoured Main Beach precinct, that means the school run is going to take them about 10 minutes!”
This latest visit marks one of the first times the couple have not brought the kids with them, with oldest daughter Mia not keen to leave the UK.
Instead, she opted to be home with her friends to attend school at her local secondary school – believed to be located near their home in Gloucestershire.
“No-one will be surprised if they trial the idea and come out for a year to see if it’s the right fit for their little family,” the insider suggests.
Already fitting right in
“The one thing about these two, when they come to the Gold Coast to let their hair down, they sure win a lot of hearts!” our source notes.
“There was a special moment at Magic Millions this past week when Zara was snapped in her grass-stained showjumping gear, a pair of rubber thongs on her feet, drinking champagne out of a plastic cup and dancing in the rain like no-one was watching.
“And that’s exactly why they love Australia – they can just be themselves! Most of all, they know that whatever they decide, they’ll always be welcomed back with open arms to their home away from home.”
Though Mike told Hello! magazine in 2023 that the family didn’t have any current plans to relocate to our shores, a lot can change in three years.
“Never say never, but it’s not on the cards,” he stated. “It’s never been an actual thing where we’ve looked for a house or anything.
“We love Australia a lot and we love the lifestyle, I think it’s brilliant for kids, but whether we could actually move there, we’re not sure.”
