Zara & Mike Tindall are back in Australia to collect their annual paychecks

It’s an annual thing for Mike and Zara Tindall. They’re always invited to the royal family’s Christmas at Sandringham, and they attend all of the royal holiday events, then they quickly fly to Australia in the new year. Zara and Mike are being paid to go to Gold Coast, Australia and attend certain events, like a polo game and several photocalls. I honestly don’t understand who is paying them and why, but they’ve done this for most of the past twelve years. We also don’t know how much they’re getting paid, but I suspect it’s probably low six-figures. That relatively paltry sum hasn’t stopped royalists from crowing that Mike and Zara are so much better, wealthier and wiser than Harry and Meghan. Like… the fact that Zara and Mike have to hustle down to Australia every year for a paycheck probably shows that they’re not rolling in cash?

Anyway, I’m including some photos of Zara and Mike in Gold Coast from recent days. Yesterday, Zara was almost kicked or hurt by a horse during a photoshoot but she’s fine. She also told Australian outlets that she’d love to compete in the Olympics again:

Zara Tindall has revealed that she would love to compete in another Olympic Games. The King’s niece, who won a silver medal at London 2012 in the team equestrian event, has not ruled out Brisbane 2032. However, she recognises that there are many variables, including having a good horse who is injury free and staying consistently at the top.

“I’d love to run another Olympics,” she said. “But I’m very lucky even if I don’t – I got to ride at my home Olympics.”

Zara, 43, and her husband, Mike Tindall, 46, arrived in Australia this week for the annual ten-day Magic Millions horse racing event on the Gold Coast. The couple were pictured warmly embracing the Duchess of Sussex’s friend, Delfina Blaquier, who is also an ambassador of the event, as well as her husband, Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras, a good friend of Prince Harry.

Mrs Tindall has been patron of Magic Millions since 2012 and will next week show off her skills on the polo field while her husband provides his own brand of “insightful and humorous commentary” from the sidelines.

[From The Telegraph]

This has got me wondering about the ages of other Olympic equestrians, because I always assumed equestrians at that level were probably under 30 or under 35. Zara is 43, she’s given birth to three kids and she hasn’t even competed in the past three Olympic summer games?? I guess my point is that she’s not serious about competing in the Olympics again.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

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31 Responses to “Zara & Mike Tindall are back in Australia to collect their annual paychecks”

  1. Beverley says:

    Mile looks like an overstuffed sausage in that fugly tan sports jacket.
    That’s all I got.

  2. Chaine says:

    Her Olympic status is just a crock. All of the equestrian “sports” pretty much require the “athlete” to be independently wealthy to be able to do them at that level. And basically the “skill” they have is the ability to stay on while their horse performs and does all of the work.

    • Jane says:

      It helps to be wealthy, it always does no matter what your interests (Lance Stroll anyone?) as you say, but there has to be considerable work ethic behind any success as well. In her case I daresay her name and family helped enormously in her getting a spot on the team but she will have worked hard for it.
      Trust me, it’s far from just staying on. I can’t stand the Tindall’s either, but there really is skill and athleticism involved in both of their sports. They are fame and cash hungry, trashy and racist AF but they don’t seem to be lazy.

    • Lala11_7 says:

      That part!

    • Happy says:

      The equestrian sports require athletes. Riding is very hard work. And competing is much harder than riding. Don’t get me wrong, I really can’t stand Zara et al but she isn’t just sitting on a horse to win, I can promise that. lol.

    • wendy says:

      says someone that clearly doesn’t ride on any level, much less competition.

  3. molly says:

    It’s summer in Australia right now. I’d go spend a week down there for FREE, so absolutely no judgement from me on this one.

    • Meghan says:

      Right? Gold Coast, Australia isn’t the slummy outpost this article makes it out to be. I *wish* I could get paid to spend a week there!

      • AprilUnderwater says:

        Hello, I am from Queensland (the State of Australia where the Gold Coast is situated) and lived in South East Queensland much of my life.

        The Gold Coast – at least the part that people visit (Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach etc) is utter trash. Queenslanders at large talk about the Gold Coast the way USians talk about Florida.

    • Megan says:

      I’m wondering why she isn’t getting more bad press about the Johnny Hon scandal. She was basically doing the same thing as Andrew.

  4. Jais says:

    I don’t care when these people hustle and get paid but it’s when Harry’s me Meghan are called tacky while the others are not. Like they’re hailed as absolutely fine for anything they do while the Sussexes are not. And it’s not like Mike doesn’t talk ish about the royals either. He’s talked nasty about Harry when he is sitting there making money off being royal-adjacent. All I’m saying is that man has no room to talk about the Sussexes ever and if he had some grace he wouldn’t.

    • Becks1 says:

      exactly…..Mike and Zara want to go to Australia and collect a paycheck? I don’t care, make your money, whatever.

      But its the double standard – we all know that if H&M went to Australia to attend this polo match there would be ARTICLE after ARTICLE about “who paid for their travel, who paid for Meghan’s clothes, who paid for their hotel” etc etc even if they paid for everything 100% on their own (as they do.)

  5. Pamela says:

    Equestrians are regularly the oldest olympians – it’s not uncommon to have riders in their 50s and 60s. Zara does compete at the level she’d have to if she wanted to make an Olympic run, but isn’t highly ranked at the moment.

    • tamsin says:

      One of our most famous equestrians in Canada was Ian Millar who was competing in his 50’s and 60’s. A Canadian Olympic champion was well into middle-age when he won his gold medal.

  6. Carrie says:

    I do wish Australia would stop inviting cretins like these two. Surely there must be other figures in the racing world with more gravitas than this minor royal. Zara is to racing what Meatloaf was to the AFL. IYKYK.

    • seaflower says:

      IKR.

      Atleast League would get Barnsie (no matter what you think of him) on the regular, but that’s the Tina Turner connection.

  7. Amy Bee says:

    It’s interesting that the Telegraph is trying to elevate this job by calling Zara the Patron for Magic Millions. She’s just an ambassador for the event. Nothing’s wrong with Zara making money but it’s clear that the British press knows that they look like hypocrites when they criticise Harry and Meghan for having business deals. I don’t think Zara’s serious about going back to the Olympics she doesn’t compete on a consistent level and doesn’t participate in international events.

    • Blujfly says:

      Yep. Patrons give money, they don’t take money. Zara probably scouts horses, introduces buyers to sellers, and her father and the child he had during his marriage to Anne live in Australia.

  8. Kristen from MA says:

    If they’re so flush with cash, why do they live on her mother’s estate? Why don’t they buy their own property?

    • molly says:

      Mostly because Gatcombe Park is 700 acres of pristine English countryside with a giant barn, horses, privacy, security, and proximity to family.

      The Tindalls aren’t exactly living in her mom’s basement. They’d be fools to live anywhere else.

  9. Grandma Susan says:

    Mike looks like the living embodiment of the word “thug”.

  10. wolfmamma says:

    They seem to brag about earning their own money, not being an HRH and all .. yet here we are – strolling through sunny Australia .. again on the taxpayers dime

    And I agree – Tindall looks like a security guard / thug

  11. Spartan says:

    Nacho and family are on the GC too for magic millions. He’s been playing.

    I truly dislike these two bullies but at least they earn legally (nicest thing I can say about the rf but it’s a pretty low bar).

  12. Anne Maria says:

    Many equestrians are not young. The UKs Nick Skelton won the Olympic gold in showjumping in his 50s, and he’s certainly not alone in being a top rider when ‘mature’. I’ve no idea what these two have to offer Oz. Maybe him being an ex rugby union international helps.

  13. Cassie says:

    Nacho and Zara are both ambassadors for this huge Equestrian event which is held every year .
    It’s called the Magic Millions .

  14. Mtl.ex.pat says:

    Man those Windsor genes are strong. That’s all I’ve got.

  15. Blujfly says:

    Without their children? Who could possibly be doing the school run?

  16. wendy says:

    what is with these men and the sad suede shoes? His suit is nicely tailored in the blue jacket photo — that is all I can muster for positivism.

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