Mike Tindall reflects on marriage with Zara and admits it's 'not that easy'

Mike Tindall admitted that it's 'not that easy'

Mike Tindall has shared some of the challenges he and his wife Zara Tindall face in their marriage, admitting that it's not always "that easy". The former England rugby star was a participant on the ITV series 'Grand Slammers', which delved into the lives of prisoners at HMP The Mount where one of the few rugby pitches within an adult male English prison is located.

On this unique show, Mike joined forces with other rugby legends to harness the transformative power of sports, training a band of inmates to match up to Australia's national team, reports the Daily Record.

In a revealing moment from the show's second episode, the Royal family member shared insights into his married life with Zara, King Charles III's niece, and his transition post-rugby career.

Mike said: "Everyone thinks that just by marrying Zara that means it's all fine and dandy... But that doesn't stop the fact that you need a job. And it's not that easy, you know - you get quite institutionalised into rugby, it's a way of life and you leave the game and that's not there."

Continuing, he explained how challenging it was to transition from a life filled with teammates and structure: "I don't think you can ever sort of describe when you're so used to being around that many people, and understanding, because of it being ingrained in you, where you fit in to then not being that person."

He concluded by sharing Zara's perspective: "Zara would say if she was honest it was probably a year it took me to figure out what I was, who I was going to be. You've got to then go carve where the next path is - you can never replace going to work with 35 of your best friends every day."

The new ITV series aims to illustrate the transformative effects of team sports on prisoners, highlighting how such engagement could positively influence their rehabilitation and reduce reoffending rates after their release.

Mike teamed up in the two-part documentary with other rugby greats, including captain Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Phil Vickery, Jason Robinson, Will Greenwood, Ben Cohen, and Matt Dawson.

These celebrated athletes took on the challenge of assembling a group of inmates into a cohesive team, ready to tackle competition while also imparting the importance of camaraderie, emotional intensity, sheer excitement, and joy found in working towards a common objective.