Zara and Mike Tindall are proud parents to three children - Mia, 10, Lena, five, and Lucas, three.
Though Princess Anne's daughter, 43, gave birth to her daughters in what has become modern tradition, in a hospital, but Lucas' birth in 2021 was not what his mother, never mind royal fans, had expected.
The royal's third child was born on the bathroom floor at the family home on the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. The doting dad and former rugby star spoke about Lucas' dramatic birth on his podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
"Sunday got even better because a little baby boy arrived at my house," Mike shared, adding how Lucas, "arrived very quickly. Didn’t make it to hospital. On the bathroom floor."
"So yeah, it was running to the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, get the mat on the floor, towels down, brace, brace, brace," Mike recalled. He said that Zara's friend Dolly who was present recognised that the royal mother would not have made it into hospital.
"Fortunately the midwife who was going to meet us at the hospital wasn’t that far away so she drove up just as we had assumed the posit (position) and the second midwife arrived just after the head had arrived."
Not only did Mike share Lucas' unexpected birth story in unprecedented detail, but he also revealed the surprising first bonding experience he enjoyed with his son that added a positive spin on the unplanned home birth.
"The best thing about being at home, the best thing was, as soon as he’s wrapped up, he’s skin on skin, straight downstairs. TV room. Golf on. This is what we’re doing," the dad-of-three said.
In 2020 Mike spoke on the same podcast about his daughter Mia's desires for another sibling. At the time, the rugby player said: "She'll be happy about it, she’s been requesting another sister or brother, so we’ve hopefully fulfilled that role for her.
"She just wants something different now, Lena's growing up she’s two-and-a-half now, she wants something younger to play with and dress up."
Zara and Mike's bond with their three children is clear to see. The doting parents are seen engaging warmly with their children on public outings and offering plenty of affection.
Photographer James Whatling, who specialises in documenting the royal family, told HELLO!: "There are lots of pictures, often of Zara cuddling and kissing him – they seem to be a very tactile family, which is lovely.
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"He's a mini-me of Mike," James says, speaking about little Lucas. The adorable tot is already a regular at the Festival of British Eventing. "He's always getting involved, muddy, messing around with his sisters – he's born into it," James said. "Lucas is a real Tindall.