Inside Zara and Mike Tindall's bond with son Lucas - 'They're a very tactile family'

While he might be a carbon copy of his dad, it's clear to see that Zara and Mike Tindall’s son Lucas, who celebrated his third birthday last week, is every inch a "mama’s boy".

Musing on the pair’s mother-son bond, 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. 

"He's a mini-me of Mike… and Mike is throwing the children in the air, super high, catching them."

The blond toddler came flying into the world on 21 March 2021, with former England rugby star Mike confirming the news on his sports podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.

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"Sunday got even better because a little baby boy arrived at my house," he told his co-hosts. "Arrived very quickly. Didn't make it to [the] 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."

Lucas, whose middle name – Philip – is a tribute to both his great-grandfather, the former Duke of Edinburgh, and his paternal grandfather, appears to be following in his sporty parents' footsteps.

He is already a regular at the Festival of British Eventing – held on his grandmother the Princess Royal's Gatcombe Park estate, where the Tindalls also live – and is often spotted clambering around with a cheeky grin.

"He's always getting involved, muddy, messing around with his sisters – he's born into it," James says.

"Lucas is a real Tindall," he continued. "He's definitely not out of place in that family. They love doing sporty things and as you can probably tell from the photos, they love ice cream."  

Lucas enjoys a strong bond with Zara and although the former eventing European and world champion previously travelled extensively with her beloved thoroughbreds, Watkins and Class Affair, she has since reined in her exploits in favour of family time – with Lucas and his big sisters Mia, ten, and Lena, five.

Speaking to The Australian Women's Weekly at the end of last year, Zara, 42, said: "I’m very part-time now. I've only got four horses, so hopefully I have enough time to care for my children and still compete. I hope I make better decisions. I definitely don't go to everything now."

The King's niece, who won a team eventing silver medal at the Olympic Games in London in 2012, added: "When I had 15 horses, I was everywhere and away every weekend, but now I very much pick [events] around the kids and holidays and try to be around as much as I can."

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