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Mike Tindall says date night with Zara will be the 'biggest thing in three months'

Mike Tindall has said a date night with his wife Zara will be the biggest thing to happen in three months as they prepare to mark their ninth wedding anniversary.

Former England Rugby player Mike admitted he would not usually spend too long planning “date night” with Zara, but the changes to the rules of lockdown means this year he will be.

He told Good Morning Britain: “Hopefully we’ll be able to do something, we’ll have to wait and see what we can do and what we’re allowed to do. It’s quite good with the restaurants opening, we might be able to get a date night in, so that will be nice.

“You don’t normally ever plan a date night, you just can do it instantaneously. Now you have to plan, you’re planning a week in advance.

“It’s the biggest thing in the last three months of your life. I’m looking forward to it.”

Mike talked about lockdown and sending his daughter back to school. (GMB)
Mike talked about lockdown and sending his daughter back to school. (GMB)

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Father-of-two Mike, 41, also opened up about sending his daughter Mia, six, back to school earlier this year.

He had joked online about dropping her off and running away from the schoolgates, after confessing homeschooling was not for him.

Talking about making the decision he said: “You weigh it up, the school she’s at have done a fantastic job in how they’ve prepared.

“She was ready to go back, she was missing her friends and missing that interaction. I’ll always remember her face coming out the first day, she’d had a blast catching up with and seeing everyone.

“It was a bit of a no-brainer for us, in terms of not just her wellbeing and mental wellbeing, but for us, home-schooling. I think it was definitely needed.”

Mike had joined the show, being hosted by Lorraine Kelly this week, to talk about his cycling challenge to raise money for The Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

England rugby player Mike Tindall (L) and his new bride Britain's Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, pose for pictures after their wedding ceremony at Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland, on July 30, 2011. AFP PHOTO / DYLAN MARTINEZ/POOL (Photo credit should read DYLAN MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images)
Mike and Zara will mark nine years of marriage on 30 July. (Getty Images)

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He cycled 137 km as part of the challenge, noting: “My bottom hasn’t quite forgiven me yet, but I’m sure it will get over it!”

He continued: “My dad’s had Parkinson’s for nearly 20 years now. To watch how it’s affected his life and how it’s changed him... if we can find a cure we can stop another son or daughter having to watch what I’ve had to watch with my dad, the guy who taught me everything I know about sport, competition… if we can make it so that no one has to watch their parent, their person they look up to go through it, it’s always worth getting on a bike and just [putting your] head down and pedalling.”

He later added: “Hopefully we’ve hit about a quarter of a million quid.”

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 12: Mike and Zara Tindall attends the Magic Millions Raceday at the Gold Coast Turf Club on January 12, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Mike said he would be planning a date night with wife Zara. (Getty Images)

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Mike is also looking forward to going to see his parents for the first time since lockdown.

“I’m going up to see them tomorrow for the first time. I’ve had the comedy FaceTime calls where they can’t get their heads in the screen,” he said.

Mike and Zara, who is the Queen’s granddaughter, have two children, Mia, and Lena, two. They live in Gloucestershire on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Estate.

Earlier this month Mike revealed Zara was getting deliveries every day in lockdown as she painted one of her horses to raise money for charity.