Zara Tindall's sweet moment with stepfather Timothy Laurence we almost missed

Keen equestrian Zara Tindall took part in the annual Badminton Horse Trials this year, competing on her horse Class Affair.

And as ever, the mother-of-three, 42, had the support of her family who were quick to rally around her throughout the event.

Whilst Zara's immediate family, including her husband Mike and their three children Mia, Lena and Lucas, were proudly supporting from the sidelines, the Olympic medalist also shared a tender moment with her stepfatherSir Timothy Laurence in a moment we nearly missed.

On Saturday, a jodhpur-clad Zara could be seen sweetly embracing Timothy, 69, with the pair sharing a loving hug in the brilliant sunshine. Tim, who dressed down in a check shirt and khaki trousers, was pictured beaming as he removed his trusty sunhat and sunglasses to greet his loved one.

Zara and her husband Mike share a strong bond with Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy, with the quartet living just a stone's throw away from one another.

You may also like

• Zara Tindall gives interview alongside her three children - and adorable Lucas steals the show

• Zara Tindall rocks double denim look with skinny jeans as she cosies up to husband Mike

• Princess Kate’s secret appearance at Eurovision - and the touching reason why she was ‘very happy’ to take part

While Zara and Mike, who tied the knot in 2011, used to live in Cheltenham, the pair now live on Princess Anne's sprawling Gatcombe estate in a gorgeous property called Aston Farm.

The Princess Royal, meanwhile, lives in the main house on Gatcombe Park which was gifted to her in the 1970s for her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, upon marrying Captain Mark Phillips. Princess Anne has lived in the huge Grade-II house ever since.

During the equestrian event, Zara took part in a heartwarming interview with her three children. In a clip shared to the horse trials' official Instagram page, Zara, who could be seen balancing a cheeky Lucas on her hip, revealed: "It was good actually. I had one down disappointing but he [Class Affair] actually jumped mega because he did feel tired this morning. I think it's the first time ever.

"I probably should have let go early, I'm sure my father will tell me what I did wrong but it's so nice to be back in there. I just want to thank my owner and my team, who did a mega job yesterday after a hard day's work and they worked so hard, and we can't do it without any of them so thank you."

Zara's sporting career

Zara has followed in her parents' sporty footsteps. She won the Eventing World Championship in Aachen in 2006 and brought home a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics as part of Team GB's eventing team.

Her mother, the Princess Royal became the first member of the British royal family to compete in an Olympics, at the 1976 Games in Montreal.

Meanwhile, Zara's father, Captain Mark Phillips, is an Olympic gold-medallist and a four-time champion at the Badminton Horse Trials. Anne wed Captain Mark in 1973, but the pair separated in 1989 and divorced in 1992. The royal wed her second husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence in December 1992.