Why Princess Anne and Mike Tindall’s relationship is refreshingly ‘great’ and ‘chilled’ - and what we can all learn from it
The Princess Royal's relationship with her rugby star relative is unpicked and there's surprising results


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Mike Tindall's relationship with his mother-in-law Princess Anne is refreshingly 'great' and 'chilled' according to a body language expert - and if you want to know how to recreate this with your own in-laws, read on...
The Princess Royal, Prince William and Kate Middleton joined Mike Tindall and his fellow rugby friends James Haskell and Alex Payne on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast to talk about their passion for sport.
And while all eyes are on what Prince William and Kate have to say - such as the 'crazy' hobby Kate Middleton does in the 'dark' - a body language expert has made some interesting claims about Princess Anne's relationship with son-in-law Mike.
It could be said that it's quite a rarity to actually get on with your in-laws, let alone be civil, but it looks like Princess Anne and Mike Tindall are breaking the mould by being 'super relaxed and comfortable' around each other - and we could all do with learning how they do it.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton has claimed Princess Anne is 'clearly the most dominant person in the room' and has unpicked how this affects the dynamic of the royal group.
Darren noted, “Princess Anne and Mike have a great relationship. Mike is super relaxed, super chilled out, they are clearly very relaxed and comfortable in each other's company, Princess Anne is clearly the most dominant person in the room, however, she is not overbearing. She’s a strong personality, but you can tell she and Mike get on very well, and he is very much his own man."
For anyone who hasn't yet seen the podcast recording, you can watch the interview in full below...
Princess Anne is mum to Zara Phillips - the wife of former England rugby ace Mike Tindall. The couple married in 2011 and have three children together Mia, nine, Lena, five, and Lucas, two.
And despite being the 'most dominant person in the room', Princess Anne has a way of showing that she and Mike are equal.
Darren explains, “She uses lots of open palm gestures, which is a sign of honesty. When Mike gives her a compliment, she playfully says ‘oh nonsense’, which indicates she is showing him respect as an equal.”
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But it's not just Princess Anne and Mike's mother-in-law to son-in-law 'great' and chilled' relationship that's refreshing to see. The other members of the Royal Family comes across as normal people with their fair share of ups and downs.
“It’s good to see them with the shutters down in this setting. They come across like any other normal family with ups and downs. They are speaking freely without the need to be frightened by people or cameras around them. It’s very refreshing to see them in this environment, speaking freely, genuinely happy and authentic,” Darren concluded.
In other royal news you might like to know that Buckingham Palace set to make new documentary celebrating the King and there’s reportedly a ‘strict ban’ on family members mentioning Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Or find out how to make Prince Archie’s favourite meal at home with just 6 ingredients and it's perfect for kids.
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Selina is currently a Senior Entertainment Writer for Goodto.com, formerly Senior Entertainment writer for Woman&Home, and My Imperfect Life with more than 16 years of experience in newspapers and magazines. She currently writes a mix of Entertainment news - including celebrity births, weddings, reporting the the latest news about the Royal kids Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet as well as Family news stories from baby names to store closures and product recall warnings. Before joining Future Publishing, Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism. She is fully NCTJ and NCE qualified and has 100wpm shorthand. When she's not interviewing celebrities you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories.
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