Prince William surprised his cousin Zara Tindall when he confessed to tearing up at one of her equestrian achievements, during a heartwarming appearance on her husband Mike Tindall's podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby.
The Prince of Wales admitted that he couldn't contain his emotions while watching cousin Zara winning the European Championship on her cherished horse, Toytown, back in 2005.
"I was down in Exmoor at the time camping," he revealed. "We were all huddling around the phone watching it. She was there, she was blubbing away, the flag was going up. I was in pieces."
William's wife Kate Middleton also joined in on the chat, admitting: "I can remember because you came back and said I've never been so proud of anyone."
Meanwhile, speaking to Women's Weekly three months later, Zara herself seemed quite taken aback by Prince William's touching revelation. The mum-of-three confessed: "I've never heard him say that before. I was very surprised, but one of my absolute favourite occasions was riding at the Olympics and getting a team Silver."
"All of my cousins came and watched on the final day. Everyone's usually so busy, it's hard to come and watch, so it was amazing to have everyone there. It made it even more special than it already was. They were all very supportive and proud. It was great", reports the Mirror.
The bond between the Tindalls and the Waleses is clearly a strong one, passed down to their children who often enjoy playdates together.
As they turned up for the traditional Christmas Day service last year, little Prince Louis couldn't hide his joy as he clasped hands with his second cousin Mia Tindall, while Mike Tindall was seen giving Prince George's hair a playful tousle post-service. Princess Charlotte and Mia were also caught sharing a giggle - a scene reminiscent of their fun at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee concert.
Despite Zara not being a working Royal, the two share a close-knit protective bond.
In the Channel 5 documentary, Zara and Anne: Like Mother Like Daughter, commentator Victoria Arbiter highlighted the importance of trust for William, saying: "For William in particular, trust is everything so when you've got a cousin that understands what it is to be a member of the Royal Family, but they don't have the same pressures associated with it, they can be a tower of strength and support."
Arbiter also noted Zara's unwavering loyalty and dedication to her family, making her an invaluable support to her cousins.
