Mike Tindall, the son-in-law of Princess Anne, recently shared insights into his father’s challenging struggle with Parkinson’s disease. The former rugby union star, now 47, continues to show his support for Cure Parkinson’s, a cause deeply personal to him, through his annual ISPS Handa Mike Tindall Celebrity Golf Classic. This event took place last Friday in the West Midlands.
The charity is especially significant for Mike, as his father, Phillip Tindall, who is 80 and a former banker at Barclays, has been living with Parkinson’s for over 23 years. This disease leads to a progressive decline in both motor and non-motor functions.
“My dad is not doing great at the moment. Parkinson’s is brutal and there is no let up from how it attacks the body and changes people,” Mike revealed in an interview with Hello. He continued, “After more than 23 years with the disease, it has, quite frankly, reduced him to a shadow of his former self. This is why I am committed to ensuring others don’t have to watch a parent or loved one suffer such a drastic decline in their quality of life.”
In addition to supporting Cure Parkinson’s, Mike’s event also benefits The Matt Hampson Foundation. This foundation is named after Matt Hampson, a professional rugby player who became paralysed from the neck down following a rugby accident at just 20 years old. At 41, Hampson’s story continues to inspire support for those affected by sporting injuries.
‘After 23 (plus) years of the disease, it has quite honestly left him a shell of what he once was, which is why I don’t want anyone else to see a parent or loved one suffer and have their quality of life decline so massively.’
Mike’s annual event also supports the sporting-injury charity, The Matt Hampson Foundation – named after professional rugby player Hampson, 41, who is paralysed from the neck down after a rugby accident at the age of 20.
This year, in a move Tindall has hailed ‘amazing’, Hampson will take part in the London Marathon with the help of the foundation.
Mike also explained that, despite last week’s charity golf event taking place on his wife Zara Tindall’s 45th birthday, she had no issue in spending her special day raising money for good causes with close friends.
‘Zara loves the golf day,’ Mike said, ‘She gets a load of mates in one place, and a big party on her birthday!’
Mike Tindall has opened up on his father’s ‘brutal’ battle with Parkinson’s disease (pictured: Mike with his parents Phil and Linda at Gatcombe Park in 2009)
Elsewhere on Friday, Zara made clear that there’s no bad blood between herself and her brother, Peter Phillips’s ex wife, Autumn Phillips.
In photos from the event, Zara is captured hugging Autumn tightly alongside her long time family friend Dolly Maude.
Autumn and Peter finalised their divorce in June 2021, and have both gone on to have happy relationships, with Autumn finding love with property tycoon Donal Mulryan, while Peter is preparing to wed NHS nurse Harriet Spearling in June.
Peter and Harriet’s guest list will reportedly include King Charles, Queen Camilla, Peter’s mother, Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence, among other members of the Royal Family.
Zara’s birthday went far from unnoticed at Friday’s event, with her, Autumn and Dolly riding in style in a golf buggy decorated with balloons, party streamers and a cartoon face.
In one image, the royal gazed lovingly at her husband, with the pair wearing matching merchandise for the event in bright green.
It comes after Zara was at her glamorous best as she supported the Prince and Princess of Wales at their first royal garden party of the season earlier this month.
Prince William and Kate stepped out at the event in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on behalf of King Charles.
Pictured: Princess Anne and Phil Tindall at Mike and Zara Tindall’s 2011 wedding in Edinburgh, Scotland
Mike and Zara Tindall are seen at Friday’s ISPS Handa Mike Tindall Celebrity Golf Classic held at the Belfry in the West Midlands
They were accompanied by Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara, who completely transformed her makeup-free look from the day prior’s Badminton Horse Trials and arrived wearing a stunning blue cutwork dress.
One day after she donned a sporty ensemble for the equestrian event, Zara proved she is just as comfortable in frocks as she flashed a smile while posing with her cousin Prince William and Kate.
For the occasion, Zara picked a stunning floral dress from the Australian brand Leo Lin that retails for £475 (AUD 895).
It is believed that Zara’s piece was custom-created since it features delicate puff sleeves while the original dress is sleeveless.
She finished her elegant look with a statement hat and off-white clutch, as a smiling Zara was seen walking alongside the Duke of Edinburgh.
Typically more than 30,000 people are invited to the events each year.
It’s estimated that in total, guests consume 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 slices of cake at each party.
