Zara and Mike’s down-to-earth parenting – as daughter Lena celebrates milestone

Zara and Mike Tindall are among the most popular members of the Royal Family and frequently bring a sense of fun and informality to high-profile events.

The couple have three children, Mia nine, Lena, five and Lucas, two and, despite their royal profile, the family of five are frequently pictured having a brilliant time at events near their home in Gloucestershire.

As Lena celebrates her fifth birthday today (Sunday, June 18), OK! has spoken to royal expert Jennie Bond about the couple's parenting style and how they are "doing their best to give their children as normal life as possible."

Speaking to OK!, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond spoke about Zara and Mike's lives at home with their three young children.

She said: "These two seem to manage the ultimate high wire act, being very much a part of the royal family and very much loved by everyone in that family, while also enjoying a fun filled social life, and being completely down to earth with everyone they meet.

"They don’t complain about pictures of their young family out and about, especially at sporting events, and seem to be bringing up their children to be as normal as possible – even though their great-uncle is The King!"

As for little Lena, Jennie adds: "Lena looks like a cheeky little girl – especially when we saw her with her tongue out at Platinum Jubilee and when she wouldn't share her sweets with Prince Louis.

"She is obviously very close to Princess Charlotte, which we saw when they sweetly cosied up together in the stands to look at the pageant programme.

"I’m sure, Mike and Zara will continue to do their best to give their children as normal life as possible, just as Zara’s mother, the Princess Royal, insisted that her children should not have a title, and make their own way in life as much as possible."

Lena Elizabeth Tindall was born on June 18, 2018 at the Stroud Maternity Hospital in Gloucestershire and was the fourth grandchild for Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, as well as the seventh great-grandchild of the late Queen and Prince Philip.

She is Zara and Mike second child, following big sister Mia who was born on January 17, 2014. She also has a younger brother, Lucas, who completed the trio on March 21, 2021. Before Lena was born, the couple experienced two miscarriages.

Zara told The Sunday Times: "For me, the worst bit was that we had to tell everyone – everyone knew. I had to go through having the baby because it was so far along.

"I then had another miscarriage really early on. You need to go through a period where you don't talk about it because it's too raw, but, as with everything, time's a great healer."

Young royal Lena lives an incredibly private life and is still yet to make her debut on the Buckingham Palace balcony – unlike her cousins who have appeared there on several occasions for events like Trooping the Colour.

She has, however, joined the rest of her family at key events such as the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel, Windsor.

Lena is often spotted on her grandmother’s estate of Gatcombe in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire. She is usually pictured playing with her cousins Savannah and Isla at events such as the Horse Trials or the Festival of British Eventing.

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