It’s a special day in Zara and Mike Tindall‘s household.

The couple are the proud parents to three children: 12-year-old Mia, eight-year-old Lena, and Lucas, five.

And the young trio will likely be leading the celebrations on Sunday as dad Mike marks his 48th birthday.

The family live together on the Gatcombe Park estate, owned by Princess Anne. It’s thought they will spend the day there privately enjoying Mike’s special day.

The former England rugby captain isn’t known for big birthday celebrations, instead typically choosing to mark the occasion with his loved ones at their multigenerational home in Gloucestershire.

Date for Zara and Mike ahead of his birthday

Just one day earlier, Zara and Mike made an appearance at the Ascot racecourse in Berkshire on Saturday, enjoying all the action from the Royal Box.

Zara, 45, looked incredibly stylish in a smart grey tweed jacket layered over a white pussybow blouse, a brown leather skirt and a pair of slouchy suede boots. She topped off her chic look with a grey hat adorned with an oversized velvet bow.

Mike looked dapper in a matching grey suit with a burgundy tie, and the loved-up couple posed for photographs together, enjoying a date ahead of his birthday celebrations.

Zara and Mike have been married for 15 years, and their relationship is clearly going from strength to strength. The pair are frequently seen laughing together and sharing loving moments on public outings.

But, just like any other couple, they have experienced their share of difficult moments – as Mike recently revealed.

Mike talks about ‘difficult’ moments

He told the Talk Horse podcast: “I think neither of us necessarily chase out confrontation until it happens. That’s sometimes not the best way of doing it.

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“But then when it happens, I think we’re probably pretty good at actually talking about it. You’ve just got to try and muddle your way through. It’s never easy, is it?”

He then cheekily confessed that sometimes “you just want to annoy someone, just for the sake of it”, adding, “I probably do that a bit too much!”

Mike also reflected on the fact that both he and Zara have been professional sports figures and therefore understand each other’s needs.

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He revealed that he tries to give his wife some space before her cross-country competitions, which require “massive focus”. But he added: “I try and make her laugh every now and again to remind her you don’t have to be that serious.”

It’s a path he also tries to follow after a competition. “Depending on how it’s gone, you react in the appropriate way,” he said.

“It could go really bad or it could have gone really well, where you can go, ‘You almost [expletive] up there!’ I think that’s where you know those nuances where you can either lean in, lean out. I think that’s how and why it’s worked so well.”