TL;DR:
Mike Tindall, husband to Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, had "nothing to prove" when he entered royal life. Unlike others to marry into the royal family, he did so, according to a body language expert, with the approval of two of its most senior members, Prince William and Prince Harry.
So when did Mike become royalty? He's been part of the British royal family for more than a decade, officially joining its ranks in the summer of 2011.
On July 30, 2011, Mike and Zara, the late Queen Elizabeth II's oldest granddaughter, married in a private ceremony at Canongate Kirk church in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In the years since, they have become parents of three. In 2014, the couple welcomed their first child, a now-9-year-old daughter named Mia. Lena, 4, and Lucas, 2, followed in 2018 and 2021, respectively.
Today, Mike, Zara, and their three children live at Aston Farm in Gloucestershire, England, not far from the Princess Royal's Gatcombe Park estate.
When Mike's royal life began, he did so already having two allies, body language expert Judi James told Express. Analyzing the retired pro rugby player's movements, James said he's maintained a sense of ease around the royal family. The reason? His career combined with a natural affinity for being an "alpha."
"Mike has never 'tried' to be royal because he doesn't have to," James said. "As a rugby sporting star and natural alpha, he was already a hero in the eyes of William and Harry in particular and therefore entered the royal family at a high level, with nothing to prove."
Zara and Mike, she explained, don't have to "mask" their love for each other. Additionally, she said they're likely to feel more comfortable engaging in public displays of affection because they're veterans of royal life.
They're "not actively trying to impress as relative newcomers like Edo [Mapelli Mozzi] and Jack [Brooksbank] might be," James said in reference to Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's husbands.
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In analyzing William's body language around Mike, James noticed the pair appeared to be "especially close."
"William's current and future roles and royal destiny mean he desperately needs friends with empathy, who can understand his lifestyle and any restrictions or his need to occasionally blow off steam and be himself without stories getting back to the press," James told the U.K.'s Express.
Mike gives William "family support," the body language expert continued, noting their relationship's reflected in their demeanor around each other.
"William has always seemed to be at his most relaxed when he spends family time at the Middletons and now the Tindalls seem to be supplying similar levels of family support," James said.
"Mike's bonds with William have always looked strong but as Mike and Zara have grown their family the two men have appeared especially close in a way that can look parental or sibling-led from Mike," she continued.
Mike, the expert added, has demonstrated "traits that would be ideal for his role in William's life." The former pro rugby player, she said, has a "playful, fun side" but "is also calm stoic, and protective."
That means, according to James, "William can enjoy the kind of relaxed fun he used to share with Harry but from a man who seems to feel genuinely loyal and protective of his wife's cousin."
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.