![](https://www.thesun.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/01/RW-COMP-Mia-Tindalls-bdayv4-2.jpg?w=620)
Inside life of ‘naughty’ royal Mia Tindall as she turns 10 – from ‘stealing Queen’s thunder’ to lavish gifts
WHENEVER she is in the public eye with the royal family, little Mia Tindall always steals the show.
The eldest child of Zara and Mike Tindall, Mia, turns 10 today, and has certainly made an impression already.
On Christmas Day we saw the adorable royal gripping the hand of cheeky Prince Louis, five, as they went to St Mary Magdalene's Church on the Sandringham Estate.
After keeping the young prince out of mischief, Mia was later seen having a giggle with Princess Charlotte, eight, as they walked past well-wishers.
Meanwhile, during the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations, Mia provided star-quality entertainment with her incredible dance moves during a performance of Dancing Queen by Abba.
But what else do we know about Mia, who is 22nd in line to the throne?
‘Stealing the Queen’s thunder’
Little Mia is known for her boisterous behaviour and famously stole the show in Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday portrait.
The young tot was seen adorably clutching her great-grandmother's famous black handbag in the picture.
Mike previously opened up about Mia's star turn in the family picture, which featured the late Queen's other great-grandchildren including Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
He said: "It just happened at the right time. She was being a bit naughty.
Most read in Royals
"The Queen got it quite right when she told her 'just hold the handbag now' and she did that. It ended up being a great photo for her."
Mia was also an instant star when she looked adorably 'grumpy' in Princess Eugenie’s wedding photos.
Luxury home
In 2013, Zara and Mike decided to sell their £1.69million mansion in Cheltenham to move closer to Princess Anne.
They now live on Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire with their children.
It is a 700-acre estate on which Princess Royal holds several annual equestrian events.
The home is equipped with a personal gym that has a brick wall with a Union Jack flag on it that Mike revealed when he was participating in the 2.6 challenge in April 2021.
Helped family through heartbreak
Mike shared how his cheeky daughter Mia helped him and wife Zara get through their devastating miscarriage.
The couple were left heartbroken when Zara lost their second child, just weeks after they had announced her pregnancy.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, the ex-rugby player admitted it had been a tough time, but their daughter Mia had been their saving grace.
He said: "We were very lucky to have Mia in terms of what we've been through.
"To get home, and you can be in a horrible place that you are and can expect to be, but when you've got a two-year-old who is absolute carnage and wants to be playing and wants to be enjoying herself, I think that pulls you through things."
Lavish gifts
Queen Elizabeth II was an avid horse-lover, and it seems Mia is taking after the late monarch, as she started riding at the young age of two.
Mike revealed at the time: “She’s very playful, always outside and she goes riding every now and again.”
To encourage her hobby, her dedicated parents decided to splash out on an expensive gift for their daughter.
Speaking to Australian magazine Now To Love, Zara said: "Lena is in a little basket on the saddle, purely a passenger.
“But we just bought Mia a new pony called Magic."
Mike added that Mia goes out horse riding with her cousins Savannah and Isla Phillips.
He told Express: "I love that they have the opportunity of working with animals, being outside, all the traditions that you learn with treating an animal.
"Looking after your stuff, looking after the animals and learning good balance, all those skills you learn.
"But I think Mia will probably want to do her own thing anyway."
Best friends with Princess Charlotte
Mia clearly enjoys a strong bond with the Wales kids, and especially has a great relationship with Princess Charlotte, eight.
During the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the two royal girls were seen giggling and play-fighting through a window at Buckingham Palace.
Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte melted royal hearts giving Mia a bunch of flowers from a well-wisher on Christmas Day.
The Tindalls and Wales family have a tight-knit bond, and we previously saw Prince Willaim playfully chasing a young Mia at the Gloucester Festival polo match.
Down-to-earth upbringing with no title
Mia was born on January 17, 2014, at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital in Gloucester and is a grandchild of Princess Anne and the great grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth.
In 2018 her parents gave her a sibling, Lena Elizabeth Tindall, and in 2021 Mia became a big sister again with her brother's Lucas’ birth.
When Mia's mother Zara was born in 1981, her parents, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, declined to give her a title.
Since their parents did not receive a royal rank, Mia and her siblings were not able to inherit one.
‘Down-to-earth’ Mike and Zara are said to prefer nights at their local pub to posh banquets and even recently turned down a first class trip for economy seats on a trip from Nice to London.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond told Fabulous: "I have never met anyone who has a bad word to say about either Mike or Zara.
"They are so relatable and modern, and they are still madly in love with each other - and that is no mean achievement after 20 years of marriage and three kids!”
Sporty hobbies
In 2023 Zara revealed during an interview with Hello Magazine that Mia likes swimming.
She said: "Mia loves swimming.
"Of course, the climate allows you to be able to go swimming all day every day.
Read more on the Irish Sun
"When we first took her to Australia she was 11 months old; we kickstarted her love of water."
Mia has clearly inherited her parents' sporty genes, with mum Zara winning silver in an equestrian event at the 2021 London Olympics, and dad Mike being a former rugby player.