Modern rugby stars now have the means to make a mint, but there’s one particular icon who has blown up his net worth after marrying into royalty
Tom Sunderland Sports Writer
18:00, 06 Feb 2026
Former England centre Mike Tindall may just be the wealthiest person to have represented his country(Image: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
The 2026 Six Nations will be a who’s who showcasing some of the biggest and most valuable rugby stars on the planet. However, even the wealthiest player today may have a job on their hands in matching the sport’s standard-bearer.
That honour goes to none other than Mike Tindall, who benefits from the fact he partnered up with a member of the Royal Family. Former England centre Tindall met Zara Phillips (the late Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughter) at the 2003 Rugby World Cup just as Mike was on his way to clinching an iconic championship.
The happy couple became engaged in 2010 and were wed the following year. As a result, Tindall’s status changed overnight as he became a more intimate part of one of the most powerful families on the planet.
And with that comes certain benefits, not least of which is the fiscal. Through his marriage to the daughter of Princess Anne, Tindall is now part of a couple estimated to have a net worth of around £30million, according to Ruck.co.uk.
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His wife of almost 15 years is believed to be responsible for the lion’s share of that figure. While ex-Bath and Gloucester centre Mike built his own legacy in rugby, Zara boasts her own athletic history and was once a major figure in equestrian.
Phillips was once crowned as world and European champion in individual eventing, not to mention being part of the Great Britain team that claimed silver at the London 2012 Olympics. She has since been appointed a director at Cheltenham racecourse and has held lucrative sponsorship deals with the likes of Rolex, Land Rover and Musto in the past.
Mike and Zara Tindall have been married since July 2011(Image: Getty Images)
That’s without factoring in the considerable sums she’ll have access to as a result of her lineage. And while the precise sums stemming from that heritage remain unclear, it’s safe to assume the numbers are big.
But back to Mike. By being a part of the 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, Tindall and other former team-mates have become regular on the after-dinner speaking circuit and received a wealth of opportunities many peers perhaps did not.
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The retired midfielder is a regular on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast. From this, he has also co-founded Blackeye Gin with fellow podcast hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne.
Tindall, 47, has also done the television rounds since hanging up his boots. He’s featured on reality shows like The Jump, Bear Grylls: Mission to Survive and I’m A Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here, for which he was paid £150,000 alone.
Tindal (back row) has grown accustomed to rubbing elbows with royalty over the years(Image: Shaun Curry/PA Wire)
GB News reported in 2023 that Tindall’s company, Kimble Trading Limited, saw its wealth double to nearly £1m following his I’m A Celeb appearance. In addition to all that, he’s also held brand endorsements with the likes of Pueris CBD, Domino’s, Amazon Prime and online trading platform UFXMarkets.
Some of the wealthiest current rugby stars include Siya Kolisi (estimated net worth of £14m) and England captain Maro Itoje (£5m). However, there aren’t many who are believed the rival the eye-watering worth of Tindall and his better half.