Mike Tindall Debunks Misconception About Marrying a Royal: 'You Need a Job'

Princess Anne's son-in-law is not the only family member with a private professional career

Mike Tindall says there was still hard work ahead after his royal wedding to Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Tindall.

The former professional rugby player married Princess Anne’s daughter in 2011 and spoke about the challenges of carving a career path for himself after retiring a few years later in the new documentary Grand Slammers. The ITV1 & ITVX series series follows nine members of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup-winning squad, including Mike, as they train a group of inmates at a men’s prison to compete against a team of Australian ex-pat rugby players. Part one debuted on Wednesday, and the documentary’s release coincides with the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

According to Hello! magazine, Mike was honest about what life was like after tying the knot with Zara. While Princess Anne opted not to give her daughter and son, Peter Phillips, royal titles at birth, they were raised in the royal spotlight and have frequented family events — which double as highlights on the royal calendar! — like Trooping the Colour and Christmas at Sandringham since childhood. Zara and Peter have continued tradition as their families expanded, and their spouses and children are now part of the special occasions.

Related: Zara Tindall's Son Lucas Is Her Husband Mike's Mini-Me on Sidelines of Her Riding Competition

"Everyone thinks that just by marrying Zara that means it's all fine and dandy… But that doesn't stop the fact that you need a job. And it's not that easy, you know — you get quite institutionalized into rugby, it's a way of life and you leave the game and that's not there,” the 44-year-old said, according to Hello!

"I don't think you can ever sort of describe when you're so used to being around that many people, and understanding, because of it being ingrained in you, where you fit in to then not being that person,” he continued. “Zara would say if she was honest it was probably a year it took me to figure out what I was, who I was going to be. You've got to then go carve where the next path is — you can never replace going to work with 35 of your best friends every day.”

Mike retired from professional rugby in 2014 following a 17-year career, and his wife continues to pursue her professional equestrian career. Exclusively speaking to PEOPLE at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event before King Charles’ coronation day in May, Zara said her happiest family memories around horses are all about that bond. A love of horses has run in the royal family for generations, and their late matriarch Queen Elizabeth was a great horsewoman like her only daughter and eldest granddaughter.

"I think just the passion and love for horses that's been passed down through our family. We're very lucky to have them in our lives. Being able to do it every day is incredible and it's such an amazing sport," Zara, 42, told PEOPLE. "Any equestrian sport, that partnership between the horse and rider, or an owner and the horse is, it's incredible. We're very lucky to work with horses."

As Zara continues competing (where her husband and their kids Mia, 9, Lena, 5, and Lucas, 2 often support her at horse shows), Mike has turned his talents to charity work and media appearances, which are often rugby-related.

Related: Meet the British Royal Family: A Complete Guide to the Modern Monarchy

He launched the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby with James Haskell and Alex Payne in 2020, and the trio recently took the show to Windsor Castle! In a special episode released Sept. 9 and timed to the start of the Rugby World Cup, the co-hosts interviewed Kate Middleton, Prince William and Princess Anne.

The chat was truly a family affair — Prince William, Princess Kate and Princess Anne are the patrons of the Welsh Rugby Union, Rugby Football Union (of England) and Scottish Rugby Union, respectively — and at one point, Mike shared a little about Kate's personality behind the scenes.

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"I'm not going to say you're uber competitive," he said before pausing to give a nod indicating that she really was.

Princess Kate replied coyly, "I'm not competitive at all."

"I've seen her play beer pong!" Mike joked.

The retired rugby star isn't the only royal spouse with a private professional career, either. Princess Beatrice works as the Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti while her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, is a luxury property developer. Meanwhile, Princess Eugenie is a director at the art gallery Hauser & Wirth, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, previously worked as a brand manager for George Clooney's Casamigos Tequila before transitioning to a new position partly based in Portugal.

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