Prince William has long shared a close bond with his cousin, Zara Tindall, and now sources have claimed that she has become “the sister William never had”.
The pair are just one year apart in age, and have grown up together within the British royal family.
Amid the difficult times William and his wife Princess Catherine have recently faced, Zara has stepped up and become a steadfast and crucial member of the royal family.
While Catherine, Princess of Wales has taken a step back from public duties to receive treatment for cancer, Zara has been there for her cousin by attending official events and representing the crown, as well as providing emotional support behind the scenes.
Royal author Ingrid Seward told HELLO! that the Prince feels as though Zara is “the sister William never had.”
She added that, “They’ve always had terrific fun together and they’ve always supported each other.”
Most recently, Zara and her husband Mike Tindall helped William host a garden party at Buckingham Palace, along with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Peter Phillips.
At the time, one royal insider said that the cousins were “uniquely placed to understand how the royal family and the institution works, without having the titles and responsibilities themselves. “
“They can support William as cousins because they’ve been there all his life and understand the institution.”
Zara has a unique role within the royal family, as she experiences moments of both normalcy and royalty.
The daughter of Princess Anne was not given a royal title at birth, but she does still contribute greatly to the image and goings on of the monarchy.
“She has the best of both worlds,” Ingrid Seward shared. “She understands what royal life is like, but she can live her life as she chooses, without the pressure faced by more senior royals.”
Though it’s likely that we’ll see the former begin to take on more responsibility within the monarchy in the near future, she will still enjoy her own personal life too.
“She can support her family and be invited to family occasions and other events, but also continue to live her life and do what she wants,” a friend told HELLO!. “The two things can co-exist. Why would she want to change that?”
Over the years, Zara and William have remained extremely close, and the cousins often spend time together along with their spouses and children, who are around the same age as one another.
It’s believed they frequently have dinners together, as well as bond over their collective love of sports.