Zara Tindall confirms departure from the UK after Christmas

Zara Tindall is preparing to leave the UK just days after Christmas as she heads to Australia for one of her most established sporting commitments of the year.

The daughter of Princess Anne is set to travel with her husband Mike Tindall to Queensland, where they will once again attend the prestigious Magic Millions Polo event on the Gold Coast.

The annual trip has become a firm fixture in the Tindalls’ calendar, with Zara serving as an ambassador for the tournament since 2012.

This year, Zara will be joined in her ambassadorial role by Argentine polo star Nacho Figueras and his wife Delfina Blaquier. Nacho is a close friend of Prince Harry, with the pair recently spotted playing polo together at a charity event in Aspen, Colorado.

Zara is also expected to take part in the charity match itself, where she will compete against Nacho during the 2026 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping Day.

Australia holds deep personal significance for Zara and Mike, who have often referred to it as their “home away from home.”

Speaking previously to Hello! magazine, Zara explained how the country has become a second base for the family after years of regular visits.

“We have always loved Australia, and it is like a home from home for us,” she said. “We have been coming to Queensland for so long now it has become a tradition for the start of the year.”

The couple’s connection to Australia dates back more than two decades. They famously met in 2003 in a Sydney bar while Mike had been dropped from England’s Rugby World Cup squad and Zara was travelling during a gap year.

Before heading there, Zara and Mike have been enjoying a festive family break in Europe. The couple recently took their three children, Mia, Lena and Luca, on a ski holiday to Austria, staying in the resort of Saint Anton.