United front: Zara is all smiles as she arrives in New Zealand 'to quash Mike Tindall's mystery blonde rumours'

By Nick Fagge and Richard Shears


Confident: Zara Phillips is all smiles at a charity event in Auckland today


Wearing a little black dress and a wide smile, Zara Phillips seemed not to have a care in the world as she appeared at a charity event in New Zealand today.

The Queen's granddaughter has reunited with England rugby captain Mike Tindall, who is currently training for a World Cup match against Romania on Saturday, after footage emerged of his antics with a mystery blonde just seven weeks into their marriage.

Zara confidently addressed the audience for the occasion, held by CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust, of which she is the international patron.

The Queen's granddaughter addressed the audience as the international patron of CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust


BBC sports correspondent Dan Roan broke the news that she would be flying in to New Zealand on Twitter yesterday afternoon.

He wrote: 'Dunedin Airport could be busier than normal on Friday. That's when Zara Philipps [sic] arrives to catch up with MrTindall - & there's no VIP exit'.

She's on the way: BBC News Sports Correspondent Dan Roan broke the news on Twitter


That tweet was closely followed by another: 'Hear Zara's already left - on her way to Australia -where she'll spend couple of days before arriving in Dunedin on Friday. Eng v Rom Sat'y'.

Zara has already gone some way towards brushing away infidelity rumours by winning first prize in an International three day horse trial in Ireland over the weekend.

But the strain the news had put on her was clear to see in early stages of the three-day event.

Things are looking up: Zara Phillips is shown receiving her 1st after winning the three-day eventing at the International Horse Trials in Ballindenisk, Co Cork (right), after looking glum earlier in the weekend (left)


The horse trials began after news broke that her 32-year-old husband had been caught on film ‘relaxing’ between games at the World Cup in New Zealand by kissing the pretty fan and cavorting with her at a bar in Queenstown a week ago.

In the film – captured by numerous CCTV cameras and publicised by a bouncer at the Altitude bar – the England captain can be seen hugging and manhandling the young woman as they down shots of vodka.

After she has pulled him down towards her chest and kissed the back of his head, he then drags her out through the exit, where they walk off out of shot, entwined in each other’s arms.

Suspicious behaviour: Tindall is shown being kissed on the head by the mystery blonde, who supposedly went to university with the rugby player ... even though he did not go to university

More antics: Tindall posing with another blonde, Janine Jeferis on a night out in Queenstown, New Zealand


Miss Phillips has so far declined to discuss the incident, but on Friday a source close to her attempted to play it down, saying the woman in the video was ‘a friend’ of the couple and had been to their July wedding.

‘She is a friend of both Mike and Zara and has known Mike since university days,’ the source said.

‘She is an English girl living in Australia who was at their wedding. Zara is very relaxed about this, and the whole thing has been blown out of all proportion.’

Yet the claim Tindall had known the girl ‘since university days’ is a little odd given that he did not actually attend university.

Newlyweds: Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips tied the knot seven weeks ago


Although he won a place at Durham to study psychology, he instead went straight from grammar school in Wakefield to become a professional rugby player, after being snapped up by the Bath squad.

Tindall’s father Phil, 64, said his son had told him the girl was ‘an old friend’.

He said from the family home in Yorkshire: ‘He says she was an old friend and that’s that. He is ignoring it and concentrating on his rugby. We didn’t speak about Zara at all. I don’t think she is upset or has anything to be distressed about.’

Day job: England captain Tindall is shown tackling an Argentina player at the World Cup, hours before he went out to 'relax'

He added: ‘I’ve seen the pictures and must say I don’t recognise the girl in the footage at all.’

Tindall’s defenders argue that as a lifetime rugby man, there was nothing unusual about his night out with team-mates in New Zealand.

It was a night out that involved posing for photographs with attractive girls, and also with dwarfs who had been hired to entertain bar customers in a ‘Midget Madness Weekend’.

England team manager Martin Johnson has said the players were simply ‘letting off steam’, but it emerged yesterday that not all onlookers at the bar were impressed by Tindall’s behaviour.

It was claimed on Sunday that as he manhandled the blonde outside the bar at 1.30am, an Australian male tourist who recognised the rugby player told him: ‘You’re married. Pull your head in mate’.

Good spirits: Tindall joking around with Jonny Wilkinson during a training session in Dunedin this morning


source:dailymail