He was born in Otley, Leeds in 1978, and is the son of Philip – a banker – and Linda, a social worker. He was educated at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar school in Wakefield and worked in a fish and chip van to earn money while he was studying.
With rugby in his blood – his dad captained Otley and his three uncles also played for the team – he began playing the sport age of seven at school.
When he turned 18, Mike was snapped up by England Schools and went on a seven-week tour of Australia. Returning exhilarated and exhausted, the sports star decided to defer his place to study at Durham University for a year to take up the offer of a place in Bath’s rugby squad. He never did make it to Durham.
His career took off and two years later he proudly made his debut in the England team, soon becoming a regular fixture at both club and international levels.
Mike’s busy schedule didn’t leave much time for girls, but one, in particular, was worth the effort – Zara Phillips. There was an instant attraction when the pair met in Sydney on November 22, 2003 – the night England beat Australia and won the rugby World Cup.
The rugby player was given an MBE on 31 December 2003, which was awarded after the 2003 World Cup win. He was then made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2007 for his contribution to rugby.
Mike tied the knot to Zara, daughter of Princess Anne and granddaughter of the late Queen, in July 2011 with Mike quickly becoming an integral part of the royal family.
Speaking of his royal debut, the dad-of-three credited the Queen for making him feel particularly welcome. He told The Telegraph: “I can only say how kind they’ve been to me, and how welcoming they’ve been to me since joining the family. And how they’ve made my family welcome.
“I’ve always felt part of it and I think that’s down to what an amazing woman the Queen is. They’re a fantastic family.”
