Prince William, who is currently supporting his father King Charles and wife Kate, Princess Of Wales through their respective battles with cancer, has increased his Royal duties to alleviate the burden on his ailing family.

Despite a packed schedule of Royal engagements, paternal responsibilities, and charitable endeavours, Prince William finds solace in the support of his cousin Zara Tindall.

The two have shared a close bond since childhood, with an insider describing their relationship as akin to the “big sister William never had.”

Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne and her former husband Captain Mark Phillips, grew up alongside Prince William. They were often inseparable during their youth, frequently attending similar events together with their siblings Prince Harry and Peter Phillips.
However, following the devastating cancer news earlier this year that shook the Royal family, William found himself leaning on Zara more than ever. This support has been a “huge help” to the Prince during such a challenging period, reports the Express.

READ MORE: Real reason Zara and Mike Tindall are so important to Royal Family

An insider told Us Weekly, “[Zara is] also very close to Charles and has been a huge help to both him and William during his awful year,”.

Zara has become an ever-present figure at a host of high-profile events this Summer, endearing herself further to the public and alleviating some of the pressure from the smaller pool of working royals. The insider commented: “Zara has been a breath of fresh air. She’s loved by the public as she’s fun and unpretentious.”

Different from her cousin, neither Zara nor her brother Peter hold HRH titles, since their mother, Princess Anne, chose for them to lead as ordinary lives as possible. Nonetheless, Zara has carved out her own niche of celebrity, esteemed not just for her Royal connection but also as an award-winning equestrian who competed in the 2012 London Olympics.

Her husband, rugby star Mike Tindall, also has a strong connection with Prince William, with the two sharing a passion for sports and often bonding over it. They also share a similar sense of humour; Mike even disclosed his humorous nickname for William during an episode of BBC’s “Total Sports” podcast in December.

Mike shared with listeners: “The Prince of Wales is known to me as ‘One Pint Willy’ because he’s not the best of drinkers.”

He quipped: “[I am] coming from a sport where it is built on the social aspect and a couple of beers being sunk quite often. That is one I will definitely give away for the Prince of Wales. ‘One Pint Willy.’ It’s out there now. Sorry, sir! “.

Not only has sport played a role in their bonding, but just last month, Zara and Mike, along with their children, joined Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Taylor Swift’s Eras Concert in London!

Previously, William gave his approval for Mike to participate in the 2022 series of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, demonstrating a clear trust in the retired athlete not to inadvertently reveal any Royal secrets.