Mike Tindall Parents: How Parkinson’s Affected Their Lives!

Mike Tindall is a man with a regret. The former English Rugby union superstar player married to Zara Phillips, daughter of Captain Mark Phillips and Princess Royal, Anne – in an emotional moment, revealed that he was ‘fairly blase’ about his father’s Parkinson’s disease. He ignored the fact that his father was suffering from ‘small cramped writing’ one of the earliest signs of this degenerative condition. Now that he is ready to talk and raise awareness about the same, netizens seem to want to know more about Mike Tindall parents, their health issues, the reasons for his nonchalant attitude, and more. 

If you, too, are one of those and have questions – then this post has all your answers and more! Spare a couple of minutes, and scroll down to get the details you are looking for – 

Who are Mike Tindall parents? 

Image Credit: David Hartley/ Shutterstock

For the unaware, Tindall’s parents are – Philip Tindall, who retired as a Barclays banker, and Linda Tindall (nee Shepherd), a social worker, are notable residents of the UK with Royal connections. Philip had his first brush with Parkinson’s in 2003, the same year that Mike won the World Cup. 

However, it was only in 2005 that the family was informed formally about this degenerative illness and that the ‘twinges’ were more than mere nerve stretches. Since then, Linda has been the primary caregiver for the family. 

For the record, the prominent signs of Parkinson’s affecting Philip Tindall were first visible at Mike and Zara’s wedding ceremony (2011) in Edinburgh. Only then did one and many realize how difficult the situation was and to what extent it affected his body. 

That is just the basics to start with. You may wish to know why, after so many years, suddenly, this news has come to the forefront. We will disclose the reason to you – 

Why are they in the news suddenly? 

Image Credit: Jay Williams

Getting back to your query as to why and how Mike Tindall parents are in the news – the reason is that it is only recently that their son, the famed Rugby player Mike Tindall, confessed to not understanding the repercussions of this illness and not forcing his parents to take more care for the same. Added to it was the fact that since 2011, the Tindall’s have been part of the extended British Monarchy (Mike Tindall is the royal son-in-law), a key reason for this information capturing the headlines. 

In a conversation with BBC Breakfast, he stated – “I didn’t really understand the process of how it deteriorated …that’s the sort of one of the things I regret.’’ He further went ahead to state that, his parents have had it ‘tough’ since the COVID-19 pandemic, as they were part of the ‘vulnerable list’ and were under strict and complete isolation. 

While his father has been in immense pain for the ‘last five years…or more’ and had a ‘curved’ spine due to this issue, it was his mother – Linda, who has had to give up on a lot. From her career to her life to mental peace and sociability, Linda Tindall gave it all up for her husband. To date, she refuses to get help as she is the typical ‘Northern Stoic Lady’ who believes in caring for the family and being reserved and resilient in the face of all adversities. 

Though apparently, Mike’s conversation was about how Parkinson’s changed the course of the couple’s lives, it also brought to the forefront the strength and resilience that Mike Tindall’s parents had. For the non-believers, this could be taken as the bedrock of true companionship.

Why did the family not take action beforehand?

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Having understood the cause as to why – Mike Tindall parents are in the news, and Tindall has been expressing regret, you may ask – why did the family not take action beforehand? In Tindall’s own words – he did not ‘understand’ the gravity of the situation and how it all changed when, finally, the severity of it all drew upon him. 

He sincerely regrets and wishes that if he had taken stock of the situation earlier, his parents would probably have been in a better scenario. He also noted how his mother, despite all the challenges, has been standing rock solid, and his father is in a comparatively better position – physically than many. 

In the meantime, he also praised his wife Zara Phillips, a royal descendant, about ‘getting’ (understanding) and being considerate of his father’s Parkinson’s and his mother’s struggles as his carer. In his words – “She sorts of gets it…finding out more about new drugs…’’ 

This statement and the way the couple has been spending significant time in Yorkshire, England, shows the strong ties between Mike Tindall parents and their daughter-in-law, of Royal origin, a feat only few can achieve. 

So, now the question is – what is Mike Tindall doing to ensure that his parents can live better? Also, is he contributing in any way towards promoting awareness about this disease? Albeit, he is. Let us tell you how – 

Is Mike Tindall doing anything regarding this? 

Image Credit: Cure Parkinson’s Trust

For starters, he has spoken about Parkinson’s and highlighted certain facts associated with it in a video conference with the Duchess of Gloucester on the occasion of World Parkinson’s Day (April 11). That’s not all! To ensure that the issues that Mike Tindall parents faced, or the lack of awareness that he had, are not faced by others, he has gone ahead and decided to spread awareness about the same. Let us see how – 

• Mike Tindall is a patron of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust – a charity that raises funds for medical research on this degenerative disease. He has been associated with this organization since 2018. 
• When the world was reeling under the effects of the pandemic in the early summer of 2020, Tindall, as part of The Cure Parkinson’s Trust, hit the roads under the Raid Local Event (he cycled to complete a distance of 85 miles uphill). He managed to collect $1 million through this endeavour, which has gone to treating Parkinson’s patients and aiding their families. He is looking to organize more competitions like this. 
• He has also been part of the Run For Heroes challenge to support the UK’s National Health Service workers. 
• As a philanthropist, he also partakes in several charitable institutions for multiple causes. 

Clearly, as a man with regret, he is doing all that he can to ensure that the issues that he faced with his father are not faced by others due to a lack of correct knowledge and proper training. 

A couple of quickies on Mike Tindall parents

Image Credit: HELLO! Magazine

Before you switch tabs to check out more about Tindall’s charitable organizations and his connection with the British Royal family, here are some quickies about his parents that you cannot miss! 

• Do you know that Mike’s mother, Linda Tindall is over 70 years of age and yet standing strong as her husband’s caretaker? She refuses to seek professional help as she is a lady who firmly believes in ‘not giving her man up’. Though she has not been able to leave the house post-pandemic due to certain restrictions, she does manage to hold it up for her family – a truly remarkable feat! 
• Are you aware that Mike Tindall parents initially were sceptical about the couple, thanks to Zara’s Royal connections? However they, with time, started liking her, and now they share a great bond (an interview with Sunday Times Magazine in 2020 confirms the same). But Linda’s mother had strongly shunned her grandson’s choice of bride and was in no mood to accept the wedding. Later, she passed away before meeting Zara personally. 
• Also, the Tindall’s and the Royal family are each other’s favourites. Phillip Tindall, back during the wedding, went to state how Zara’s family was ‘just lovely’ and next-door ‘Joes’ with no royal airs about them. Linda agreed to the same. 

A quick idea about Parkinson’s and its symptoms 

Now, as we quickly round up this discussion, let us give you a quick idea of Parkinson’s and how it can affect your regular working. For the record, over 10 million people globally are living with this condition (last checked – 145,000 in the UK are suffering from it). According to Mike, “It’s a nightmare disease…there are over 40 symptoms…” which, if not diagnosed on time, could lead to something far more severe. 

As a brain disorder that causes unintended movements and affects the balance and coordination of the body of the concerned person, its key symptoms are – tremors, restless leg syndrome, pain, losing a sense of smell, and sudden urination, which extends to symptoms of depression in due course of time. In fact, with time, it takes a toll on the families – quite like Mike Tindall parents, who have not been seen socially for quite some time now. A scary thought for any family. 

Final thoughts 

Assuming you have been reading through how Mike Tindall parents solo fight with Parkinson’s has led the one-time Rugby superstar to regret his past actions and reform himself for the better. This piece quite acts like a mirror, showing how fewer individuals are aware of such degenerative illnesses and how, as a community, we need to know more. If you have any such story or info about this disease, then do share it here. Till then, keep following the website for more! 

About The Author

MonalisaMukherjee

Monalisa Mukherjee is a content writer, copywriter and editor with 4 years of experience. She has written for websites like Biography Talk, The Rich Net Worth, Contour Cafe, He And She Fitness and Fiction Pad. She is currently associated with a noted Digital Marketing Agency and specialises in writing press release, guest posts, articles on travel, entertainment, food recipes, celebs, lifestyle, tech, health, and fashion.

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