Mike Tindall recently shared a cheeky comment about Prince Harry, joking that he knew the Duke of Sussex “when he was fun.” The former England rugby star made the remark while recalling his wedding to Princess Anne’s daughter, Zara, back in 2011 during a conversation at the Hay Festival.
During the discussion with fellow rugby player James Haskell and TV presenter Alex Payne—the co-hosts of The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby podcast—Tindall humorously expressed surprise that Haskell had not embarrassed himself at the royal wedding. “A lot of other people managed that way better than you – [like] Harry, when he was fun,” Tindall quipped.
Prince Harry, godfather to Tindall’s second daughter Lena, once shared a close friendship with Mike and Zara, though reports suggest the relationship has cooled since the Sussexes relocated to Montecito, California.
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At the Powys-based arts and literature festival, Tindall also poked fun at his wife’s uncle, Prince Andrew, adding a lighthearted edge to the conversation. When Payne speculated Tindall was so close to the Royals he had “got his own bedroom at Buckingham Palace,” Tindall cheekily replied, “Opposite end to Andrew, though.” He then hinted at the sensitivity of discussing Prince Andrew, noting discreet backstage warnings to steer clear of that topic on air.
Throughout the evening, royal connections were a recurring humorous theme. Haskell took a playful jab at Tindall’s 2018 rhinoplasty following a broken nose, teasing that the surgery was covered by taxpayers' money and carried a “royal warrant” on the inside.
Beyond jokes, Tindall and his co-hosts revealed plans for a TV series documenting their attempt to manage Richmond Rugby Club in southwest London. They compared the series’ concept to popular shows like Welcome to Wrexham and Clarkson’s Farm, aiming to bring fresh attention to the club through Tindall’s royal contacts. Payne mentioned Amazon Prime Video has shown interest in the project.
Adding to the club’s lore, Payne revealed that The Rolling Stones once practiced at Richmond’s clubhouse as teenagers, with Mick Jagger still living nearby. Payne joked that one day the Stones might perform at Richmond, and perhaps even Princess Catherine could meet the players—though he admitted this was a “massive pipe dream.” Notably, the Princess of Wales is a known rugby enthusiast and official patron of both the Rugby Football Union and Rugby Football League.