Mike Tindall, former England rugby star and husband to Princess Anne’s daughter Zara, has shared the heartbreaking news of his father’s passing.
Phil Tindall, who battled Parkinson’s disease for over two decades, died last week at the age of 79. The announcement was made on Mike’s podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, co-hosted with James Haskell and Alex Payne.
During the final minutes of the latest episode, Payne introduced a segment on fathers, prompting Mike to reveal the sad news. “Unfortunately, my dad passed away last week,” he said solemnly.
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Phil was a cherished figure in the rugby community, having captained Otley Rugby Club in West Yorkshire during the 1972 and 1973 seasons. In tribute, the club held a minute’s silence before their recent match against Chester.
Mike expressed his gratitude to the club, sharing, “Big shout-out to Otley Rugby Club. They played Chester at the weekend and held a minute’s silence for my dad, who was captain in ’72 and ’73. I was able to watch the moment thanks to someone who recorded it and sent it to me. They also included a heartfelt message about him in the match programme, which I read. Thank you very much to Otley Rugby Club for that.”
Reflecting on his father’s earlier years, Mike shared a poignant memory: “He got married in 1969 but broke his leg the week before. He went down the aisle in a cast – it all went wrong at the worst time. He had to retire from rugby at just 27.”
Phil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003, the same year Mike was part of the England team that won the Rugby World Cup in Australia. Since 2018, Mike has been a patron of Cure Parkinson’s, dedicating efforts to raising awareness and funds for research into the disease.
Mike’s tribute highlights a father-son bond deeply rooted in rugby and resilience amid adversity.