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The Prince of Wales has bonded with Mike Tindall because the former rugby player allows him to ‘vicariously’ enjoy fun activities now banned for him as the future King, a royal expert has claimed.
Prince William, 41, and former England rugby star Mike, 45, are known to have a close relationship, perhaps especially since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to the United States.
From abandoning royal protocol to hug William, to joking that he calls his wife’s cousin “One Pint Willy” because he’s “not the best drinker,” it’s clear that Mike has overcome royal rigidity, and the heir to the throne gives him loves.
speaking to The TelegraphRoyal biographer Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, said: Mike Tindall has the kind of sporting camaraderie that would especially appeal to William, who was once a wild child.
He added: “Mike becomes funnier under the influence of alcohol and can be totally scandalous. William can no longer do this because he is too conscious of his responsibilities. But he can live vicariously through Mike.
Prince William and Mike Tindall have developed a close bond, with William living “vicariously” through the former rugby star. The couple appears atop Royal Ascot in 2019.
Mike Tindall and Prince William demonstrate their close bond and share a warm hug at a charity polo match in 2017.
During his youth, the Prince of Wales was no stranger to parties.
After graduating from university in his early twenties, the young royal was often seen stumbling out of west London nightclubs including Boujis, Mahiki and Bunga Bunga.
Now, as king-in-waiting, different rules apply, and as of late William has been the epitome of prim and proper, and on the surface it may seem like they don’t have much in common.
William, heir to the throne and son of the Prince of Wales, was educated in Marlborough before completing his studies at St Andrews.
He also prefers football to rugby, which was very much his brother Harry’s sport.
Meanwhile, the banker’s son, Tindall, attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and became a professional rugby player for Bath at the age of 18.
Tindall also lives harder than his wife’s cousin. He has two convictions for drink-driving and was once dropped from the England team after a night of wild partying in New Zealand.
Even a whisper of such antics would be enough to cause serious trouble for the future King.
William opened up to Mike on his show The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby with the Princess of Wales and Princess Anne.
Former England rugby star Mike Tindall, 45, who is married to the King’s niece Zara, was pictured affectionately stroking ten-year-old Prince George’s hair after the service.
Princess Charlotte and Mia Tindall attend Christmas service at Sandringham
Prince Louis, five, sweetly held the hand of his second cousin Mia Tindall, nine, as he headed to St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk Estate.
However, they are both also hands-on parents and enjoy catching up at polo or the races, where they often greet each other warmly.
They have also been with their wives for almost 20 years: Tindall was 25 when he and Zara were introduced at the 2003 World Cup; William and Kate met at university and each have three children under the age of eight who get along very well.
The bond between their children was evident on Christmas Day when Prince Louis held his older cousin Mia’s hand on the way to church, while Charlotte was also seen chatting with her.
Meanwhile, MIke took on the role of “fun uncle”, playfully putting an arm around Prince George’s neck as they headed to church.
At the center of William and Mike’s friendship is William’s bond with his cousin Zara.
He and Harry grew up in Gloucestershire, just a few miles from where Zara and her brother Peter Phillips grew up.
The four royal cousins were often seen chatting and joking at royal events, with William previously revealing it was “hard to keep a straight face” when sitting opposite his cousins at church.
The bond between cousins is particularly close for members of the Royal Family, who may find it difficult to allow outsiders into their inner circle.
The closeness between the cousins is such that they are all part of a WhatsApp group where they exchange messages about upcoming events and family news.
Mike recently revealed his cheeky nickname for Prince William based on his alcohol tolerance: ‘One Pint Willy’. William is pictured above in 2020
“Me, my brother and then some members of Zara’s side, like her brother Pete (Phillips) and the cousins, are on WhatsApp groups,” Mike once revealed. “I wouldn’t say we’re ahead of the curve, but for some reason it’s easier on WhatsApp.”
He added on another occasion: “It’s just what you do to try to organize meetings and we go to something that is the same thing.”
‘If you’re going, (we discuss things like) “Are you taking the kids?” Many people have family WhatsApp groups.
William and Mike have been photographed as friends at several public engagements, and the former England rugby player has supported the royals at polo matches in the past.
They have also been willing to keep each other’s children. Mike was photographed carrying ten-year-old Prince George on his shoulders, while William carried nine-year-old Mia.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are regularly photographed with smiles on their faces when Mike is around. Pictured: Harry, Mike, Kate and William at an Easter Sunday service in 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joke around with Zara and Mike at Royal Ascot in 2017. William is said to appreciate Zara’s more carefree approach to life.
Zara and Mike also share Lena, five, and Lucas, two, while William and Kate are parents to Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four.
Mia and George seem to get along particularly well and have been seen performing together at royal events. Little Miss Tindall also tried to get George and Charlotte’s attention when the Cambridge children arrived for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Thanksgiving Service.
Although Zara and Mike have remained quiet about Megxit, their display with William yesterday suggests they have been a pillar of support for him and Kate in the wake of the royal family shake-up.
One royal commentator noted that Zara has been a “pillar of support” for William.
“William is quite serious by nature, he’s actually quite shy. Zara is a kind of comedic cousin that you can turn to to relieve the pressure of everything,” said Victoria Arbiter in the Channel 5 documentary, Zara & Anne: Like Mother Like Daughter. .
‘That friendship is so authentic that there are dozens of photos of William and Zara together over the years, laughing and joking.
‘There was a moment when Prince William held an umbrella over Zara, protecting her from the rain. I think he feels very protective of her and she feels equally protective of him.
He continued: “For William in particular, trust is everything, so when you have a cousin who understands what it’s like to be a member of the Royal Family, but doesn’t have the same pressures associated with it, it can be a tower of strength and support.
“It is Zara’s loyalty and total dedication to her family that has made her such a valuable resource to cousins who have had to endure the downside of real life.”