When one pictures tea time with the royals, visions of silver trays, crisp linen and delicate sandwiches come to mind. But for one man married into the Royal Family, the experience was quite different, as Princess Anne's son-in-law, Mike Tindall, and his podcast co-hosts revealed in their new book, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby — Unleashed.
The former England rugby star—who is married to Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter and Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips—shared an unexpected glimpse into the humble side of royal life during a visit to Windsor Castle to record his popular podcast last year.
Tindall sat down with co-hosts Alex Payne and James Haskell from The Good, The Bad & The Rugby along with Princess Anne, Prince William and Kate Middleton for the taping—but Haskell in particular was shocked over the decidedly un-royal spread.
"I expected big trays loaded with scones and exotic fruit tarts," the former rugby player wrote in the book (via the Telegraph), adding, "Instead, I got a couple of broken rich teas and what appeared to be a half-eaten malted milk—a leftover from a box of Family Circle biscuits."
Fortunately, Tindall's pal came prepared, sharing, "Luckily, I’d brought along an M&S sandwich, but when I started eating it, someone appeared and shooed me into a corridor. They’d been on red alert since our MD spilt coffee on what was probably a priceless Chippendale cabinet."
Questionable tea service aside, Tindall said it wasn't as difficult as one might think to adjust into his wife's famous family. "Believe it or not, marrying into the Royal Family was pretty easy for me. They were always nice to me, and I was always nice to them. Simple really," he wrote in the book.
While Mike and his wife, Zara, aren't official working royals, former royal butler Paul Burrell tells Marie Claire that the low-key duo could be just like what the Royal Family needs to connect with the public.
Calling the podcaster "a no nonsense, common sense guy who speaks his mind," Burrell, who served Princess Diana for years as well as Queen Elizabeth, says the Tindalls are a particular favorite of The King.
"Even though he has appeared on television in his own right as a celebrity, I think he's been totally discreet," Burrell adds of Mike, who appeared on reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here. "He's never let the family down." Unlike Windsor Castle's tea service, apparently.
