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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

William refuses to back Mike Tindall to win I'm A Celeb and admits it's 'tricky'

The Prince of Wales has refused to back his relative Mike Tindall to win I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here after being quizzed about the show today.

William found himself hugged, posing for selfies and was even grilled about who he wanted to win the hit ITV show during a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire today.

Former rugby player Mike is married to Zara Tindall, a cousin of William's, while the prince is also known to have a close bond with fellow contestant Jill Scott, an England Lioness.

While at the base, he opened their new boxing club, where he met RAF personnel involved in the sport and chatted with Corporal Rachael Howes.

Prince William on a visit to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire today (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Mike Tindall is married to William's cousin Zara Tindall (James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Cpl Howes, who plays in the Coningsby's women's team, put the prince on the spot about the reality show I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! when she said: "I asked him who he wanted to win, Lioness Jill Scott or his relative Mike Tindall."

The prince smiled and was overheard saying: "That’s a tricky one," but diplomatically did not pick a winner.

However elsewhere he granted the request of a little boy and gave him a hug, and promised to put his picture on the royal fridge.

Mike with wife Zara and Prince William and Kate at Royal Ascot in 2019 (REX)

The future king chatted to a group of military families from the base and when three-year-old Blake Fearnley presented him with a picture of Mickey Mouse, his mother Laura Fearnley, 33, said the royal took it and said "he would put it on his fridge".

Mrs Fearnley said about her son: "He walked off and then Blake decided he wanted to ask William for a cuddle so he followed him and said 'please William may I have a cuddle' and he did."

William hugs a little boy while meeting RAF families today (Rui Vieira/AP/REX/Shutterstock)
William greets the youngsters who had come out to see him (Rui Vieira/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

William found himself talking football with twins Abi and Steph Boland, who were left ecstatic when he posed for a video selfie with the 10-year-olds, fans of the prince's beloved Aston Villa team.

Steph Boland said: "He said we’ve got a good team and we'll 'have it' next season."

William visited the base in his role as Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coningsby.

William officially opens the new boxing club during a visit to RAF Coningsby (PA)
William is Honorary Air Commandant of RAF Coningsby (Getty Images)

Earlier, he was given a glimpse of the future when he donned a pair of virtually reality goggles being designed to improve fighter jet maintenance.

The prince was show an array of innovative products under development to help technicians keep the planes airworthy at RAF Coningsby.

In a huge hanger used to maintain Typhoon jets used by two squadrons based at Coningsby, the future king chatted to RAF technicians and their BAE Systems counterparts.

The prince talks to BAE Systems apprentice Charlotte and Typhoon delivery director Martin Topping in the BAE Systems Typhoon Maintenance Facility (PA)
The prince tries out a Virtual Reality headset (PA)

William laughed as he turned down the opportunity to wear an exoskeleton that can help ground crew with repetitive and tiring tasks, but put on the goggles.

He said: "It’s weird" as he prodded a damaged cylindrical shape in cyber space, representing a mock section of fuselage, then added "very clever".

During the visit, the future king also toured the base’s Air Traffic Control Centre and learnt about "Project Marshall", a multibillion- pound equipment upgrade programme to enhance the RAF’s air traffic services across Lincolnshire.

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