Mike Tindall has shared a touching tribute to the late Prince Philip, featuring a heartwarming photo of his daughter Mia with her great-grandfather.
The former rugby star, who joined the Royal Family after marrying Zara Phillips in 2011, offers an intimate glimpse into his life within the Firm in his new book, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby – Unleashed.
Despite acknowledging the “a lot of drama surrounding the royal family”, Mike insists that Zara’s relatives are just like any other family. He refers to a cherished photo, previously posted on his Instagram, showing Mia and Prince Philip enjoying time together in a royal garden.
Believed to have been taken during a family holiday in Scotland before Philip’s passing in April 2021, Mike writes: “There’s a great picture of my daughter Mia sitting with the Duke of Edinburgh that captures exactly what those afternoons were like: members of a very close family who loved each other dearly spending precious time together.
“Yes, there’s a lot of drama surrounding the royal family, but they aren’t much different to anyone else underneath it all.”
A tender photograph has surfaced, showing Prince Philip enjoying a meal with his great-granddaughter Mia, now aged 10, on the deck of a rustic cabin believed to be located in Scotland. Beside their plates, two beverages are captured, set on the table amidst the natural beauty.
Mike Tindall, a father of three with Zara, shares that family meals reveal the ordinary aspect of the Royal Family’s life. He remarks: “Lunches were also relaxed, especially up in Scotland, where lunch would often be heading out into the open space of the Scottish Highlands for a picnic.”
Mike further comments on the Queen’s informal side: “I’m sometimes asked if the Queen did informality like ‘normal’ people, and the answer to that is yes. Her life wasn’t like an episode of Downton Abbey, with meals on long tables and everyone dressed in their finery every night, and Zara and I would often watch the racing with her on TV, as I’m sure lots of people reading this have done with their gran.”
One section of ‘The Good, The Bad and The Rugby – Unleashed’ delves into royalty. The remainder of the book spans Mike’s professional rugby career, which lasted around 20 years, including his 75 appearances for England from 2000 to 2011.
It was during his sporting career that he met Princess Anne’s daughter Zara in Australia; the couple announced their engagement in 2010 and married in 2011. Together, they have welcomed three children: Mia, Lena, who is six, and Lucas, who is three years old.
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