Princess Anne is held in high esteem within the Royal Family, even earning a highly formal moniker from her closest relatives.
Mike Tindall has skilfully navigated the potential pitfalls that can come with dealing with one’s mother-in-law when he became part of the royals after his marriage to Zara in 2011.
Tindall shared with television presenter Susanna Reid that in his interactions with Princess Anne, he maintains formality by addressing her as “Ma’am.”
During an appearance on ITV’s Good Morning Britain alongside fellow former rugby player James Haskell to discuss their podcast ‘The Good, The Bad and The Rugby,’ Mike revealed this detail.
He took the opportunity to express gratitude for having the opportunity to host Princess Anne, Prince William, and Princess Kate, who each support Scottish, English and Welsh rugby respectively, praising them as “amazing guests.”
He underlined the value of the interviews by saying, “Rugby has been going through a tough time and we wanted to showcase why it brings people together from all backgrounds, it’s such an inclusive sport, but it also creates great human beings.”
Mike Tindall shared a personal glimpse into the Royal Family’s connection with sports, highlighting his mother-in-law Princess Anne’s long-standing patronage of the Scottish Rugby Union, reports the Mirror.
He explained: “It was more important to showcase why they like sport, why Princess Anne has been a patron for 37 years and why she loves the characters in the game. It accepts all fans and they come from all sides.”
Delving further into Royal life beyond public duties, Mike revealed in his book that the late Queen Elizabeth II’s private life wasn’t as formal as one might expect, noting: “Her life wasn’t like an episode of ‘Downton Abbey’, with meals on long tables and everyone dressed in their finery every night.”
Mike, who proposed to his wife Zara in December 2010 after a decade of dating, now shares three children with her – Mia, 10, Lena, six, and Lucas, aged three.
Despite having no official titles or financial support from the Crown, the couple’s net worth is estimated at around £30 million, as reported by Hello! Magazine.
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