Mike Tindall Says "Pretending to Punch" Prince Harry Got Him into a Ton of Trouble
"Loads of trolls went in on Mike, especially about him wanting to hit a young, defenseless Harry."

Former rugby player Mike Tindall is married to Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, so he has a plethora of hilarious Royal Family stories. In new book, The Good, the Bad & the Rugby—Unleashed, co-written with fellow rugby players Alex Payne and James Haskell, it's revealed what happened when Tindall fake punched Prince Harry.
Revisiting the story, Haskell explained (via the Express), "[Mike] even got into a bit of trouble when he appeared on a live version of [British TV show] A Question of Sport: he told a story about him and Iain Balshaw pretending to punch Prince Harry at a post-World Cup final party in 2003 and joked that the Royal Family wanted to fill him in for real."
He continued, "I say trouble but it was a bit of a minor kerfuffle... It did come back into public consciousness when... [royal commentator] Omid Scobie started sticking up for Harry and Meghan, and loads of trolls went in on [Mike], especially about him wanting to fill in a young, defenseless Harry."
Prince Harry, Mike Tindall, and Princess Anne in 2016.
Gaskell continued, "All context, sarcasm and humor lost, when things are taken out of the zone they were meant to be in. To be fair to [Mike] he gives zero f***s about stuff like that, but it's very annoying for him."
Meanwhile, in an excerpt from the book published by the Daily Mail, Tindall revealed that there is an uncut version of a podcast episode he recorded with Kate Middleton and Prince William.
Discussing the Prince and Princess of Wales' appearance on the show, Tindall wrote, "They came across as down-to-earth, fully engaged, funny and knowledgeable." He continued, "It was a far more enlightening chat than I expected, not because I thought they’d be dull (I already knew that they weren’t) but because I know how everything to do with the royal family is so carefully controlled."
Teasing the uncut episode, Tindall wrote, "I think the podcast humanized them a little bit, and I kind of wish they’d let us put the uncut version out, because it would have blown the public away."
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.
-
Princess Diana's Niece Amelia Spencer Reveals Secret Fifth Bridal Outfit
Royal (adjacent) wedding goals, period.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meet the Model-Off-Duty Hairstyle That Doubles as a Faux Face Lift
Jawline? Snatched.
By Emma Aerin Becker Published
-
Hailey Bieber's Sugar Cookie Pedicure Is Almost Too Sweet
The beauty founder is tapping back into a milky white nail trend.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
How Meghan Markle Included a Sentimental Nod to Prince Harry—and Queen Elizabeth—in the Logo for As Ever
The design is full of meaning.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
All the Details on Princess Kate and Prince William's Seriously Luxe Mustique Vacation
From a $42k villa with a private butler to a celebrity-fave bar, the Waleses are enjoying some fun in the sun.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meghan Markle Launches Her 'As Ever' Era in a White Button-Down Shirt and Classic Jeans
The big announcement was a return to basics.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
How Meghan Markle Included Princess Lilibet—and Their Stunning Backyard—in Her New Brand, As Ever
The rarely-seen toddler shared in the excitement for her mom's As Ever brand launch announcement.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
The Deeper Meaning Behind Meghan Markle's Reimagined Brand, As Ever
"This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language," the Duchess of Sussex wrote on Instagram.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Meghan Markle Paid Tribute to Her Friend's Late Son and His Twin With a Touching New Heart Necklace
She wore the gorgeous red pendant in the announcement video for her new brand, As Ever.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Kate "Put Her Foot Down" and Refused to Let George, Charlotte, and Louis Take Part in "Blooding" Tradition
The Princess of Wales is raising her kids on her own terms.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince Harry Reportedly Had a Safety Scare at the Invictus Games and Was Forced to Leave an Event Early
The Duke of Sussex was apparently "ushered out" by his security team.
By Amy Mackelden Published