Mike Tindall joked that he knew Prince Harry “when he was fun” during an appearance at the Hay Festival, as he and podcast co-hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne made light of his royal connectionsRobin Cottle Assistant Editor Trendswatch and Emily Ferguson
12:57, 22 May 2026
Mike Tindall aimed a brutal swipe at Prince Harry(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Mike Tindall has quipped that he remembers Prince Harry “when he was fun” in a tongue-in-cheek remark about his wedding to the Duke’s cousin, Zara. Speaking with his podcast co-hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne, former rugby international Mike feigned astonishment that his ex-teammate Haskell hadn’t embarrassed himself at the ceremony.
“A lot of other people managed that way better than you – [like] Harry, when he was fun,” he quipped. The Duke of Sussex serves as godfather to Tindall’s second daughter, Lena.
Mike delivered the remark at the Hay Festival in Powys, where he and his co-hosts cracked several jokes about his royal connections.
Payne noted that the former England international had privileged access because “he’s got his own bedroom at Buckingham Palace”. In response, Mike jested: “Opposite end to Andrew, though.”
Mike Tindall made a joke about Prince Harry(Image: Getty)
He went on to reveal that he’d been advised to avoid any reference to the former prince, explaining: “Backstage, they were like, ‘It’s being recorded, maybe stay away from [the subject of] Andrew tonight?'” reports the Express.
In another wisecrack about the Royal Family, the former rugby star claimed taxpayers’ money had covered his corrective rhinoplasty surgery for his broken nose in 2018. “It’s got the royal warrant if you look inside it,” he remarked.
Payne suggested Mike’s royal links could help generate publicity for Richmond Rugby Club, where they have recorded a pilot for a television series.
Zara Tindall, Prince Harry and Mike Tindall(Image: Getty Images)
He continued: “We’ve got some amazing ideas – Amazon Prime are interested – if we can get it going. The Rolling Stones used to practise when they were 16 years old in the Richmond club house, and one of my ambitions is to get Mick Jagger back, because he lives in Richmond, to do a big gig at Richmond Athletic Ground, raise money and get the club back on the map.
“Tin[dall]’s obviously got good connections… we could have Catherine meeting the team, the Princess of Wales. These are all massive pipe dreams.”