Mike Tindall reveals what sleepovers at Buckingham Palace are really like

25 November 2022, 16:43

Mike Tindall talks about staying at Buckingham Palace

The ex-England rugby ace was quizzed over breakfast dress codes and royal bedrooms.

I'm A Celebrity's Mike Tindall has revealed what it's really like to spend the night at Buckingham Palace.

The former rugby ace, 44, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara Tindall, gave his campmates an insight into staying over at the royal residence after he was quizzed around the campfire.

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As the son-in-law of the Princess Royal, it's no surprise the ex-sports star confessed he had slept over at the grand London dwelling "more than most".

So when probed about etiquette inside the palace, he shocked his telly co-stars by sharing family secrets including the limited living quarters and the breakfast dress code.

Mike Tindall married the late Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter Zara in 2011. Picture: Getty

Hollyoaks actor Owen Warner asked Mike: "What's it like there?"

To which the sportsman explained: "A lot of it's all the state rooms and there's only a little bit of living."

Owen continued: “In the morning, could you go down in your joggers and T-shirt, or did you have to get dressed up again?"

To which Mike explained: "No, jeans and a tee."

"I thought you had to be suited and booted!" the actor exclaimed.

Before the soap star continued with his line of questioning, he checked with Mike to see if he was comfortable talking about his wife's famous family.

The father-of-three, who became an extended member of the royals following his wedding in 2011, reassured him, saying: "No, I don't mind."

The rugby ace revealed he stayed at Buckingham Palace "more than most". Picture: Getty

The duo continued their conversation, with Owen asking the ex-England captain if he knew his wife was a member of the Royal Family when they met.

"Yeah, because I know she’s Princess Anne’s daughter. Princess Anne is patron of Scottish Rugby," he clarified.

Mike also revealed that he didn't feel nervous when he first met Zara as he already had pre-existing relationships with certain family members.

When Owen asked if he felt "pressure", the rugby star replied: "No, because we were friends first and then William and Harry were massive England fans at the time, so we’d met them numerous times."

"[I] met more of the family than you’d normally have met of the woman you start dating," he added.

Watch Mike Tindall open up about his relationship with Prince William and Prince Harry here:

Mike Tindall chats about Prince William and Prince Harry on I'm A Celebrity

This isn't the first time Mike has spoken candidly about life among the Royal Family.

He jokingly told comedians Seann Walsh and Babatunde Aléshé that he accidentally split his trousers while dancing with Princess Anne at Zara's 30th birthday, only to expose his novelty pants which read 'nibble my nuts'.

He continued the silly story by adding that his mother-in-law told him she'd "rather not".