Former rugby star Mike Tindall has opened up about the misconceptions people have about life within the Royal Family and his frustrations with these false impressions.
In his new book, The Good, the Bad and The Rugby – Unleashed, 46-year-old Mike discusses the reality of life with his wife Zara Tindall, 43, and the common misunderstandings about their lifestyle.
Mike, who married Princess Anne’s daughter Zara in 2011, highlights assumptions about his wealth and the work ethic of the royals as some of his main grievances. He reveals that having “seen behind the curtain”, there is much more to royal life than meets the eye.
He said: “I am very lucky, but there are a lot of assumptions made about Zara and me that simply aren’t true. I have heard some people say I’m worth £25million, but I wish they’d tell me where it is, because I’d love to have it.”
He added: “People think that working members of the royal family get up every day, shake a few hands, cut the odd ribbon, and not much more than that. But now I’ve seen behind the curtain, I know there’s a lot more to it than that.”
Mike also shared that being a working royal “is all consuming” and leaves little room for personal time or space. However, he and Zara are fortunate as they are not officially working members of the Royal Family and do not hold titles, reports GloucestershireLive.
He noted: “With us sitting outside the working royals it allows us to do things our way, which works better for us.
“It can be frustrating when you know the truth and other people simply aren’t interested in it, but you just have to live with it. In fact, that’s one of the Royal Family’s mottos: ‘Never explain, never complain.'”
Mike Tindall also shared his personal journey adjusting to life within the Royal circle, emphasising his efforts to maintain his original identity. He stated: “I try not to think about it, although it took me a long time to get to that point.
“And I also try to be myself. Maybe that’s why I reverse pothole so much because I want people to know that I’m actually a decent bloke, which goes back to wanting to be liked.”
His book was released in the UK on the same day as the paperback edition of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare.