The Hilarious Nickname Mike Tindall Created For Prince William

Mike Tindall officially joined the royal family in 2011 when he married Zara Tindall, Princess Anne's daughter. The couple started dating in 2004, so Mike had plenty of experience spending time with the royals before his marriage. The then-rugby player told Daily Mail in 2011 that when he was hanging out with William, Princess of Wales and the rest of the family, that "they're normal people; they'll sit and talk to you normally, about everything that goes on."

Like many families, the royals also have pet names for each other as part of their camaraderie. "A lot of those nicknames kind of fly around," Zara observed on the podcast "Seven: Rob Burrow." While the Tindalls like to refer to each other affectionately as "munchkin," Mike's nicknames for William, Prince of Wales are more teasing in nature. In 2005, early in their relationship, when William attended Mike's 25th birthday party, he greeted the prince with a nonchalant "How's it going, baldy?" William responded to the muscular rugby player's jest with a come-back of this own: "What's it to you, fatty?" (via The Telegraph). Then they both cracked up in merriment.

But that's not the only moniker Mike has used for his wife's cousin. Over the years, Mike has revealed some surprising things about the royals, providing a candid glimpse into their personalities behind the scenes. During his appearance on "Seven: Rob Burrow," Mike revealed that he calls William "'One Pint Willy,' because he's not the best of drinkers."

In contrast to William, Prince of Wales' single drink, Mike Tindall has been known to imbibe more alcohol in his former rugby career. "It is built on the social aspect and a couple of beers being sunk quite often," Tindall explained on the podcast "Seven: Rob Burrow." Back in 2003, Mike was said to have attempted to break a sports drinking record. After his rugby team won the World Cup, Tindall allegedly drank almost 50 beers during the flight from Australia to the U.K. However, he didn't succeed at surpassing cricket player David Boon's record of 52 cans while in the air.

After revealing William's "One Pint Willy" nickname, Mike apologized to the prince, and Zara Tindall jokingly scolded her husband. Mike and William continue to enjoy a close connection. The two cousins-in-law look happy to see each other at royal events and even hugged at a polo match.  In addition, both are dads to three children, and their kids also share a tight bond. 

Mike isn't the first person to point out that William has less of a tolerance for alcoholic beverages. Back in 2010, royal author Katie Nicholl observed William and Catherine, Princess of Wales as they partied at clubs. Kate, who's a fierce beer pong competitor, was able to drink more than her future husband. After multiple shots, "she's the one (left) standing and William is the one who's looking totally out of it," Nicholl reported to CBS News.

As a royal in-law, Mike Tindall tries to walk a tightrope between providing tantalizing tidbits without oversharing. For instance, before his 2022 appearance on the reality series, "I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here," Mike wanted to get William, Prince of Wales' permission. Even after William gave his approval, Mike was mindful about what he said about the royals and sometimes chose to be reticent on certain topics. 

While some individuals predicted Mike's appearance would be uncomfortable for the family, others thought he provided a welcome glimpse into the lighter aspects of royal life. For instance, Mike doesn't mind sharing his own embarrassing stories. Due to his physique as a rugby player, Mike explained on the show that he had a history of wardrobe fails, and he was known for traveling with backup clothes. He then provided a hilarious anecdote of ripping his pants while dancing with his mother-in-law, Princess Anne. The incident occurred at his 30th birthday party, and the situation became even more awkward due to the "nibble my nuts" boxers he was wearing underneath. 

According to Mike, Anne displayed her legendary dry humor, commenting "I'd rather not," (via People). While the retired player later expressed chagrin about Anne's potential reaction over his telling the story on TV, royal expert Jennie Bond was confident Anne wouldn't mind. "She'd been quite amused by Mike, I don't think anything he's done would offend her or bother [her]," Bond informed The Sun.