Mike Tindall Reportedly Had Some Harsh Words For Prince Harry At The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
The queen's granddaughter Zara Tindall's husband, Mike, unintentionally became one of the stars of the queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend when he was pictured scolding Prince Louis for misbehaving at one of the celebration's biggest events.
As Newsweek reported, the former athlete — who was sitting directly behind the youngster in the royal box — jokingly let Louis know he was keeping an eye on him after the prince was rebuked by his mom, Kate Middleton, for acting up. Aside from pulling faces and talking back, Louis couldn't seem to keep still during the Platinum Pageant, much to the chagrin of the duchess. Middleton appeared as though she may have been annoyed at the thought of having the whole world watching Louis' cheeky behavior.
During an episode of his podcast, "The Good, the Bad & the Rugby" (via YouTube), Mike defended his nephew's behavior, reasoning that the royal children "were the stars of the show" during the celebratory weekend. As the former rugby star argued, "Louis, he gets — he was just wanting to have fun. And my two [kids] are always mischievous, so it was trying to keep a lid on."
Moreover, Mike reasoned that the kids had plenty of sweets on the day and were on a bit of a "sugar high," which might explain why Louis couldn't sit still. "It's tough for them, they're all young, it's asking them to sit there from two 'til five, it's a long time," he opined.
Although Mike had plenty of empathy for Louis, he reportedly had less positive things to say about Prince Harry.
Mike Tindall avoided speaking to Prince Harry entirely
Express reports that Mike Tindall, who is the husband of Zara Tindall, the queen's eldest granddaughter, branded Prince Harry a "b*****d" at a reception after the Platinum Party at Buckingham Palace. The term, though unrepeatable, is apparently quite offensive to Brits.
The remark was reportedly made by Mike to a fellow guest and was overheard by the outlet's source. Harry and Meghan Markle did not attend the concert alongside the rest of the royal family, however, the Tindalls sat directly behind Kate Middleton and her children.
Following the thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral — the only official event at which the Sussexes were present with the other royals — TV cameras caught them speaking to Zara while Mike looked on, seemingly uncomfortable about being approached by the couple. In fact, he notably struck up a conversation with somebody else, apparently to avoid even engaging with them. Meghan and Harry soon moved off, without acknowledging the former athlete.
Body language expert Judi James suggested that Zara was "happy to chat" while Mike looked awkward, noting, "In the end he talks to Viscount Lindley, who turns his own back on Harry, cutting the two men off from Zara's conversation with Harry." The move echoes comments made by Piers Morgan, who claimed Meghan and Harry's royal reunion wasn't as cordial as it seemed.
In fact, per the Daily Mail, the outspoken TV personality revealed that royal sources claimed the couple was expected to make more of an effort at the Jubilee and were given the cold shoulder by the rest of the family.
The Sussexes stayed under the radar at the Jubilee
As BBC News reports, despite concerns that they would try to steal the spotlight from the queen, when it came down to it, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle remained resolutely low-key throughout her Jubilee weekend.
They arrived in the U.K. with little fanfare and kept a low profile, which was always the plan, according to sources close to the couple. As one insider told Hollywood Life, ahead of making the trip over, the Sussexes were "cautiously excited" to be reunited with the rest of the royal family.
"They know all eyes will be on them, which is always stressful but at the same time it's going to be a chance for them to show the world that they're still very much a part of the family," the source continued. "The last thing they want to do is take away attention from the queen, they're going to honor her and celebrate her."
Insider points out how the celebrity couple's every move was ruthlessly dissected throughout the Jubilee, likely reaffirming that they made the right choice in defecting to California.
Per Newsweek, Meghan and Harry were mostly cheered by the waiting crowds upon arriving at St. Paul's Cathedral for the thanksgiving service, solidifying that Britain hasn't totally turned on them. As for Mike Tindall, he may need a bit more convincing.