Inside Prince William's close bond with Mike Tindall after Prince Harry fallout: 'Wills sees him as the brother he lost'
Their bond has reportedly deepened in recent years
Prince William shares a close bond with Mike Tindall and it has reportedly deepened in recent years, especially following the fallout with his brother, Prince Harry.
A royal insider claims that Mike, Zara Tindall’s husband and a former rugby star, has become like a brother to Prince William as the two have grown closer.
Prince William and Mike Tindall share close bond
“Mike’s become a key figure in William’s world and someone he can always rely on,” the insider shared with Woman’s Day magazine.
“There’s no doubt Wills sees him as the brother he lost. He’s proven how loyal he is and Wills knows Mike has his back. He’s so grateful to have him by his side.”
Mike’s become a key figure in William’s world and someone he can always rely on.
The bond between the two became evident when Mike jokingly referred to William as “One Pint Willy” during an appearance on Rob Burrow’s podcast in 2023.
“The Prince of Wales is known to me as One Pint Willy because he’s not the best of drinkers,” Mike joked, before sheepishly adding: “Oh my God. It’s out there now. Sorry, sir.”
It’s clear that Mike is important to William, especially following Harry’s exit from the royal family in 2020.
Mike and Prince George have ‘fun dynamic’
Mike’s bond with the family extends beyond his friendship with William. He has also formed a close connection with William and Kate’s eldest son, Prince George.
Their close relationship was on display during Christmas 2023. Mike was seen pulling the young prince in for a hug.
Body language expert Darren Stanton commented on the dynamic between Mike and George at the time.
“[Mike is] demonstrating he has very much a hands-on sort of relationship here,” he noted to HELLO!. “It’s clear that Mike isn’t averse to getting stuck in thanks to years of playing physical sports.
“It’s in Mike’s nature to be hands-on, and while it’s clear from George’s reaction here that he’s trying to play it cool, you can see he and his ‘uncle’ have a very fun dynamic between them.”
Mike Tindall on what William and Kate are like behind closed doors
Meanwhile, in his 2024 book, The Good, the Bad & the Rugby – Unleashed, Mike revealed what William and Kate are like away from the public.
He wrote the book with his The Good, the Bad & the Rugby podcast co-stars James Haskell and Alex Payne.
In his book, Mike referred back to September 2023 when William and Kate appeared on his podcast with his mother-in-law Princess Anne.
He said: “I think the podcast humanised them a little bit. I kind of wish they’d let us put the uncut version out, because it would have blown the public away.
“They came across as down-to-earth, fully engaged, funny and knowledgeable. It was a far more enlightening chat than I expected, not because I thought they’d be dull (I already knew that they weren’t), but because I know how everything to do with the royal family is so carefully controlled.”
Read more: Everything Mike and Zara Tindall have said about leaving the UK behind for Australia
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