Mike Tindall reveals the emotional story behind the latest photo of Prince Philip and daughter Mia

Mike Tindall has revealed the touching story behind Prince Philip’s latest photo with his daughter Mia.

The former England rugby star, 46, posted a photograph of Philip enjoying a light lunch with his eldest son at the Balmoral estate following the Duke of Edinburgh’s death in 2021.

The poignant picture, which was taken by the Princess of Wales, shows his wife’s grandfather, who has died aged 99, in deep conversation with Mia as they sit on a wooden bench outside ‘a log cabin.

In his new book The Good, the Bad & the Rugby – Unleashed, written with his podcast co-hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne, Mike revealed how the image perfectly encapsulated the royal family’s annual getaways to Scotland.

He wrote: “Lunch would often be going out into the open space of the Scottish Highlands for a picnic.

An undated photo shows Prince Philip enjoying a light lunch with great-granddaughter Mia at Balmoral Estate in Scotland

“There is a great photo of my daughter Mia sitting with the Duke of Edinburgh that captures exactly what those afternoons were like – members of a very close family who loved each other very much spending precious time together.”

As Prince Philip leans on the wooden table in the picture, Mia – now 10 – was photographed gazing lovingly at her great-grandfather.

While Mike and Zara’s eldest daughter enjoyed a soft drink with her meal, Prince Philip sipped a glass of beer balanced on a wooden beam next to her.

While Mike admitted there is “a lot of drama around the royal family”, he added: “They’re not that different to anyone else underneath it all.”

When he first shared the image in 2021, Mike wrote: “It’s been a very sad week, but it’s given us time to reflect on great memories and stories both personal and shared.

“A devoted family man who will be forever missed, but always loved.”

Elsewhere in the book, Mike debunked the assumption that the late Queen’s life was like an episode of Downton Abbey, with “long table meals and everyone dressed in their finery every night”.

Instead, the father-of-three described how he regularly joined the Queen and his wife to watch the horse races on TV, adding “how I’m sure a lot of people reading this have done it with their grandmother”.

Pictured: Mike Tindall This Morning January 2022 In his new book, Mike debunked the assumption that the late Queen’s life was like an episode of Downton Abbey

Mike Tindall has revealed what the British royal family are really like in private and why it’s ‘nothing like Downton Abbey’. Mike and Zara pictured greeting the late Queen and Prince Philip in 2006

Mike stopped by his old school, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Yorkshire to meet up with his boys’ rugby coach, Trevor.

Father-of-three Mike gave viewers a tour of the school, which was founded by Queen Elizabeth I’s Royal Charter in 1591.

But it was Queen Elizabeth II that Mike as a child met during his visit to the school in 1992 for its 400th birthday, a moment he does “remember very well”.

The former rugby star reminisced about his school days and proceeded to make a humorous comment about his wife Zara.

Mike showed viewers a photograph of Queen Elizabeth during her visit to the school.

Although Mike did not appear to be in the photograph, he recalled the event and said: “I think I met her (Queen Elizabeth II) in biology.”

The rugby star then made a humorous comment about his wife. He joked: “I’m not entirely sure if I told him then that I was going to marry Zara, maybe it just came out of my mouth, I’m not entirely sure.”

The podcast has hosted a variety of royal guests, including a 50-minute fireside chat in Windsor with Princess Anne (centre) and the Prince and Princess of Wales (both right)

Mike met Zara during England’s Rugby World Cup campaign in Australia in 2003. The couple married in a low-key ceremony in Scotland in 2011.

Mike is believed to have had a good relationship with Zara’s grandmother, who previously paid tribute to the late Queen on her podcast.

In September 2022, he said: “It’s been sad, emotional but happy. Amazing in some ways. Seeing the family so close overnight.

‘You never predict it. A 96 year old woman, you know it’s going to happen, but you’re never ready for when it happens.

“Seeing what Zara had to go through, she obviously loved the Queen more than anything else. Her connection with the horses, they had a real bond around that.

“It’s as if the world has somehow lost its grandmother.”

He continued: “I also really regret not asking him so many more things… Being nervous when you sit there, he gets the lucky seat to be sitting next to him.

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby – Unleashed is out tomorrow

‘Retrocedents through history and everything he may have seen; 15 prime ministers, I don’t know how many presidents.’

Mike and Zara have long been known for their friendly relations with all members of the royal family, marking themselves as key players who unite the members of The Firm.

Includes that of the couple close relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales – and Zara’s close bond with her cousins ​​Beatrice and Eugenie.

Speaking to The Times earlier this year, a royal source dubbed the couple “the glue of their generation of royals, no matter how serious the occasion”.

“They can help take the family’s mind off the gravity of what’s going on,” the source said.

“While some members of the family can be very ‘royal’, Mike is just himself and is relaxed and playful.”

Such is the closeness between cousins ​​who are part of a WhatsApp group where they exchange messages about upcoming events and family news.

“Me, my brother and then some from Zara’s side like her brother Pete (Phillips) and the cousins ​​are on WhatsApp groups,” her husband Mike once revealed. “I wouldn’t say we’re cutting edge, but for some reason it’s easier on WhatsApp.”

He added on another occasion: “It’s what you do to try to organize meetings and we’re going to something that’s the same.”

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby is a weekly podcast that launched in August 2020, starring England legends James Haskell and Mike, along with renowned broadcaster Alex Payne.

The podcast series, which sees the trio discuss and banter about rugby, sport, social issues and pop culture, has since amassed a cult following of three million followers after 299 episodes.

He has hosted a variety of royal guests, including a 50-minute fireside chat at Windsor Castle with Princess Anne and the Prince and Princess of Wales.

The long-awaited book is co-written by the three podcast hosts and documents their four-year tenure on the show, reflecting on the highs, lows and memorable interviews.