Mike Tindall became part of the Royal Family when he married Zara Tindall back in July 2011.
He has never been given a royal title and Zara doesn't have one either, despite being one of the late Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren and the daughter of Princess Anne.
The professional rugby player, who lives with his wife and children, Mia, 11, Lena, six, and four-year-old Lucas, on the Gatcombe Park Estate in Gloucestershire, recently gave a very certain answer to whether he would ever accept a royal title.
"I would definitely turn that down," he reportedly told Closer during an appearance at a charity fundraiser for DEBRA.
Going on to share an insight into what transitioning into life in the royal spotlight was like, he lightheartedly added, "It was easier than it could have been."
Emma Shacklock, Royal Editor at woman&home, isn't surprised that Mike wouldn't readily accept a title if he was offered one, pointing out that it would appear to stray from Zara and The Princess Royal's long-standing stance on titles.
"I’m not at all surprised by Mike Tindall’s response to being asked about receiving a title. Princess Anne decided against Zara Tindall and her brother Peter Phillips having titles when they were born and Zara herself has said that they’re 'grateful' not to have them," Emma says.
"She thinks it made them 'fight harder' to be successful and so Mike turning down a potential title would be in-keeping with his wife and mother-in-law’s opinions. For Princess Anne’s family, titles have never been an important part of their lives and changing this now would be an unusual move."
Mike has always been pretty open about his and Zara's life together, having shared some candid and heart-warming tales in the past.
Details of the birth of his and Zara's son, Lucas, in March 2021 are among the most special told by Mike.
Speaking on his podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, Mike chatted to co-hosts, James Haskell and Alex Payne, about the dramatic delivery.
"Sunday got even better because a little baby boy arrived at my house," he said at the time. "Arrived very quickly, didn't make it to hospital. On the bathroom floor."
Mike continued, "So yeah, it was running to the gym, get a mat, get into the bathroom, get the mat on the floor, towels down, brace, brace, brace.
"Fortunately the midwife who was going to meet us at the hospital wasn't that far away, so she drove up just as we had assumed the [position] and the second midwife arrived just after the head had arrived."
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