Mike Tindall joked on Tuesday that he has “never been arrested” while speaking to guests at a garden party at Buckingham Palace.
The husband of King Charles’ niece, 45, appeared in good spirits as he turned up to support Prince William, who hosted his first Buckingham Palace garden party of the year without the Princess of Wales.
Despite the rainy weather, the father of three remained enthusiastic during the conversation with the guests, one of whom had met Mike before.
The guest, who was not identified in footage of the event, explained that she and her male companion knew Mike from Saracens, the professional rugby club in north London, and said: ‘He played with you and I supervised you. ‘
In a witty response, the former rugby union player quipped back: ‘Did you supervise me? I’ve never been arrested…
Mike Tindall appeared cheerfully at a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday and joked about having “never been arrested before.”
To add to the humor, Mike cheekily looked to the side after making the witty comment.
After landing his joke, the Buckingham Palace garden party guest replied: “When you commented.”
However, Mike was arrested when he was arrested for driving under the influence in 2008.
The then 29-year-old Gloucester center was stopped by police on the M4 near Reading, Berkshire, the morning after a day at the Cheltenham races with Zara.
He was banned from driving for three years and fined £500 after being disqualified for 16 months in 2000 following another drink driving offence.
At yesterday’s garden party, Mike was joined by his wife, Zara Tindall, 43, – as well as princesses Beatrice and Eugene.
It was Zara who wore the standout outfit of the afternoon, wowed by a £1,500 Laura Green London Isobel dress, in white, with added pink buttons. To match her ensemble, she added a stylish Rosa Boater hat and pink suede heels.
Zara was stylish but practical in bad weather. She added heel stoppers to the bottom of her shoes to keep her from sinking into the ground, while a black umbrella protected her from the rain – looking like it was always meant to be part of the Look.
Meanwhile, her husband Mike looked handsome in a smart suit, pink tie and top hat.
The display seemed to convey quintessential Britishness as the royals shielded themselves from the rain – but crowds still flocked to the ‘summer’ garden party.
William’s presence, alongside the king’s nieces and nephew, will inevitably be seen as a sign of family unity at a difficult time.
Mike chatted to a guest who claimed to have ‘checked’ him at a rugby match in North London
The cousins showed even more unity by coordinating their stylish ensembles, with Eugenie and Beatrice also opting for a pink and white color scheme to match Zara.
The 75-year-old Charles has a full agenda with public appointments except for one day this week, despite his wife, Queen Camilla, often urging him to take it easy.
The pair enjoyed a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, where they toured the garden – with Camilla even revealing she had watched the first episode of Bridgerton.
As the king continues to undergo treatment, each assignment is carefully tailored to balance his desire to work and his health.
From 3 p.m., guests began filing in to enjoy the tea tents and palace grounds, despite the gray skies and rain.
Zara Tindall (centre) with Mike Tindall (left) at the Sovereign’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
Despite the bad weather, the party went ahead as guests took shelter under parasols
Sister action! Princess Beatrice and Eugenie got together for the Sovereign’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
Around 8,000 people are invited to each party, nominated by sponsors including Lord-Lieutenants, government departments, charities, the military and faith groups.
The royal party will arrive, as usual, at 4pm on the terrace at the back of the palace via The Carnarvon Room.
They stood for the national anthem before being escorted to the lawn before walking through various ‘alleys’ accompanied by gentleman ushers to meet as many members of the public as possible.
During the garden party, William will meet guests from a number of patronages, military connections and passion projects of both himself and his wife, including his Homewards initiative to tackle homelessness, RAF Valley (the Welsh base where the Prince worked as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot ), Swim England and tenants in the Duchy of Cornwall.
The inclusion of people with links to the Princess of Wales suggests that when planning for the garden party began last year, Kate was expected to attend.