Mike Tindall has paid a moving tribute to the Queen on the first anniversary of her death.
The former England rugby star, 44, who is married to the Queen’s eldest granddaughter Zara, said Her Majesty was an “amazing woman” as he shared a video on Instagram of photos of her throughout her life.
Just a minute after posting, the sports star turned businessman took to his Instagram Story to promote his alcohol brand Black Eye Gin.
He then shared a promotional poster for the World Cup After Party tour, which he hosts with his podcast The Good, the Bad and the Rugby.
Finally, he posted another promotion for his podcast, describing himself as ‘Mystic Mike’ and predicting scores for the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Mike Tindall paid a moving tribute to the Queen on the first anniversary of her death
“Huge day in the sport I love, but I can’t help but start the day thinking about this amazing woman we lost a year ago today #thequeen #rip,” he wrote.
The father of three joined his wife’s uncle, the King, and other members of the firm in paying tribute to Her Majesty who died a year ago today at Balmoral Castle.
In an unprecedented break from tradition, which shows how moved he has been by the country’s grief at her passing, but also by pride in a remarkable life of public duty, His Majesty recalled the “long life, devoted service of his mother and all she meant to so many.” us’.
Initially, Charles, 74, had planned to celebrate his mother’s death – and his own sad entry – in ‘quiet contemplation’ at home in Scotland.
In doing so, he would follow the same pattern that Queen Elizabeth had followed for seventy years, marking the death of her father, King George VI, at Sandringham in Norfolk, away from the public eye.
But in recent weeks, he began to change his mind, as he was so deeply moved by the global outpouring of grief after his mother died on September 8 last year.
The King and Queen Camilla chose last night not to return to their own home in Birkhall on the Balmoral estate as planned, but to remain in the castle itself where Elizabeth died at the age of 96, surrounded by the glory of the Scottish Highlands she adored. .
They will remain there today, comforted by some of those closest to Her Majesty, and spend the night there too, before returning to their adjoining estate. A source said, “I think it will be a comfort to be surrounded by so much that was known to her.”
However, moments after posting, the sports star turned businessman took to his Instagram Story to promote his alcohol brand Black Eye Gin
He then shared a promotional poster for the World Cup After Party tour, which he hosts with his podcast The Good, the Bad and the Rugby. Finally, he posted another promotion for his podcast, describing himself as ‘Mystic Mike’ and predicting scores for the upcoming Rugby World Cup
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales will celebrate the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death with a small private service in Wales. William and Kate will visit St Davids Cathedral in St Davids, Britain’s smallest city, in Pembrokeshire, on Friday. They will also meet members of the local community at the adjoining monastery, including local people who met Elizabeth II on her visits to St Davids.
Mike and Zara Tindall are not working royals and do not hold HRH titles.
They live on Princess Anne’s estate in Gloucestershire and earn money through appearances and brand deals – with Mike recently starring in I’m A Celebrity.
Mike recently revealed that he first met the late queen as a teenager during a visit to his old school.
On the latest episode of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, the former rugby star explained that he met Queen Elizabeth II long before he joined the royal family at the age of 13.
Mike and Zara Tindall are not working royals and do not hold HRH titles. They live on Princess Anne’s estate in Gloucestershire and earn money through appearances and brand deals – with Mike recently starring in I’m A Celebrity
Mike stopped by his former school, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Yorkshire, to meet his boyhood rugby coach, Trevor, and gave viewers a tour of the school, which was founded in 1591 by the Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I.
But it was Queen Elizabeth II who met Mike as a child during her 1992 400th anniversary visit to the school, a moment he “remembers very well.”
The former rugby union star reminisced about his school days and then made a humorous comment about his wife Zara.
Mike showed viewers a photo of Queen Elizabeth during her visit to the school in 1991.
While Mike didn’t appear to be in the photo, he reminisced about 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 of 12 years, Zara.
He joked, “I’m not quite sure I told her back then I was going to marry Zara, it could have come from my mouth, I’m not quite sure.”
The former England rugby player met Zara during England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winning campaign in Australia.
The couple married in 2011 in a low-key ceremony in Scotland.