'I’ve Spent Time with the Royals. Some Aren’t as Great as Others,' Royal Family Friend Reveals in Candid Chat

Mar. 15, 2025

Royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.Photo:Chris Jackson/Getty

Chris Jackson/Getty

The British royal family may be more relatable than most people realize, according toMike Tindall’s pal, James Haskell.

“I’ve spent time with the royals. Some aren’t as great as others,” Haskell said. “They do amazing work — but they’re also a modern family that’s very dysfunctional. I went to[Prince] HarryandMeghan [Markle]’s wedding. I went to Mike and Zara’s wedding. To those who want to get rid of the monarchy — once they’re gone, they’re gone. There’s no way back from that, so remember that they serve an important role. I love what they do.”

Royals on the balcony of Buckingham Palace at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.Benjamin Cremel/AFP/Getty

Benjamin Cremel/AFP/Getty

“I told a joke about when I was at Mike’s wedding:Prince Andrewwas sweating up a storm on the dance floor, but then he realized that everyone was over 18 so he left,” Haskell toldThe Times.The remark seemed to allude to the Duke of York’s infamous 2019 Newsnight interview, in which he addressed his controversial ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. During the interview, Prince Andrew claimed it was"almost impossible"for him to sweat—a comment that became a focal point in thepublic backlash that followed. (Prince Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.) “It was inappropriate, but it was funny,” Haskell said.

James Haskell at the wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall in Edinburgh, Scotland on July 30, 2011.Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Jeff J Mitchell/Getty

Zara, 43, and her brotherPeter Phillipshold no royal titles and are not working royal roles like their first cousin,Prince William, but are frequent fixtures at royal family events with their families.

Peter Phillips, Mia Tindall, Mike Tindall, Zara Tindall, Lena Tindall, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice attend the Easter Mattins Service at Windsor Castle on April 9, 2023.Samir Hussein/WireImage

The memorable episode was full of upbeat moments, from Mike mentioning that Princess Kate was “uber competitive” (and has played beer pong!) and Princess Anne weighing in on whether William and Kate’s kids,Prince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6, were competitive like their parents.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

“I think the podcast humanized them a little bit, and I kind of wish they’d let us put the uncut version out, because it would have blown the public away,” Mike wrote in the book about the chat with the Prince and Princess of Wales, according to an excerpt in theDaily Mail. “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.”

source: people.com