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mike tindall queen royal yacht© Photo: Getty Images

Mike Tindall reveals exclusive royal outing – and it has emotional connection to the Queen

It also holds fond memories for the former rugby star and wife Zara

Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
February 10, 2022
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Mike Tindall revealed he enjoyed a meal on the Queen's former yacht ahead of watching one of the first matches of the Guinness Six Nations. And the royal floating palace also holds happy memories for the former rugby star, 43, and his wife of ten years, Zara.

Speaking on his podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby this week, Mike said it was "thrilling at Murrayfield" as he watched Scotland vs England on Saturday. He added: "I loved it… A little quiet dinner on the Royal Yacht Britannia on Friday night. It was lovely, it was nice to be back."

READ: Mike Tindall gives his verdict on Kate Middleton's rugby skills

WATCH: The Queen and Prince Philip on tour on the Royal Yacht Britannia in incredible footage

When quizzed by his co-hosts Alex Payne and James Haskell what he ate and drank on the yacht, the father-of-three replied: "A nice little bit of red, a bit of champagne as we had a little tour round."

It's not known if Mike was joined by his mother-in-law, the Princess Royal, for the dinner as she was also pictured in the stands with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, at Saturday's rugby match. Princess Anne has been patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since June 1986.

The Queen famously shed a tear when she attended the decommissioning of the Royal Yacht Britannia during a ceremony in Portsmouth in 1997. Overcome with emotion, she was seen wiping her eyes as her beloved yacht was taken out of service after 22 years.

MORE: Mike Tindall's touching tribute to the Queen as she marks Platinum Jubilee year

MORE: Princess Anne enjoys sporty outing with Sir Tim Laurence and son-in-law Mike Tindall

queen tears royal yacht britannia© Photo: Getty Images

The Queen famously shed a tear when the yacht was decomissioned

Her Majesty had a deep personal affection for the vessel, which she had herself launched in April 1953. It carried the monarch and her family on a number of occasions, on both official and private family voyages.

Prince Charles and Princess Anne spent time on the yacht in Malta when they were reunited with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the end of their Commonwealth Tour in 1954. Charles and Princess Diana also took their honeymoon cruise on the Britannia in 1981.

It also played host to a pre-wedding party for Mike and Zara ahead of their nuptials in July 2011.

MORE: Mike Tindall's touching father-daughter moment with daughter Mia

royal yacht britannia© Photo: Getty Images

The Royal Yacht Britannia was decommissioned in 1997

The Royal Yacht Britannia is now a visitor attraction moored in the historic Port of Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland. The clocks on board are stopped at 3:01, the time that the Queen last disembarked the vessel.

Mike also gave his verdict on the Duchess of Cambridge's sporting skills as she was made patron of two rugby patronages last week.

zara mike royal yacht britannia© Photo: Getty Images

Zara and Mike leave their pre-wedding party on the Royal Yacht Britannia

The sportsman said of his cousin-in-law's performance at Twickenham Stadium on this week's podcast episode: "I text Ellis [Genge] and said, 'Mate, please tell me anything she messed up on' so I could sort of… family WhatsApp group, get to her, and he said, 'No she was actually pretty good, and she was really good at kicking,' and I was like [sighs]. But she has this competitive nature."

He added of Kate: "Just imagine, anyone who's ever tried it, getting thrown up in the line-out if you've never done it before is not easy because normally, you'll kick the prop in either the nuts or the face as he's lifting you and she just looked effortless."

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