Mike Tindall has revealed he calls Prince William ‘One Pint Willy’ because ‘he is not the best of drinkers’.
The ex-England rugby star also admits he and his wife Zara call each other ‘munchkin’, while she has her husband saved in her phone as a nickname ending in ‘kitten’.
The Tindalls made the revelations in a special podcast with rugby league legend Rob Burrow, who is battling motor neurone disease.
Asked by Burrow if he has any nicknames for any of the royals, Mike says: ‘For the Prince of Wales, he is known as One Pint Willy.
Prince William is known as ‘one pint Willy’ to Mike Tindall because he’s not a big drinker
But he had the good sense to enjoying a glass of Guinness on St Patricks Day this year
Mike and Prince William seem about to arm wrestle at Ascot, 2019
William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales burst out laughing as they attend the recording of a special episode of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle along with with Mike and his mother-in-law, Princess Anne
The Tindalls made the revelations in a special podcast with rugby league legend Rob Burrow, who is battling motor neurone disease, seen here with his family at BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2022
‘He is known to me as One Pint Willy because he is not the best of drinkers, coming from a sport where it is built on the social aspect and a couple of beers being sunk quite often. That is one I will give away for the Prince of Wales.’
Zara can be heard laughing before saying: ‘Oh my god. You are in so much trouble.’
Burrow also quizzed the couple on whether they have any pet names for each other.
Mike says: ‘We basically call each other munchkins a lot. I don’t know why that started but it has stuck.
‘I will let Zara decide whether she wants to give away what I am down in her phone as…’
Zara replies: ‘He is in my phone as something else and it ends with kitten.’
Mike also admits that he dreams of his two-year-old son Lucas becoming a professional golfer – and that he wanted to give him the middle name of ‘Mulligan’.
‘The two year old is where I am pinning my dreams,’ says the 2003 Rugby World Cup winner.
‘I actually wanted his middle name to be Mulligan because if he did become a professional golfer, he would drop the Lucas and just become Mulligan Tindall.
Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall smile as they look at her phone during Day Two of Wimbledon last year
Zara and Mike, pictured at Ascot last year, store pet names on their phones
Zara Tindall supervises son Lucas on a trampoline at Gatcombe Park this year
‘I thought that would be the best golfing name ever. Plus Mulligan means the offspring of a balding man, so that was perfect!’
Burrow tells the Tindalls that he has always wanted to deliver the Alternative Christmas Message, which airs on Channel 4 at the same time as the King’s Christmas Message on the BBC
Zara says: ‘I definitely think you could do the other Christmas speech. You would definitely rock it and be a huge inspiration to many people.
‘I’m sure (King Charles) would let you just do your own thing. I hope to see that one time. I think you just record it anyway and send that out there!’
- Seven: Rob Burrow, The Total Sport Podcast is available on BBC Sounds