Mike Tindall has lifted the lid on a royal tradition he says turns into a complete “nightmare” when the summer heat sets in, and involves a lot more sweat than glitz.
Appears on Luxury shipping podcast with Tom Chamberlin, the former England rugby star admitted that attending Royal Ascot during a heatwave can be seriously uncomfortable thanks to the event’s famously strict dress code.
Mike, who is married to Zara Tindall, joked that the combination of soaring June temperatures and formal attire leaves him drenched.
“It’s a bit of a nightmare, the sweat is,” he admitted, revealing that he avoids taking off his top hat because “a pool of water” would spill out of it.
Despite the less-than-glamorous side of the royal racing spectacle, he admitted there is still something undeniably special about taking part in Ascot’s iconic royal carriage procession.
Describing the experience, the 47-year-old said the royal party travel in “very old, very historic” cars before making their grand entrance.
Along the route, crowds of school children line the streets waving the Union Flag, something Mike said always gives him a sense of pride.
“You think, this is great,” he shared.
The procession eventually arrives at the racecourse, where the chariots roll into the stadium as the national anthem plays, which Zara’s husband described as “pretty special.”
Mike and Zara have become firm favorites at Royal Ascot over the years and regularly steal the limelight with their chemistry.
The couple first attended the event together in 2007, several years before tying the knot in 2011.
