Mike Tindall has revealed his family's "competitive" bedtime routine with their three young children.
The former rugby union player lives with his wife, Zara Tindall, and kids Mia, 12, Lena, eight, and Lucas, five, at Aston Farm on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.
With two very sporty parents – Zara is a silver Olympic medallist – it's perhaps unsurprising that things can get rather chaotic in the Tindall household, especially when it comes to bedtime.
Speaking at the Henley Literature Festival, Mike said he fears that their daily race upstairs to bed could one day result in a "broken leg".
© Getty ImagesHe confessed, as per the Daily Mail: "Even if it's just a race upstairs to bed, there will be ankle taps. It might lead to a broken leg one day, but they will learn. Hopefully the children will turn out like us.
"And if they are as competitive as their mother, then we are all [expletive]!"
Meet Zara and Mike's adorable three children
Princess Anne's daughter Zara married ex-rugby player Mike in 2011, the same year that Prince William married Kate Middleton, the now Princess of Wales.
They welcomed their first daughter, Mia, on 17 January 2014 at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, weighing 7 lbs 12 oz.
Zara and Mike introduced their gorgeous firstborn in HELLO!, telling ITV's News at 10: "We did it because people wanted it. We had control over it. We had those photos done anyway. It was more because people seemed to want it rather than anything else."
© Getty ImagesMiddle daughter Lena was born in 2018, also at the Gloucester Royal Hospital, while Lucas was born in March 2021.
Mike also announced the news on his podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, revealing that his son was actually born on the bathroom floor of the family's Gatcombe Park house.
As they've grown up, the children are occasionally seen at royal events, with Mia acting as a bridesmaid at Princess Eugenie's wedding to Jack Brooksbank in 2018.
Mia and her younger sister, Lena, are both sporty like their parents, with rugby star Mike revealing to HELLO! in 2023: "Both Mia and Lena go to Minchinhampton rugby club on a Sunday, and they are only nine and four so we've got to give them a bit of time before the pressure comes on, but they love all sports, and they play rugby as well."
Mike and Zara's recent family outings
The Tindalls' eldest daughter, Mia, is clearly following in her mother's footsteps as she was spotted competing at the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials at the end of September.
The young royal appeared confident in the saddle for the Heythrop Pony Club Blenheim Palace Show Jumping competition, and looked so grown up in her traditional riding uniform with boots and a fitted competition jacket.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageProud mum Zara was seen cheering her on from the sidelines and beaming as she watched her daughter compete.
They work very well together, as Mia was spotted acting as Zara's groom earlier in the trials, grooming her horse, Classicals Euro Star, and helping out on the day.
© The Good, The Bad, and the RugbyThe past weeks have been difficult for the family, however, as Mike revealed that his father, Phil, had passed away on a 23 September episode of his podcast.
"Unfortunately, my dad passed away last week," he shared at the time.
