Mike Tindall has revealed how his wife Zara arranged for armed police officers in riot gear to wake him up after he overslept.
The former England rugby captain shared the amusing anecdote whilst speaking at a fundraiser for DEBRA.
The dramatic wake-up call stands in stark contrast to how Zara’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, was traditionally awakened by a piper playing beneath her window.
Mike explained he had been staying at Princess Anne’s flat in St James’s Palace when the incident occurred.
Mike Tindall woken up by ‘riot gear police with machine guns’ as Zara takes drastic action
Getty
After a night out with a friend, he overslept before an 8:30am coaching clinic in North London.
With just 45 minutes until his appointment, Zara took decisive action.
She contacted the police post at the Palace, who confirmed they had spotted Mike on security cameras at 4am struggling to reach the doorway.
Zara’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, famously enjoyed a more genteel morning routine.
St James’ Palace located in central London, where Princess Anne has an apartment
PA
Her Majesty was traditionally awakened by a royal piper playing beneath her window each morning.
This 15-minute bagpipe performance was a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria’s reign.
Zara, however, opted for a considerably more dramatic approach when her husband needed rousing.
“She says, ‘I don’t care what you do. He needs to be in North London in 35 minutes,'” Mike recalled.
Speaking at the DEBRA fundraiser, Mike detailed the dramatic wake-up call.
“Next thing, five guys in full riot gear with machine guns come in saying, ‘Get up, get up,'” he revealed.
“I was, like, ‘F***!’ And in three minutes I was in the back of a cab, with the police waving me off.”
The officers had been giggling when Zara called, having spotted Mike’s late-night return on security cameras.
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The fundraiser where Mike shared this story was in support of DEBRA, a charity for people living with epidermolysis bullosa.
EB is a rare skin condition that requires specialist care and support.
The former rugby star’s candid anecdote highlighted the lighter side of royal adjacent life.
It also showcased the couple’s practical approach to solving problems, even when they involve royal residences and security personnel.
