Is Mike Tindall a royal?

The former rugby player is currently taking part in ITV’s ‘I’m A Celebrity’

Mike Tindall has been making headlines since he joined the latest season of ITV’s I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!

In this week’s episodes, he recounted a story about “sl** dropping” in front of his mother-in-law, Princess Anne, and later said that “all politicians are f***ers”.

The former rugby union player, who is married to Zara Tindall, recently sparked a debate among Good Morning Britain guests.

Tindall’s comments prompted former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole to criticise him for “demeaning himself and diminishing the royal family by being on this show”.

Cole added that Tindall “should have a sign on his head saying, ‘I’m only doing this for the money’”.

The 41-year-old is reportedly being paid £150,000 for being on the show. However, this is far less than his campmate Matt Hancock’s reported £400,000 fee and Boy George’s £500,000.

Viewers have been confused about Tindall’s status as a member of the royal family due to his appearance on I’m A Celebrity, and what he can or cannot say.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Is Mike Tindall a royal?

Technically, yes. Tindall became a member of the royal family after he married Zara in in Edinburgh in July 2011.

The couple met during the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia, which took place when Tindall was still a player for the England national team.

Following the announcement of their engagement in 2010, Zara and Mike held a celebration on the royal yacht Britannia. They later married on 20 July 2011 at the Canongate Kirk with 400 guests in attendance.

However, they do not hold titles. This is because Zara’s father, Captain Mark Phillips, is not in the direct line of succession and therefore cannot pass on a title as per tradition.

This has allowed Zara and her brother Peter – and by extension, Mike – more freedom to pursue their own careers and activities.

Is Mike Tindall a working royal?

No, he is not. Tindall appears at some royal events and was most recently seen attending Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral on 19 September. But he does not carry out any other royal duties as a working member of the family.

This means that Mike and Zara do not receive any money from the Sovereign Grant, which covers the work of the royal family. Instead the couple funds their lifestyle through their sponsorship work and connections to sport.