Mike Tindall has paid a touching tribute to the Queen on the first anniversary of her death.
The former England rugby star, 44, who is married to the Queen’s eldest granddaughter Zara, said Her Majesty was a ‘wonderful woman’ as he shared a video on Instagram showing pictures of her throughout her life.
However, just a minute after posting, the sports star turned businessman took to his Instagram story to promote his alcohol brand Black Eye Gin.
He then shared a promotional poster for the World Cup After Party tour – which he is hosting with his podcast the Good, the Bad and the Rugby.
Finally, he posted another promotion for his podcast – where he described himself as ‘Mystic Mike’ and predicted scores for the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
Mike Tindall has paid a touching tribute to the Queen on the first anniversary of her death
‘Massive day in the sport I love but I can’t help but start the day thinking about this wonderful woman that we lost a year ago today #thequeen #rip’ he wrote.
The father-of-three joined his wife’s uncle the King and other members of the Firm paying tribute to Her Majesty who died at Balmoral Castle one year ago today.
In an unprecedented break with tradition, signifying how touched he has been by the country’s grief at her passing but also pride in a remarkable life of public duty, His Majesty recalled his mother’s ‘long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us’.
Initially Charles, 74, had planned only to mark his mother’s death – and his own grief-tinged accession – in ‘quiet contemplation’ at home in Scotland.
In doing so he would follow the same pattern that Queen Elizabeth chose to adopt for 70 years, marking her father King George VI’s death, at Sandringham in Norfolk, away from public gaze.
But in recent weeks he began to have a change of heart, having been so deeply touched by the global outpouring of grief after his mother died on September 8 last year.
The King and Queen Camilla chose last night not to return to their own home at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate as planned, but to remain at the castle itself where Elizabeth died at the age of 96, surrounded by the glory of the Scottish Highlands she adored.
They will remain there today, comforted by some of those who were closest to Her late Majesty, spending tonight there as well, before moving back to their neighbouring estate. A source said: ‘I think it will be of comfort to be surrounded by so much that was familiar to her.’
However, just moments after posting, the sports star turned businessman took to his Instagram story to promote his alcohol brand Black Eye Gin
He then shared a promotional poster for the World Cup After Party tour – which he is hosting with his podcast the Good, the Bad and the Rugby. Finally, he posted another promotion for his podcast – where he described himself as ‘Mystic Mike’ and predicted scores for the upcoming Rugby World Cup
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales are to mark the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death with a small private service in Wales. William and Kate will attend St Davids Cathedral in St Davids, the smallest city in Britain, in Pembrokeshire on Friday. They will also meet members of the local community in the adjacent cloister, including local people who met Elizabeth II during her visits to St Davids.
Mike and Zara Tindall are not working royals and do not hold HRH titles.
They live on Princess Anne’s estate in Gloucestershire, and make money through appearances and brand deals – with Mike recently doing a stint on I’m A Celebrity.
Mike recently revealed he first met the late Queen as a teenager during a visit to his old school.
In the latest episode of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, the former rugby ace explained that he met Queen Elizabeth II long before he joined the royal family, aged just 13.
Mike and Zara Tindall are not working royals and do not hold HRH titles. They live on Princess Anne’s estate in Gloucestershire, and make money through appearances and brand deals – with Mike recently doing a stint on I’m A Celebrity
Mike stopped by his former school, Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Yorkshire to meet with his childhood rugby coach, Trevor and gave viewers a tour of the school, which was founded by Royal Charter of Queen Elizabeth I in 1591.
But it was Queen Elizabeth II that Mike as a child met during her visit to the school in 1992 for its 400th anniversary, a moment he does ‘remember very well’.
The former rugby union star recalled fond memories of his school days, and proceeded to make a humorous remark about his wife Zara.
Mike showed viewers a photograph of Queen Elizabeth during her visit to the school in 1991.
While Mike did not appear to be in the photograph, he reminisced on the event and said: ‘I think I met her [Queen Elizabeth II] in biology’.
Then, the rugby star made a humorous remark about his wife of 12 years, Zara.
He joked: ‘Not entirely sure whether I said to her then that I would marry Zara, it might have come out my mouth, I’m not entirely sure.’
The former England rugby ace met Zara during England’s Rugby World Cup-winning campaign in Australia in 2003.
The couple tied-the-knot in a low key ceremony in Scotland in 2011.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk