Mike Tindall has an unusual role around the Prince and Princess of Wales' family, and according to royal commentator Robert Jobson, that includes talking to Prince George about losing.
Jobson said Tindall brings "something better" to the relationship because he has "no airs and graces" and had "worked that out years ago." In other words, he is not treating the future king like someone who needs to be wrapped in ceremony every time they meet.
That fits the public moments fans have already seen. In the summer of 2022, during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Tindall was seen pointing his fingers toward Prince Louis in an "I'm watching you" gesture. Then on Christmas Day 2023, a photographer captured Tindall placing an arm around Prince George during a church service at St Mary Magdelene.
Those moments help explain why Tindall stands out as an unusually relaxed adult presence around Prince George. The prince is the firstborn son of Prince William and Princess Kate and is about to start his secondary education at Eton College in September, so the people around him matter more than ever.
A trusted presence around the Wales children
Darren Stanton said Tindall is "demonstrating he has very much a hands-on sort of relationship here," adding that it is part of his nature to be hands-on. Stanton also said that while George was trying to play it cool, there is clearly a fun dynamic between them.
He went a step further, saying the bond and rapport Tindall has built with William and Kate's children show how much trust the royal couple has in Tindall and Zara Tindall as fellow parents.
That trust is the real story here. Mike Tindall is not just a familiar face at royal events. He appears to be one of the few adults around Prince George who can speak plainly, including about something as simple and important as losing.
For a future king who is still growing up in public, that kind of steady, ordinary interaction may be exactly what makes Mike Tindall so valuable in the royal circle.
