Mike Tindall admits Royal Ascot situation can be a 'nightmare' as he identifies concern

Mike Tindall admits Royal Ascot situation can be a 'nightmare' as he identifies concern Mike Tindall has pointed to an issue relating to the Royal Procession at Ascot after returning in 2026 Mike Tindall has confessed that the royal procession at Ascot can prove to be a 'nightmare,' particularly in extreme heat. Former England rugby union star Tindall, whose wife Zara is a member of the Royal Family, is no stranger to the annual daily tradition. However, it was a different story on Tuesday. On that occasion, the pair were initially refused entry after a security guard failed to recognise Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne and niece of King Charles. The Royal Meeting at Ascot typically takes place in June, with the 2026 edition running from Tuesday through to Saturday this week. Temperatures in the Berkshire town are forecast to climb as high as 27 degrees, lending extra weight to Tindall's stance. "If it's too hot, it's a bit of a nightmare," Tindall told The Luxury Dispatch host Tom Chamberlin. "The sweat is ongoing. Don't take the hat off, or it's like, a pool of water drops out," he added with a smile. JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! All the best sports news and much more on our dedicated Facebook page The former rugby star, 47, also made light of misplaced headwear at the renowned occasion. "Never leave your hat in the toilet and forget about it," he said. "They're not cheap, and people know that." Tindall and Zara have been married since 2011. The pair share three children — daughters Mia and Lena and son Lucas. They were accompanied at Ascot by other famous names from the rugby world. Ex-England international Austin Healey and former Wales and Cardiff Blues star Nicky Robinson were spotted in conversation with the well-known couple. Zara was originally refused entry at the owners' entrance owing to not having a pass and seemed to handle it with good humour. However, a member of staff informed her shortly afterwards that she was actually permitted to enter through that route. Away from his outing at Ascot, Tindall has been monitoring England's rugby stars closely. The 2003 World Cup winner criticised some of his former colleagues for their reported worries about a 'bad environment' surrounding the current squad following a disappointing Six Nations in March. "Outside of one person, not one of them has ever f****** coached, so what the f*** do they know?" he said on podcast The Good, The Bad and The Rugby. "Like, they're all my best friends, but not one of them has coached. Ben Kay, you could say he's like a coach because he's watching so many f****** games [as an RFU non-executive director]. "But Johnno's [Martin Johnson, who coached England to the Six Nations title in 2011] the only one who's been in [Steve Borthwick's] position right now. A good figurehead; has had a coaching [career]. "Will Greenwood, [coach at] Maidenhead, well done! But does watch a lot of games as well. Lol [Dallaglio], never coached, never looked like coaching." Sky is knocking 20% off its entire range of Glass TVs to mark the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Until June 17, shoppers can upgrade to the Sky smart TV that's 'designed for football' from £4.50 per month when taken alongside a Sky TV and Netflix package.