Prince Harry's bodyguards pinned Mike Tindall to the ground after joke punch

Prince Harry’s security team reportedly took just “seconds” to pin Mike Tindall and his former teammate down after they decided to test their reactions with some joke punches.

• Prince Harry’s security officers are said to have stepped in quickly after his cousin-in-law Mike Tindall attempted a joke punch. 
• The Queen’s grandson was out celebrating with Mike and the England Rugby Team back in 2003 when the hilarious incident occurred.
• This royal news comes as Kate Middleton's bond dress at 007 premiere sparks Princess Diana déjà vu for royal fans.   

Prince Harry has long been a rugby fan and it seems his trip to Australia in 2003 to support England at the Rugby World Cup was memorable in more ways than one. The Duke of Sussex watched his cousin-in-law Mike Tindall and his teammates achieve victory and now Mike has opened up about how he decided to put Prince Harry’s security to the test. The retired rugby player, who is married to Zara Tindall, one of the Queen’s grandchildren, has revealed that this hilarious incident took place as they celebrated England’s win.  

Speaking during A Question of Sport Live at the London Palladium, according to The Sun, Mike recalled a “boozy” night out, where Prince Harry joined England’s team in celebration in Sydney. 

After several drinks, Mike and his teammate, Iain Balshaw, thought it would be funny to try throwing some joke punches at the prominent royal and see how long it would take for his security officers to pin them to the ground

Though the hilarious occurrence was meant in jest to test their reactions, Prince Harry’s security guards quickly leapt into action, with Mike reportedly reflecting that it took “just a few seconds”. And whilst this particular incident took place almost a decade ago, the rugby legend joked that it’s a “conversation” the Royal Family still have now. 

“At Balmoral, the family are now having the same conversation,” he shared, before adding, “Except the Queen has taken his security away.”

Despite Prince Harry currently being sixth in the royal line of succession, since he and Meghan Markle made their decision to “step back” as senior royals, the Sussexes are understood to have not had the same royal security.

As reported by The Independent, Prince Harry opened up during his and Meghan’s shocking “tell-all” Oprah Winfrey interview about this dramatic change. 

Recalling the moment they were told their security would be removed, Harry alleged, “While we were in Canada, in someone else’s house, I then got told, short notice, that security was going to be removed.” 

He went on to add that he "never thought" it would happen, having had royal security protection all his life up to that point. 

Since then, the couple have settled in their Santa Barbara mansion and have welcomed their daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor. After launching several new ventures and exciting projects since they stepped back as working royals, it’s thought that they are funding their own security.

Having not returned as a family since their daughter was born, Prince Harry and Meghan are rumored to be set to bring Lilibet to the UK to meet the Queen for Christmas this year. 

If they do indeed make the trip over and the Royal Family gather once more at Sandringham, this would mark the first time they have all been reunited in person for many months, much to the delight of royal fans.