Mike Tindall admits Queen's great-grandchildren make it harder to exercise

Mike Tindall has revealed that 'time disappears' as the parent to three young kids

Mike Tindall reveals it's harder to exercise with three kids
(Image credit: Getty)

Mike Tindall has admitted that it's been hard to find time for exercise since welcoming his third child, Lucas, with Zara. 


Forget chasing quanco balls for England—these days, Mike Tindall is getting most of his cardio running after his three kids. 

The former British rugby player has opened up this week about his struggle to schedule regular workouts since his wife, Zara Tindall, gave birth to the couple's first son last year. Mike, who is the proud father of Mia, 7, Lena, 3, and ten-month-old Lucas, confessed on his podcast that he has found it hard to make time for training as the busy parent of young tots. 

Speaking about upcoming cycling fundraisers for the charity Cure Parkinson's on The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby, the 43-year-old admitted that he needs to "get into a little bit of bike shape" but hasn't managed to kickstart the plan just yet. 

"Since the young man's come along, time disappears, which I'm noticing a lot more when you've got three children," he told co-host Alex Payne. 

Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall with their daughters Mia Tindall and Lena Tindall (in her pram) attend day 3 of the Whatley Manor Horse Trials at Gatcombe Park on September 9, 2018 in Stroud, England.

Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall with their daughters Mia Tindall and Lena Tindall in 2018 

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Despite his hectic lifestyle, Mike seems determined to get back on track. He added that there are several reasons motivating him to work out consistently again—his psychological health being one of them. "It makes me mentally feel better too." 

Baby Lucas Philip Tindall was born on 21 March 2021, the month after Princess Eugenie welcomed her first son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank. The latest additions to the Queen's great-grandchildren have both been touchingly named after the late Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in April 2021.

Mike revealed that Zara ended up giving birth on the bathroom floor of their home at Gatcombe Park, after going into labor unexpectedly early. 

"Fortunately the midwife who was going to meet us at the hospital wasn't that far away, so she drove up just as we had assumed the posit and the second midwife arrived just after the head had arrived," he said on his podcast just a few days after the birth. 

Lucas was baptized in a double christening with August at the Royal Lodge last month, in a private ceremony attended by multiple Royal Family members, including the Queen herself. Speaking about the special occasion on his podcast, Mike said, "It was a lovely day."

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.