Mike Tindall shows true colours in unearthed interview over children's school plans

Mike Tindall once shared his views on boarding school in an unearthed interview from eight years ago.

The former rugby player, who won the World Cup in Australia in 2003, was once and asked about his views of boarding schools and whether he would send his oldest daughter Mia to one.

, who now shares three children with his wife Zara Tindall, the daughter of , admitted in the forgotten 2016 interview: "I'm certainly not keen on sending Mia away to a boarding school at the other end of the country."

Showing his true colours as a loving parent, he added: "I know many people who say boarding was the making of them because they forged great independence from their parents, but I don't really want her to be distanced from us.

"Personally, I'd rather she attend a school that's nearby, where we'll always be on hand if she needs us. Anything else goes against my instincts."

Mike and Zara live with all three children - Mia, Lena and Lucas - at the moment on The Princess Royal's Gatcombe Park Estate, where she also lives.

While the children do not go to every royal event with the couple, they have been seen out a fair few times with their parents, with

The children, like their mum , do not hold royal titles and experience as normal an upbringing as possible, as revealed by Mike in an

He told the magazine: "We're no different to other parents and our weekends end up being about the kids and getting them to their sports. It's a mixture of rugby, hockey, swimming, gymnastics."

Mike also spoke about life as a dad during Covid-19, when he had to home school his eldest daughter Mia, now 10.

: "I don't think any child is a great home schooler because they definitely listen to other people better than they listen to their parents.

"Mia enjoyed it the first week because it is different being around Mum and Dad all the time. But then ultimately it's the same people who are telling her off or telling her what to do and I think she gets bored of that. "