Tindall: The Queen likes my silly suits at Sandringham

A GARISH, red patterned suit may not spring to mind as the first choice of what to wear for Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham, but Mike Tindall has said his festive attire has her stamp of approval.

The former professional rugby player, who is married to Zara Tindall, the Queen’s granddaughter, said the monarch loves bright colours and encourages the family to wear them at happy times.

“This year we opened presents on Christmas Eve – I wore one of these. And just to give a little punch on Christmas morning I came down in a different little set up.

“The queen loves bright colours, it’s why she wears all those amazing colours – she thinks that dark colours are for sad times.”

Speaking to website JOE, Mr Tindall also revealed that two years ago, when the Queen was unwell and he and his wife were recovering from a miscarriage, the three spent Christmas morning together.

He said: “Christmas, two years ago, [the Queen] wasn’t feeling very well so she didn’t go to church. We’d obviously been through what we’d been through with our pregnancy, which we lost, so we did our own little private [ceremony], just as a three.

“I had a suit on like this and thought, ‘Maybe I should be wearing something a little bit different today’, but I was trying to raise the mood.”

Christmases at Sandringham are a world away from the festive celebrations Mr Tindall enjoyed in Otley, West Yorkshire, when he was growing up.

He said: “By the time I’d have normally got up I’ve been to church twice, which is quite strange for me. It’s completely different – I’ve never had to take as many outfits anywhere.”