Mike Tindall reveals 'pranks' he plays on wife Zara and children as he guest edits Beano

By India McTaggart

Mike Tindall has revealed that he plays "pranks" on his wife and children in his guest-edited edition of The Beano.

The former England rugby captain and father of three, who has been married to the King's niece Zara since 2011, said his children love to prank guests by hiding under the table and tying their shoelaces together.

In the editor's letter of the special edition comic, Tindall said: "My job now is being a dad and I love it. It's important to set a good example, so I play pranks on the kids and their mum."

READ MORE: Icon's gravity-defying shoes require a double take

"I love hiding and jumping out to scare them. It works best on mum – she screams SO loudly!"

For the special edition Tindall features in a story with Bananaman – the beloved character who transforms from schoolboy to muscled adult after eating a banana – to save Beanotown from a rampaging troll.

READ MORE: There's one award Taylor Swift can't win

A cartoon version of Tindall is pictured on the cover alongside Bananaman, in an identical blue and yellow suit.

Tindall and his wife Zara, 43, have three young children, Mia, 11, Lena, six, and three-year-old Lucas.

The 2003 Rugby World Cup winner, 46, added that when he was younger he would always cause mischief for the local farmers.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy S25

He wrote: "When I was your age, I lived in the country. I was outside all day, riding bikes, jumping off hay bales, exploring the woods – anything to annoy farmers! I was always getting chased!"

His description of the freedom he had as a child comes after he and his wife were seen using Apple AirTags to keep track of the Tindall children at an equestrian event in September.

At the Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire, where Zara was competing, their elder daughter Mia was pictured with the silver gadget attached to her shorts.

The Beano special edition celebrates the 45th anniversary of Bananaman, who made his first public appearance in the Nutty comic in 1980 and has starred in Beano since 2012.

Tindall shared that he was a big fan of Beano growing up, and said sharing it with his kids has been "really cool".

He added: "It's been brilliant to step into the world of Beano and join Bananaman on this epic adventure.

"Bananaman's 45th birthday is a reminder that fun, laughter, and a bit of mischief never go out of style, and sharing laughter with kids is timeless."

In his editor's letter, Tindall reflected on his rugby career, encouraged children to play sports whenever they can and to "work hard, believe in yourself and always do your best".

Elsewhere he discussed his infamous competitive nature, writing: "My heroes were sportspeople – Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.

"But I didn't want to be like them. I wanted to beat them! I'm VERY competitive!"

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.

The son-in-law of the Princess Royal has previously touched on this in his rugby podcast, The Good, The Bad and The Rugby.

During an episode with the Prince and Princess of Wales in 2023, the couple told Tindall that they have never completed a tennis match against each other because they are both too competitive.

They said that winning becomes a mental challenge between them and they carry on playing to see who can "out-mental" the other.

Tindall and his wife Zara, a silver Olympic medal winning equestrian, are also competitive with one another and showcased this when racing during their appearance on motoring show Top Gear in 2019.

Mike Stirling, the director of mischief, Beano Studios, said: "Mike Tindall and Bananaman are the ultimate dream team!

"A rugby legend and a superhero famous for epic failure... what could possibly go wrong?

"Beano brings families together through shared laughs, so this anniversary edition celebrates that, with probably the funniest Bananaman story of all-time!"

© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2025