Mike Tindall reveals his cheeky side while guest editing beloved British comic book

Mike Tindall is not a shy and retiring type so it comes as no surprise that the former rugby great loves to play tricks at home, often at his wife’s expense.

Tindall, who is married to Princess Anne’s only daughter Zara, made the cheeky revelation while guest editing The Beano, a pioneering British anthology comic magazine series targeted towards children.

The special edition commemorates the 45th anniversary of the beloved Beano character Bananaman, a British superhero who transforms from a skinny schoolboy into the titular hero after eating a banana.

In a chance of a lifetime, a cartoon version of Tindall joins forces with the comic book crusader to save Beantown from baddies.

As a long-time fan of the series, Tindall said it was “brilliant” that he could step into the world of Beantown and join forces with his boyhood hero.

“I loved reading Beano growing up, and now being able to share that with my own kids is really cool,” he said.

In the editor’s letter of the special edition comic, the 46-year-old explained that being a dad was his main priority but what he enjoyed most was teaching his kids to play practical jokes.

“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,” he said.

“I love hiding and jumping out to scare them. It works best on mum, she screams so loudly.”

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

It’s not the first time Tindall has shared insight into his home life after he recently revealed some Royal Family mischief on an episode of the BBC podcast Seven: Rob Burrow.

Hosted by English rugby league legend Rob Burrow and his wife, Lindsey, the podcast kicked off with a cheeky inquiry about the couple’s endearing nicknames for each other and other royal relatives.

And true to form, Mike didn’t waste any time diving into the royal nickname treasure trove.

He unveiled his amusing moniker for the Prince of Wales, none other than ‘One Pint Willy’.

The reason? According to Mike, it’s a nod to Prince William’s not-so-stellar reputation as a drinker.

“Coming from a sport where it’s built on the social aspect of a couple of beers being sunk quite often. That is one I will definitely give away for the Prince of Wales.”

The revelation left Zara, Prince William’s cousin, in fits of laughter, setting the tone for a candid and amusing conversation.

The pair later shared insights into the endearing monikers they use for one another, as Mike disclosed the cheeky alias he holds in Zara’s phone.

“We basically call each other munchkins a lot – I don’t know why that started but it has stuck,” he said.