James Haskell might not be familiar to most Americans, but the former England rugby star is not only legendary in the sport, but he's friends with two members of the Royal Family. Haskell, who counts Prince Harry as a pal, co-hosts the podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby with Princess Anne's son-in-law, Mike Tindall. In a candid new interview with the Times, the athlete has shared some tidbits about his experiences with the Royal Family.
"I've spent time with the royals. Some aren't as great as others," Haskell admitted. "They do amazing work—but they're also a modern family that's very dysfunctional."
Despite the dysfunction, the former rugby star went on to say he appreciates the "important role" the Royal Family carries out for the U.K.
"I went to Harry and Meghan's wedding. I went to Mike and Zara's wedding," Haskell continued. "To those who want to get rid of the monarchy—once they're gone, they're gone. There's no way back from that, so remember that they serve an important role. I love what they do."
Haskell shared some insights on his close friend Mike Tindall's wedding to Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips. "Mike and Zara’s wedding was full of rugby players," he told the Times. "It was the perfect combination of ceremony and romance, coupled with the fact that both of them like to enjoy themselves."
"Did I wake up the next morning on my bed still in my black tie thinking, “Jesus, what did I do last night?” Potentially, yes," he quipped.
Haskell also revealed an "inappropriate" joke he let slip at the wedding reception. "I told a joke about when I was at Mike’s wedding," the rugby player shared. "Prince Andrew was sweating up a storm on the dance floor, but then he realized that everyone was over 18 so he left. It was inappropriate, but it was funny."
Haskell, of course, was referring to a wild comment the Duke of York made during his BBC Newsnight interview when he claimed he had a medical condition that prevented him from sweating. According to Prince Andrew, he therefore couldn't have shared a sweaty dance at London's Tramp nightclub with Virginia Giuffre, who accused him of sexual assault.
While it's unclear who the podcaster might have been referring to with his comment about some royals not being "great as others," it seems unlikely he was discussing Prince William and Kate Middleton, as Haskell praised them in a recent interview.
The rugby star joined Tindall and their fellow podcast co-host Alex Payne for a sit-down with the Prince and Princess of Wales (and Tindall's mother-in-law, Princess Anne) for a special September 2023 episode—and he had plenty of praise for William and Kate.
"That podcast was brilliant because we see them at their best, obviously they have a wicked sense of humor," he said of the Waleses on Good Morning Britain (via the Daily Mail) adding, "In this country in particularly we obviously put people on a pedestal, but they are a regular family, an incredible family they do a lot for this country but a regular family."
