James Haskell details royal ambitions in candid talk hours after announcing dad's death

James Haskell counts Prince Harry, fellow rugby star Mike Tindall and his royal wife Zara among his friends, and he recently recorded a podcast at Windsor Castle. After admitting that he "never wanted to be a rugby player" in the first place and was quick to embark on a back-up plan as a media personality, James suggested he could follow in Mike's footsteps and become a royal himself.

In an interview at Pub in the Park that left fans gasping, James playfully joked about his ambitions to marry a Princess, telling the crowd: "I've manifested, I've journalled it, I've read The Secret!" He also shared his ambivalence about becoming a rugby star, suggesting he only tried it out due to his dad not wanting him to join the Marines. His late father was an emotional subject for him, as he announced his "unbearably sad" death on social media just hours before his guest appearance. But, ever the professional, he never let his mask slip to reveal how he was feeling inside.

During the interview, James admitted he had a "wrecked body" due to constant muscle and bone strain as a sportsman, as he revealed he was forced to arrange surgery on his wrist.

He also made a public plea to other sportsmen to "have a plan" for when their careers dried up, warning he knew people who'd had to take jobs "selling insurance they don't care about" in later life, despite previously playing rugby in front of tens of thousands of cheering fans.

James also shared the "horrific" moments his career had led him into, including a brawl in a restaurant which saw a steak knife stabbed into a table, with his pal almost getting "thrown into a window".

We previously shared how he made a cruel jibe at his ex, Richard Madeley's daughter Chloe, saying that being married to her had "hardly" matched Mike Tindall's success marrying Zara.

"He went to Australia and came back with a World Cup medal and a princess. I married Richard and Judy's daughter - it's a bit like Lambrini on day release, it's not quite the same thing!" he joked, before begging the crowd not to have him "cancelled" by posting the comments online.

James was just one of the special guests at the Pub in the Park event, which was held at Gunnersbury Park in leafy Ealing, West London.

Tom Kerridge showcased mouth-watering food demos, while The Amy Winehouse Band welcomed one of Amy's original backing performers to sing and dance throughout their tribute set.

The festival will now be in its new location at Gunnersbury Park every year, which is well connected on public transport and is within walking distance of the excellent Doubletree by Hilton Ealing Hotel.

Its heart-warming trademark gesture of providing warm cookies at check-in will never not be welcome, even after filling your belly with tasty samples from the likes of Tom Kerridge.

It's also possible to get bargain prices by booking well in advance, for anyone who is already drooling at the thought of next year's restaurant line-up at the festival.

Meanwhile, Pub in the Park returns for the fourth time this year from September 5-7 in St Albans, with founder Tom Kerridge, Sunday Brunch's Simon Rimmer and Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt among the celebrity chefs making appearances.