James Haskell has hilariously recounted how he was left speechless by Princess Anne's razor-sharp wit during an encounter involving members of the Royal Family.

The 39-year-old rugby star interviewed Princess Anne, Prince William and Princess Kate with Mike Tindall and Alex Payne on his The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast in 2023.

Former London Wasps flanker Haskell revealed Tindall has been given a cheeky nickname by Palace staff. He revealed the 46-year-old - who is married to Anne's daughter Zara Tindall - is known as "Solesy" at the palace.

Speaking on the Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast, he said: "They call Tins 'Solesy' around the Palace because the only thing you see hanging out the a*** of the Royals is Soles's feet because he's an absolute brown-noser, or so they say."

However, it was Haskell who was on the receiving end of Anne's notorious banter, as she effortlessly quipped back at him.

Recalling the jovial exchange, Haskell shared: "So he's [Mike] basically told them that we are going on this boat cruise and I was going to DJ out there.

"So the Prince of Wales says 'I hear you're going on a cruise ship, what are you going to be, don't tell me the anchor? ' and I said 'well it sounds something like an anchor but spelt differently'.

"And Princess Anne just turns around and says, 'yes, I can see that'. And everyone just erupted with laughter."

"How do you...you've just been buried by the Princess Royal, obviously they edited out. But it was so personal, so charming."

Princess Anne's down-to-earth approach has won her a legion of admirers among Royal enthusiasts. It seems that not even her brother, King Charles, is immune to becoming the butt of her jokes, reports Gloucestershire Live.

The former Royal press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, recounted a humorous anecdote wherein Anne cheekily bestowed upon her elder sibling a leather-bound toilet seat as a jest on Christmas. He elucidated: "What is it we used to call the loo? We would call it the throne."

He continued, illuminating Anne's playful jab: "You go and sit on the throne. So buying a leather-bound loo seat was really Princess Anne's way of saying, 'Here you are, you've got your own personal throne'."

The former Royal press secretary, Dickie Arbiter, recounted a humorous anecdote wherein Anne cheekily bestowed upon her elder sibling a leather-bound toilet seat as a jest on Christmas. He elucidated: "What is it we used to call the loo? We would call it the throne."

He continued, illuminating Anne's playful jab: "You go and sit on the throne. So buying a leather-bound loo seat was really Princess Anne's way of saying, 'Here you are, you've got your own personal throne'."

Meanwhile Tindall, who married Zara in 2011, has often praised Anne as a supportive and steadfast member of the Royal Family. He previously revealed he addresses the Princess Royal as "Ma'am" behind closed doors in a mark of respect.