England prop reveals Princess Anne mistook him for Traitors star Joe Marler before Calcutta Cup

England prop Joe Heyes has revealed that Princess Anne mistook him for former teammate Joe Marler, star of The Celebrity Traitors, when greeting the squad ahead of the Calcutta Cup.

The Princess Royal is the patron of the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) and was introduced to both teams before the match at Murrayfield, and subsequently presented the trophy to successful Scotland skipper Sione Tuipulotu.

She made a faux pas, though, after seemingly confusing 26-year-old tighthead Heyes with the retired loosehead Marler, who has forged a career in the entertainment industry since concluding his playing career in 2024.

“She thought I was Joe Marler which was... quite upsetting,” Heyes revealed of his interaction with the royal. “She said: 'You're awfully funny on TV.' It was a very cool experience. I do like it when you get to meet the patron of whatever union you're playing against.”

Asked if he had corrected the error, Heyes confessed with a chuckle: “Not really because I was a bit starstruck to start with. Who am I to correct her? I didn't really know what to say. I almost went with it!

“I've had all sorts about me looking like Joe Marler – but not from a royal.”

Anne’s daughter, Zara, is married to former England captain Mike Tindall, a winner of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.

The Princess Royal would appear to be a fan of the celebrity version of the BBC’s smash show The Traitors, which was the biggest television programme of 2025. 14.9m people tuned in as Marler reached the finale, but fell short of achieving victory as traitor Alan Carr triumphed.