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Joe Marler pulled up Mike Tindall after Princess Anne confused him with a current England player. As a long-standing patron of Scottish rugby, the Princess Royal was the guest of honour at last month's Calcutta Cup fixture in the Six Nations, which meant she met both sides before the match kicked off.

But there was an instance of mistaken identity when she spoke to England tighthead prop Joe Heyes. Evidently unaware that Marler had retired from all rugby 15 months previously, she believed she was speaking to the Celebrity Traitors star, rather than the 26-year-old Leicester Tigers forward.

Speaking afterwards, Heyes joked: "She thought I was Joe Marler, which was quite upsetting. She said, 'You're awfully funny on TV.'

"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.'"

The confusion was brought up by Marler on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, which he presents with Tindall, who is married to Princess Anne's daughter Zara. Marler said: "She thought Joe Marler was me. She said, 'Oh, you're that funny one off the telly.' That is such a low blow."

Defending his mother-in-law, Tindall responded: "She was brought up in Aberdeenshire; she doesn't know you from Adam."

Tindall added: "It shows the branding's not right."

A deadpan Marler replied: "Yeah, fair enough, maybe it's my issue." With their bushy beards and robust builds, Heyes and Marler do bear a resemblance, so Princess Anne wasn't the first person to mistake the pair.

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Heyes added: "I've had all sorts about me looking like Joe Marler, but not from a royal. I do like it when you get to meet the patron of whatever union you're playing against. It's a very cool moment."

Marler, 35, has become a recognisable face beyond rugby, featuring in advertisements and hit BBC show Celebrity Traitors alongside stars like Stephen Fry and Jonathan Ross.

Of greater concern to Heyes will be England's dismal Six Nations campaign. Steve Borthwick's side finished fifth in the table following a 48-46 defeat by France in Paris last weekend.

Their victory over Wales in round one was the sole win from a tournament that commenced amid lofty expectations but concluded in crushing disappointment.

The RFU reviews every campaign using an anonymous panel of internal and external individuals, including former players, but on this occasion, Borthwick will be asked to provide explanations and solutions for the team's four-match losing streak, in the knowledge that he is fighting for his future.