Zara Tindall, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter and Princess Royal Anne's daughter, has suffered a miscarriage, a Buckingham Palace rep confirms to Us Weekly. The heartbreaking news comes a day before Christmas.
"Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby," the spokesperson tells Us in a statement. "At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy."
Zara, 35, who is 16th in line to succeed her grandmother, and her husband, former rugby star Mike Tindall, announced on November 30 that they were expecting their second child next spring. "The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and members of the Royal Family are delighted with the news," a Palace spokesman said in a statement at the time. The baby would have been the Queen's sixth great-grandchild.
The couple, who wed in July 2011, share 2-year-old daughter Mia Grace.
Days before news of Zara's miscarriage broke, she and Mike, 38, attended the royal family's annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. They were joined by Zara's cousins Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as William's wife, Duchess Kate, and their two children, Prince George, 3, and Princess Charlotte, 19 months. Prince Charles, Duchess Camilla, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and Prince Andrew were among the many other royal guests who attended the Tuesday, December 20, occasion.
