Zara Tindall has revealed she suffered a second miscarriage before she gave birth to her daughter Lena last month.
The Queen’s granddaughter, who is married to Mike Tindall, had Lena in June after she struggled to have a baby following the birth of her eldest child, Mia in 2014.
The 37-year-old announced in November of 2016 she was expecting a child but just weeks later, on Christmas Eve, a spokeswoman said she had lost the baby.
Now, Zara has revealed she suffered a second miscarriage but decided to keep it private, saying: ‘You need to go through a period where you don’t talk about it because it’s too raw.’
Zara Tindall has revealed she suffered a second miscarriage before she gave birth to her daughter Lena last month
The Queen’s granddaughter welcomed her second child with husband Mike Tindall in June, after the couple struggled to have a baby after Mia was born 2014 (pictured together)
The news comes as Zara made one of her first appearances on Saturday since having Lena (pictured)
She added in her interview with the Sunday Times: ‘But, as with everything, time’s a great healer.’
Zara said the second miscarriage happened ‘really early on’, but it is not clear when it occured.
The royal said the hardest part of her first miscarriage was having to tell the world, but found comfort in people writing to her saying they had been through the same experience.
Zara said: ‘In our case, it was something that was really rare; it was nature saying, ”This one’s not right.”
‘I had to go through having the baby because it was so far along.’
The equestrian champion, who was named Sports Personality of the Year in 2006, said her older brother Peter Phillips came to her rescue during the rough time.
She added: ‘Pete was again very much the protective brother; he was very concerned about me, as was Mike.
‘Everyone was. It was a time when my family came to the fore and I needed them.’
Zara said the second miscarriage happened ‘really early on’, but it is not clear when it happened
Zara said: ‘You need to go through a period where you don’t talk about it because it’s too raw’
Breaking his silence last May about their devastating loss, Mike, the former Gloucester Rugby and England captain, said: ‘One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing.’ Pictured: Mike and Mia in June
The new mother stepped out on the course at half time of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club International Day on Saturday (pictured)
At the time of her first miscarriage it was thought Zara would have been about four-months pregnant, and the baby was expected to arrive in late spring.
Breaking his silence last May about their devastating loss, Mike, the former Gloucester Rugby and England captain said: ‘One thing you do learn is how many other people have to go through the same thing.’
The former rugby player continued: ‘The saving grace for us has been Mia. However down we feel, she will come running up in our faces.’
The news comes as Zara made one of her first appearances on Saturday since having Lena.
The new mother stepped out on the course at half time of the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club International Day – keeping off the chill with a grey shawl draped over her shoulders.
The International Day combines fast-paced test match polo and film, fashion, entertainment & society.
The Queen gave her consent to Zara and Mike’s marriage in May 2011 and their wedding was held on July 30, 2011 at the Canongate Kirkin Edinburgh, Scotland
Zara is an equestrian who won the 2006 eventing world championships and a silver medal for Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, in October she took part in the Calmsden Horse Trials in Cirencester
Zara and Mike were famously public about the birth of their daughter Mia
Zara and Mike live with her mother, Princess Anne, on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.
The Queen gave her consent to their marriage in May 2011 and their wedding was held on July 30, 2011 at the Canongate Kirkin Edinburgh, Scotland.
The couple were famously public about the birth of their daughter Mia.
Zara became the first senior member of the Royal Family to sell photographs of their baby to a celebrity magazine – for a reported fee of £150,000.
Zara, Mike and their then five-week-old daughter Mia Grace were pictured in 13 pages of Hello! magazine, as well as its front cover.
Zara is an equestrian who won the 2006 eventing world championships and a silver medal for Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, in October she took part in the Calmsden Horse Trials in Cirencester.
The Queen’s granddaughter is patron of the Magic Millions Racing Women, an initiative promoting racehorse ownership among women.