Zara Tindall shares verdict on this year's Christmas after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's fall from grace


Equestrian Zara and her husband, Mike Tindall, are close to their royal relatives, including the King and the Prince and Princess of Wales


Mike and Zara Tindall on Christmas Day 2024© Getty
Danielle StaceyOnline Royal Correspondent - London
November 28, 2025
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The King and Queen will no doubt be preparing to welcome their extended family to Sandringham for Christmas in the coming weeks, and the monarch's niece, Zara Tindall, and her husband, Mike, will be among the guests. 

The equestrian, 44, confirmed her festive plans to the Daily Mail as she and Mike made a glamorous appearance at the Beauty Awards in London on Monday.

The couple and their three children, Mia, 11, Lena, seven, and Lucas, four, will join Charles, Camilla and the rest of the royal family in Norfolk once again this year.

"We are so lucky, Christmas is always amazing," Zara said. "We get to do a lot of fun things, and the place looks amazing. We will see everyone." 

Guests are also likely to include Zara's mother, the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, as well as Zara's brother, Peter Phillips.

But one family member who will not be making a public appearance on Christmas Day is Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of all of his royal titles, styles and honours in October following a string of scandals.

While Andrew skipped last year's church service, he has previously joined the royals for their walk to church, despite stepping back from his duties in 2019. 

Royal family's festive traditions

Olympic medallist Zara also shared an insight into the royal family's traditions when she appeared at a Battle of the Commentators charity lunch last year.

A source told HELLO! at the time that Zara revealed the royals wear black-tie for dinner together on Christmas Eve at Sandringham.

© Samir Hussein/WireImage
Zara with daughter Lena on Christmas Day last year

"We give presents to each other on Christmas Eve," she said, "As adults, we still have stockings on Christmas Day."

While Zara and Mike's son Lucas is yet to make his debut at the Christmas Day church service, their daughters, Mia and Lena, often steal the show with their cousins, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven.

© Samir Hussein/WireImage
Mia and Charlotte chatting after church on Christmas Day 2024

Last year, Mia and Charlotte were spotted deep in conversation together after the service at St Mary Magdalene Church, while stylish Zara looked beautiful in a plum coat and matching headband.

Zara also confirmed that she and former rugby star Mike will also attend the Princess of Wales's annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on 5 December. 

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The King's Christmas lunch

The Tindalls are also regulars at the Christmas lunch the King holds for extended family at one of his royal residences, with the event held at Buckingham Palace last year.

Former rugby star Mike once shared some insight into the family gathering. Speaking on JOE's UK House of Rugby podcast in 2019, he explained that the children of the family get their very own table to sit on – in a different room!

© Getty Images
Mike and Zara with their son, Lucas, who is yet to make his Christmas Day debut

He said: "I didn't drink actually, this is the other one, the family lunch there must be about 70 of us there – there are seven tables and the kiddies have their own little one in a different room. I was on [then] Prince Charles's table. It was lovely, really good."

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