It hasn't been a great year in the royal family. Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter, Zara Tindall, underwent a miscarriage just before the holidays.

Hence, Zara's second child was lost, according to Celebdirty Laundry. Zara and her husband Mike Tindall already have a two-year-old daughter, Mia. The second pregnancy was declared much earlier in December and the press was told that the due date would be in spring.

The second baby would have been the sixth great-grandchild of the royal couple, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. The spokeswoman for the royal couple announced: "Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. At this difficult time, we ask that everyone respects their privacy."

Recently, Zara had declared her happiness to Woman's Day Magazine, saying that she couldn't wait enough for the second one: "So far, things seem to be on track. I feel great and Mia was such a good baby - we have got our fingers crossed for the second time around."

The 35-year-old Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall had last attended the annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace. They were later joined by her cousins, Prince William and Prince Harry, along with Kate Middleton.

Zara, who got married in 2011, is 16th in line to the British throne. She spent Christmas with her family at their Gatcome Park country estate home in Gloucestershire, which is located near her mother Anne's residence.

Zara Tindall is equestrian. She won the 2006 eventing world championships and a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics. Last October, she was part of the Calmsden Horse Trials in Cirencester, according to dailymail.   

Christmas this year had been "different," with Prince William and Kate opting to spend it away from the palace. Queen Elizabeth, meanwhile, missed the service this year. Though she has been attending St. Mary Magadelene near her Sandringham Estate since 1988, she could not attend this year due to a severe cold. All she could offer was a message with a pre-recorded Christmas broadcast. The tragedy of Zara Tindall's miscarriage dogged the end of the year.

So far, there have not been any further comments about Zara Tindall's miscarriage or Queen Elizabeth's health.