'We have our fingers crossed for the second time around': Pregnant Zara Tindall admits she's hoping for another 'good baby' like her daughter Mia

  • Royal, 35, is expecting second child in April next year
  • Opening up about pregnancy for first time she said she's feeling 'great' 
  • Revealed she wants to set an example for other women in sport 
  • Zara and retired rugby player Mike are already parents to three-year-old Mia 

Pregnant Zara Tindall has revealed how she's hoping that the new arrival will be as angelic as her daughter Mia. 

Opening up about her pregnancy for the first time, the royal, 35, told Stellar magazine that she and husband Mike are hoping things will be as easy second time round.

'So far, things seem to be on track. I feel great,' she said. 'Mia was such a good baby. We have got our fingers crossed for the second time around.'

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Zara Tindall at Cheltenham Race Course in November, a few weeks before announcing her pregnancy. She has revealed how she's hoping for another 'good baby' like her daughter Mia

Zara and Mike announced they were expecting a sibling for three-year-old Mia, who will be the Queen's sixth great-grandchild, three, at the end of last month. 

Following the news retired rugby player Mike took to Twitter to thanks everyone for their good wishes.

He wrote: 'Just a quick one to say thank you for the messages. We are very very happy about the little one on its way. 2017 is already starting well!!' 

During her first pregnancy Zara, 16th in line to the throne, continued to ride into her second trimester. While she announced that she had temporarily quit show-jumping to have her daughter, she then surprised spectators by appearing at the Gatcombe trials.

Zara and her husband Mike with their daughter Mia, who will be joined by a new sibling in April next year 

The cheeky youngster was a very well behaved baby according to her mother 

Zara with her daughter at the British Festival of Eventing after competing in the dressage phase 

And she has revealed that she sees herself as something of a role model for women in sport. 

'I've always been involved in horses and in a sport where men and women are equal,' she said 'It has always been natural for me to compete against the guys.

'I see my role [as] to try to lead by example, in what I've done. I want to try to give back and encourage women to do the same thing.'

Like her brother Peter, Zara has no Royal title or taxpayer funding. She earns a living as a professional equestrian, funding her stables through sponsorship deals with firms including Land Rover and Rolex.

Zara become 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.

The first official pictures of Mia were taken at Zara and Mike’s cottage on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire and came just days after their publicist denied they were planning to make money out of the birth.      

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