It's no secret that Queen Elizabeth has had a challenging year. Besides her son Prince Andrew's sex scandal and his eventual resignation from his royal duties, the monarch also dealt with issues like the alleged rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, as well as the struggles of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, amid the media scrutiny.
Many royal experts said that 2019 for Queen Elizabeth is like a repeat of the monarch's tough year nearly two decades ago when Princess Diana passed away. Her Majesty even dubbed that year as "Annus Horribilis." Now experts are saying that 2019 is Annus Horribilis 2.
In the midst of this horrible year, however, Queen Elizabeth will likely receive a much-needed support from her granddaughter Zara and her husband Mike Tindall. Royal expert Ingrid Seward said that Zara, who is Princess Anne's daughter, is certainly expected in Sandringham for Christmas, along with her husband and children, Mia and Lena.
Seward said that Zara's bond with Queen Elizabeth is apparently tighter than Prince William and Kate Middleton, who will also be coming to Sandringham to celebrate the holiday as the Queen's estate with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. But Zara and Her Majesty share plenty of things in common, including their love for horses.
The royal expert said that Queen Elizabeth and Zara are not the intellectual types so their personalities click. When it comes to talking about horses, though, the Queen and her granddaughter can definitely fill the hours discussing their shared love.
Speaking of horses, Zara is set to gain a new role for 2020 at the Cheltenham Racecourse's International Meeting. She's going to be seeing through the competition with her mother's precious horse, Chequered View.
The mare was reportedly trained by Martin Keighley for months and is ready to take on Cheltenham instead of Hereford. It could be a great preparation for Zara, who hopes to land a spot in the country's equestrian time so she could compete at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
Meanwhile, royal experts believe that, contrary to the official statement, Queen Elizabeth was likely disappointed when Prince Harry and Meghan decided to celebrate the holidays abroad. It would have been the first time for their son, Archie Harrison, to experience Christmas in Sandringham but the Sussexes wanted their baby to have his first holiday in the United States.
Buckingham Palace confirmed in early November that Prince Harry and Meghan will not be with the royal family for Christmas. In an official statement, the Sussex couple apparently got the Queen's permission to take a six-week break for the holidays.
