Zara Tindall drops telling four-word hint about the Royal Family’s looming Christmas plans as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor drama rumbles on

The 44-year-old daughter of Princess Anne chatted to reporters on Monday evening as she arrived for a “date night” with husband Mike Tindall, 47, at London’s annual Beauty Awards.

Zara looked radiant in a black velvet midi dress by Australian designer Rebecca Vallance, pairing the look with snowflake earrings, a silver clutch and Aquazzura pumps.

In a brief but revealing exchange, she confirmed she’ll be seeing the wider family over the festive period.

“We will see everyone,” she told the Mail.

“We are so lucky, Christmas is always amazing. We get to do a lot of fun things, and the place looks amazing.”

She also revealed she and Mike will attend the Princess of Wales’ annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on December 5.

As is tradition, the King is expected to host the family at Sandringham House, where the celebrations usually include a formal dinner and a round of gift-giving on Christmas Eve.

Alongside the Tindalls, the Wales family are expected to attend, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, Peter Phillips and his fiancée Harriet Sperling, and Queen Camilla’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.

Carole and Michael Middleton may also join the festivities.

Remaining firmly off the guest list are Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson, who have been pushed to the fringes of royal life over their links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, have reportedly received invitations to a number of royal events this season, but whether they’ll accept remains unclear.

Royal commentator Neil Sean claims both sisters were personally invited by Catherine’s office to her upcoming carol service.

“This is Catherine’s project and she has the final say- very similar to the way Prince William runs Earthshot,” Sean told Fox News.

“Above all, the royal family wants to be seen as united amid a very difficult year.”

Sean added that the move is a “deliberate effort” by the Princess of Wales to push past recent scandals and reinforce a sense of unity during the festive season.

Beatrice attended the event in 2024, but Sean says this year’s invitation places the York sisters in an awkward position.

“If they don’t attend, it looks like they’re snubbing a prestigious invite,” he said. 

“If they do attend, they risk a media circus with them at the centre of attention.”

Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to be quietly wrestling with their own Christmas dilemma.

Sources claim the Duke of Sussex hopes to return to the UK for the holidays- something he hasn’t done since 2018- while the Duchess is reportedly hesitant.

A source told Closer that even the “discussions” about a possible UK trip have “got her (Meghan) anxious.”

“Meghan is a planner, she has a full schedule and she needs to lock things in sometimes months in advance, she can’t just drop everything to fly over to the UK with Harry – to her that would upend everything,” the insider said.

“Harry understands why Meghan’s so reluctant to come but wishes she’d find it in her heart to support him and is still hoping she comes to the UK with him, if only so Archie and Lili can meet their grandpa.”

The source added that the prince is “on tenterhooks” waiting for the “go-ahead” to spend time with the King, who is undergoing treatment for an undisclosed cancer, and remains “adamant” he needs to be with his father whenever possible.

It’s unclear whether the Sussexes have been formally invited to Sandringham.

For now, it appears likely the pair will spend Christmas in Montecito with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland.