The Duke of Sussex’s cousin Zara Tindall has previously opened up about the trauma she faced after suffering two miscarriages.

She told how for a time “you don’t talk about it because it’s too raw”, adding: “But as with everything, time’s a great healer.”

The Olympic medal-winning equestrian, who is close to Harry who is grieving with the Duchess of Sussex after they lost their second child, said the support of her family helped her to cope.

Zara, who has two daughters, six-year-old Mia and two-year-old Lena, with former England rugby player Mike Tindall, had two miscarriages before becoming pregnant with Lena.

She had a miscarriage just before Christmas in 2016, having announced the pregnancy the previous month.

Zara told the Sunday Times she later suffered another miscarriage before becoming pregnant with Lena, who was born in 2018.

The Queen’s granddaughter said: “For me, the worst bit was that we had to tell everyone, everyone knew.”

She added: “I had to go through having the baby because it was so far along. I then had another miscarriage really early on.”

Zara said it was “a time when my family came to the fore and I needed them”.

The Countess of Wessex’s journey to motherhood was a traumatic and dangerous one.

In 2001, Sophie, Harry’s aunt, was airlifted to hospital from her home in Bagshot Park, Surrey, when she suffered a potentially life-threatening ectopic pregnancy.

Sophie, who was six weeks pregnant at the time, underwent a two-and-a-half hour emergency operation at the King Edward VII’s Hospital, but lost her baby.

Two years later, eight months pregnant Sophie was rushed to hospital while expecting her daughter Lady Louise Windsor.

She was suffering with severe internal pains, and doctors found she was dangerously ill from blood loss and performed an emergency Caesarean.

Newborn Lady Louise was transferred to St George’s Hospital in Tooting, London, for specialist care, while the countess remained at Frimley Park Hospital near her home. They were separated for six days.

Lady Louise is now 16 and studying for her A-levels. The Earl and Countess of Wessex also have a son, 12-year-old Viscount Severn, who was born in 2007.

The Duchess of Cambridge, who has three children, was admitted to hospital and treated for a number of days when expecting Prince George.

Throughout her pregnancies, she suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum, which causes severe vomiting and can lead to dehydration, weight loss and a build-up of toxins in the blood or urine called ketosis.