And she's off! Zara Tindall is seen for the first time in her new role as Cheltenham racecourse director since taking up the position on New Year's Day

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Zara Tindall has been pictured for the first time in her new role as Racecourse Director at Cheltenham. 

The Queen's eldest granddaughter, 38, donned a navy coat, with a Jockey Club brooch, and a grey fedora hat for the Festival Trials Day.  

Today marks the final race meet before the prestigious four-day Cheltenham Festival in March, where horses, owners and trainers bid to become the Festival winner. 

Zara talked with friends at the racecourse and described her position as an 'honour' after taking up the position on New Year's Day for the first fixture of 2020.  

The mother-of-two is a regular visitor to the home of National Hunt Racing and has owned, bred and pre-trained in the past - and currently has horses at Martin Keighley's yard.  

The Queen is The Jockey Club's patron, however Zara is the first member of the Royal Family to sit on the committee.

Zara Tindall, 38, donned a navy coat, with a Jockey Club brooch, and a grey fedora hat for the Festival Trials Day after taking up her new role 

The mother-of-two is a regular visitor to the home of National Hunt Racing and has owned, bred and pre-trained in the past - and currently has horses at Martin Keighley's yard

Last September Zara was unveiled as an ambassador for iCandy prams' £1,500 'all-terrain' buggy.

While her entrepreneurship doesn't stop there as she is also a brand ambassador for Rolex, Land Rover and Musto, and has her own jewellery range with Australian brand Cajella. 

The equestrian won the gold medal at the Eventing World Championships in Aachen in 2006 - which led to the British public voting her BBC Sports Personality of the Year. While she was awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to equestrianism.

'I'm passionate about horseracing, particularly on the jumps side, and the absolute pinnacle of that is Cheltenham,' she said. 

'Racing is simply the most exciting sport, and it's open to all.

'It's an honour to have been asked by Martin St Quinton on behalf of The Jockey Club to get involved in a more formal capacity, and I look forward to doing my bit to support the executive team in the years to come.'

The Queen was pictured driving through the Sandringham Estate - two days after she was forced to cancel a visit to the WI in Norfolk 

St Quinton, the new chairman at Cheltenham, said: 'Zara is a wonderful advocate for our sport, and I'm delighted that she has agreed to join us at Cheltenham Racecourse.

'I'm sure we will benefit significantly from her breadth of experience and a perspective that will prove invaluable to the racecourse.'

Zara's mother, the Princess Royal, is the Patron of their charity, Racing Welfare, and the Duchess of Cornwall is the Patron of The National Stud.

Prince Philip, 98, was seen not wearing a seat belt as he drove through the Sandringham Estate with his daughter Princess Anne 

It comes after the Queen was pictured driving through the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, for the first time since Prince Harry departed for Canada. 

Prince Philip was also seen driving with Zara's mother Princess Anne through the estate today. 

Meanwhile Prince Edward was pictured with his daughter Lady Louise riding through Windsor Great Park. 

And Prince Andrew was photographed on horseback while chatting with a friend in the park which borders Berkshire and Surrey.