In heartbreaking news today, Princess Anne has spoken out about her health for the first time since sustaining a concussion and minor injuries in a horse-related incident at her country home. The brave princess admitted she can’t remember anything about the incident, and the royal family forced her to make a shocking decision regarding her recent health situation.
King Charles’s little sister was discharged from the hospital after five days of medical attention a few weeks ago. The royal family’s diary and website have been updated to remove Princess Anne’s engagements next week as she continues to recover from last month’s accident. With her taking a small break, the public and media may expect regular updates, putting pressure on Princess Anne and the royal family to provide ongoing information about her health status. Releasing a photo carries some risk; if she appears too frail, it might raise more concern, but if she looks too well, it might be seen as downplaying the seriousness of her condition.
In a shared announcement, King Charles expressed concern for his sister amid her recent visit to the Riding for the Disabled Association National Championships. He has been kept closely informed and joins the entire royal family in sending their fondest love and well wishes to the princess for a speedy recovery.
Appearing in high spirits at Harper Adams University in Newport today, Anne could be seen nursing a bruised left eye and face covered with makeup. Despite her injuries, the princess was in top form. It was a huge honor for the princess to attend the RDA as her only event since the incident. It’s hugely motivating and inspiring to have her present.
Since the incident, which left her with a concussion and minor head injuries, the princess has been recovering at her home in Gloucestershire, following standard concussion protocols. Palace officials said she would continue her rehabilitation at home as she eases back into public life.
When Princess Anne left the hospital, her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, issued a short statement voicing his gratitude to her care team: “I would like to extend my warmest thanks to the team at St. Mary’s Hospital for their care, expertise, and kindness during my wife’s stay,” said Sir Timothy. He gave a brief update to reporters about his wife’s health after visiting her at the hospital on June 26, saying that she was recovering slowly and would be out when she’s ready.
Anne’s medical team stated her head injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs, but her concussion has meant the precise details of how the incident occurred are unclear. An air ambulance was scrambled to take the princess to the hospital, but she ultimately traveled by road after being treated by an emergency crew on-site.
Consistently cited as the hardest-working royal by the count of official engagements recorded in the Court Circular, the Princess Royal was forced to clear her calendar after being injured. A palace spokesperson confirmed she would not be at the Buckingham Palace banquet King Charles threw on June 25 in honor of the Japanese state visit. Her trip to Canada later that week was also canceled on medical advice.
Last year, Princess Anne was proclaimed the hardest-working member of the royal family, having attended the most engagements recorded in the Court Circular. Peter Phillips, her son, spoke about how he was inspired by his parents’ drive: “Both our parents have been hugely influential to Zara and myself, and I think primarily it’s through their work ethic,” he explained earlier this year. “Both of them are incredibly hardworking, and both in their 70s, they’re still working a lot harder than either of them probably expected. But then, as my mother always said, from their perspective, they had pretty good role models from my grandparents who were still working in their ’90s,” referring to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. “Everyone has a huge amount to live up to, and ultimately, they all live by example.”