If you have been following the British Royal Family, you will know it is not easy on Princess Anne lately. At 73, the indefatigable royal was still recovering from concussion and minor injuries after some mystery horse incident at her Gatcombe Park estate.
All this came about as the Princess was out for a walk on her Gloucestershire estate when she was hit about the head quite out of the blue by a horse, leaving her concussed and slightly injured on June 23rd. She was taken at the moment into Southmead Hospital in Bristol for further observation and treatment. The Palace issued this statement later: “The Princess Royal has sustained minor injuries and concussion following an incident on the Gatcombe Park estate yesterday evening.”
Princess Anne has been on horses since she was two and a half and is used to similar incidents. She has often broken bones, suffered concussions, and even had serious back injuries from the sport she loves. Nothing seems to shake her affection for horses.
This terrible accident has made her cancel several engagements, however. “She’ll hate it,” said one former staff member who worked closely with Anne for many years. She earned the moniker of the hardest-working royal, with more than 450 last year alone. Rhea Freeman, a fellow equestrian, says, “I imagine she’ll be eager to get back to work as soon as possible.”
She was due to travel to Canada to mark the First World War, attend a banquet for the Japanese State Visit, and open a number of community projects in the UK. These engagements are now postponed. Buckingham Palace said a decision on Anne’s schedule would be made case by case in light of developments.
Anne issued a statement that expressed her deepest regret at the cancellations. It was read by the Canadian Governor General in Newfoundland as hundreds attended a repatriation ceremony for a First World War soldier. “It is with deep regret that I am unable to be with you today,” Anne’s message began. “I send you my warmest best wishes on this special day of commemoration.”
Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, has been with her throughout. He called for his thanks to be conveyed to staff at the NHS hospital, adding: “She’s worked incredibly hard for many years, attending over 450 events last year. Her normal schedule is relentless and she often attends multiple events a day, so having enforced time off will be very strange, I’m sure.”
It brought into sharp focus the current royal family health issues; the Princess of Wales and King are undergoing cancer treatment, with the Duchess of York having had surgery for skin cancer last week. Anne plays such an integral part in the slimmed-down working monarchy that her absence will be keenly felt.
Yet all this does not deter him. The consistently displayed commitment to the royal duties and her never-nonsense attitude were always her distinguishing features. Freeman said, “She’s worked incredibly hard for many years. having enforced time off will be very strange, I’m sure.”
The royal family has been sending well wishes to Anne for her speedy recovery, and even King Charles has joined in. Indeed, the King commented that “the whole royal family joins in sending its fondest love and well-wishes to The Princess for a speedy recovery.”
To many an admirer of the royal family and Princess Anne’s character, this incident is merely a further testament to her irrepressible spirit and unshakable dedication to duty. Anne is reportedly going to make a full recovery, and we will get to see her back in action soon, carrying on in the tradition of being the hardest-working royal.