Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, has been hospitalized as a precaution after sustaining minor injuries and a concussion during an incident at her home. Buckingham Palace confirmed the information in a statement.
The incident, which occurred at Gatcombe Park, the princess’s country residence located in Gloucestershire, was caused by a horse. The 73-year-old princess was transported to Southmead Hospital in Bristol. According to a royal source, Anne was walking near the horses when she was slightly injured on the head.
Although the exact cause of the injuries has not been confirmed, the princess’s medical team indicated that they were consistent with a potential impact with a horse. The royal princess is recovering well and remains under observation at the hospital as a precaution. Consequently, her engagements for the week have been postponed on the advice of doctors. She will not be able to attend the State Banquet of Japan scheduled for Tuesday at Buckingham Palace and will also not travel to Canada as initially planned.
King Charles III, currently undergoing treatment for cancer, has been informed and has expressed his support. The royal family and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have also sent their best wishes for the princess’s recovery. As a reminder, Princess Anne is an accomplished equestrian. She was the first Briton to participate in equestrian events at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. She continues to participate in equestrian and military events, as recently seen during the king’s birthday parade.
The sister of King Charles III is often described as the "hardest-working" member of the royal family due to her numerous annual engagements. In 2022, she attended 214 events, surpassing her brother Charles. Princess Anne is very popular in England and plays an active role in many official military parades, including the review of the troops on horseback for the Trooping the Colour ceremony, the parade marking the sovereign’s official birthday.