Princess Anne Hospital Update
Princess Anne photographed in England, March 30, 2023. The princess returned home from hospital on June 28 following medical supervision at hospital.
King Charles III's sister, Princess Anne, has returned to her country home after spending five days in the hospital under observation for a concussion and minor head injuries.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the princess returned to her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, England, on Friday after an "incident" on June 23 saw her hospitalized.
The Context
A statement issued on Monday said: "The Princess Royal has sustained minor injuries and concussion following an incident on the Gatcombe Park estate yesterday evening. Her Royal Highness remains in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, as a precautionary measure for observation and is expected to make a full and swift recovery."
King Charles III was said to be kept fully informed and sent his sister his best wishes.
Anne's hospitalization came after King Charles and Princess Kate suffered major health issues already this year, with two cancer diagnoses.
What We Know
Little detail about how Anne sustained her injuries is known, though they are believed to be consistent with those caused by a blow from a horse's head or legs. Horses were in the vicinity of where the incident took place.
Anne is an experienced horsewoman. She was the first British royal to compete in the Olympic Games during the equestrian three-day event in 1973.
The princess' husband, Sir Tim Laurence, accompanied his wife to the Southmead Hospital in Bristol, England.
When visiting his wife on Tuesday, Laurence responded to a journalist's inquiry about her health, saying she was "fine."
"Slow but sure," he added.
The princess is expected to be absent from public duties until cleared to return by her doctors.
Views
Anne plays an integral role in the royal family's dynamic. She is the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. She is also close to King Charles, both in age and relationship.
Newsweek's chief royal correspondent, Jack Royston, described the princess' health scare as a "sobering moment" for the king.
"Anne is obviously Charles' sister and very close to him," Royston said on The Royal Report podcast this week.
"Charles and Anne were born within a couple of years of each other, and the other two children of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were born much later...So, Anne and Charles really grew up side by side, and she was there to support him all the time. So, this is going to be a very sobering moment for him and is just very, very unfortunate. It's a new blow for the royals in 2024."
What's Next?
The princess is expected to remain out of the public eye while she recuperates from her concussion and her injuries heal.
Buckingham Palace will not provide future updates about the royal's health in connection with this recent incident, and Anne's return to work will depend on her doctors' clearance.
The princess regularly tops the list of hardest-working royals. In 2023, she undertook 410 engagements, according to data published by The Times.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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