Princess Anne Leaves Hospital to Continue Recovery at Home After Concussion in Horse 'Incident'
Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles' sister is back home at Gatcombe Park, where she will receive rehabilitation support
Rolf Vennenbernd/Picture Alliance via Getty Princess Anne at the CHIO Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, on June 27, 2023.
- Princess Anne, 73, has been discharged from Southmead Hospital in Bristol, England, a statement from Buckingham Palace announced on Friday, June 28.
- The update comes five days after the Princess Royal was hospitalized on June 24 after sustaining "minor injuries and concussion," according to a statement from Buckingham Palace the same day.
- The royal will continue her recovery at her Gatcombe Park country home in Gloucestershire.
Princess Anne has left the hospital after sustaining a concussion and minor injuries on June 23.
The Princess Royal, 73, is now receiving rehabilitation support at her Gatcombe Park country home in Gloucestershire after being discharged from Southmead Hospital in Bristol on the morning of Friday, June 28, PEOPLE confirms. No additional details are available regarding the incident, other than it involved a hard impact from a horse.
Princess Anne's husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, added in a statement, “I would like to extend my warmest thanks to the team at Southmead Hospital for their care, expertise and kindness during my wife’s short stay."
The royal will only return to public duties once her medical team says it's safe to do so. At this stage, it's not possible to determine when that will be, PEOPLE understands.
Victoria Jones-WPA Pool/Getty Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne at the Not Forgotten Association Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on May 17, 2024.
Buckingham Palace announced on June 24 that King Charles' younger sister was hospitalized following an "incident" at Gatcombe Park on June 23. Her injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse's head or legs. Due to the concussion, the exact details of the accident were unable to be ascertained.
"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," Buckingham Palace said in a statement.
On June 25, The Telegraph reported that Princess Anne suffered memory loss, thought to be temporary, relating to the incident.
The same day, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence briefly spoke about his wife's health as he left the hospital after she spent her second night there.
"She is recovering well, thank you. We are both profoundly grateful to the medical team and hospital support staff for their expert care — and to the emergency services who were all so wonderful at the scene," Sir Tim told well-wishers.
"We are both deeply touched by all the kind messages we have received from so many people near and far. It means a great deal," he added.
In a video shared to X by Chris Ship of ITV, Sir Tim told reporters, "She's fine. Slow but sure."
Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Priness Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence at the Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle on June 17, 2024.
The incident meant that Princess Anne was forced to clear her calendar. She missed the June 25 state banquet at Buckingham Palace that capped the first day of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan's state visit and was also due to travel to Canada but was advised not to fly, per medical advice.
"On doctors’ advice, Her Royal Highness’s engagements for the week ahead will be postponed. Her Royal Highness sends her apologies to any who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result," a palace spokesperson said on June 24.
The Princess Royal has been considered the "hardest-working" member of the royal family by the count of engagements recorded in the Court Circular for the last three years and reportedly stepped out for 457 duties in 2023.
"She just gets on with it, often carrying out multiple engagements in one day," Queen Elizabeth's former press spokesman Dickie Arbiter previously told The Telegraph about Princess Anne's dedication to duty.
Mike Marsland/WireImage (From left) Prince William, Prince Edward and Princess Anne ride at Trooping the Colour on June 15, 2024.
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Princess Anne received the Gatcombe Park estate as a wedding present from Queen Elizabeth upon her first marriage to Captain Mark Phillips in 1976 and the Festival of British Eventing was held there for 40 years. A passionate horsewoman like her late mother the Queen, the Princess Royal became the first member of the British royal family to compete at the Olympics when she rode for Team Great Britain in 1976.
She recently trotted into the spotlight when she rode in the procession at Trooping the Colour in London on June 15, keeping her cool when her horse got spooked.
Read the original article on People.