Princess Anne in Hospital: Everything We Know

Princess Anne has been taken to hospital after experiencing concussion and minor injuries following an incident in the vicinity of horses.

King Charles III wished his sister a speedy recovery after the drama unfolded while she was out walking on her Gatcombe Park Estate, in Gloucestershire, on Sunday evening.

One of the royal family's hardest-working members has had to postpone her attendance at a banquet for the Emperor and Empress of Japan and a tour of Canada.

Princess Anne Injured in 'Incident'

The Princess Royal, 73, was within the protected perimeter of the expansive grounds of the country estate bought for her by Queen Elizabeth II in the 1970s.

It is not known for sure exactly what happened, which is perhaps unsurprising given the palace have said she experienced concussion, which can cause memory loss.

However, she was in the company of horses at the time and her medical team suggested her injuries would be consistent with a blow to the head from either a horse's leg or head.

While a strike from such a powerful animal can have devastating consequences, Anne's injuries appear to be minor.

The Princess Royal remained in hospital overnight and had not yet been discharged by the time Buckingham Palace announced the news in a statement shortly after midday, U.K. time.

Also on the estate at the time were her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, who went with her to hospital, daughter Zara Tindall and son-in-law, former World Cup winning rugby player Mike Tindall.

When Will Princess Anne Be Discharged?

Buckingham Palace were keen to stress the princess had been taken to hospital as a precaution though she is postponing appearances this week.

Hopes remain that she will able to return home later in the week and she is expected to make a full and swift recovery.

"Her Royal Highness is recovering well, is in a comfortable condition and
is being kept in hospital as a precautionary measure for further observation," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.

In terms of her treatment though, the palace is keeping tight-lipped, choosing to maintain a boundary around her medical privacy.

"Her Royal Highness is receiving appropriate expert care," the spokesperson said. "No further details are being shared at this stage.

"Her Royal Highness will remain in Southmead Hospital unless or until her medical team advise otherwise. Sir Tim Laurence accompanied Her Royal Highness to hospital."

Princess Anne's Love of Horses

Anne is far from a novice around horses having competed in the Olympic Games as an equestrian in 1976.

The Royal Family's official website reads: "The Princess Royal was the first member of the Royal Family to have competed in the Olympic Games when she rode The Queen's horse, Goodwill, in the equestrian three-day event at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

"The Princess also competed in multiple European Three-Day Event Championships, winning a gold medal in the 1971 individual discipline and silver in both the individual and team disciplines in 1975."

Anne may have been the first member of the Royal Family to compete in the Olympics but she was not to be the last.

"The Princess's daughter Zara Phillips [now Tindall] followed in her mother's footsteps by competing in the same equestrian three-day event at the 2012 London Olympics," the family's website reads. "Great Britain won silver in the event and The Princess Royal presented the team, including her daughter, with their medals."

The Buckingham Palace Statement in Full

"The Princess Royal has sustained minor injuries and concussion following an incident on the Gatcombe Park estate yesterday evening," the palace announcement read. "Her Royal Highness remains in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, as a precautionary measure for observation and is expected to make a full and swift recovery."

"The King has been kept closely informed and joins the whole Royal Family in sending his fondest love and well-wishes to The Princess for a speedy recovery."

Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you.