Princess Anne’s injury ‘not a minor matter’, says royal expert

Royal expert Michael Cole described Princess Anne as ‘robust’ as she continues her recovery in hospital after suffering a head injury.

She’s faced adversity many a time in her life, none more so than when she was the target of an attempted kidnapping.

Her response to that incident perhaps epitomises her character. Read the full story on what happened that day in 1974 here:

Princess Anne will be keen to leave hospital as soon as she can and return to her duties, according to former royal correspondent Michael Cole.

Mr Cole told Metro.co.uk: ‘She’s a very dutiful person. I went around the world with her on several occasions. She’s very committed to the job. She’s very down to earth, as is famously said.

‘Knowing her, she won’t want to spend a minute more in hospital than she has to do so. But I do know that she does listen to professional advice.

‘I’m sure that she will be listening to her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, and what the doctors are saying before she comes out of hospital.

‘And she will want to make sure that everything is right. I’m sure that we wish her well and a speedy, prompt and complete recovery.’

Royal family expert Michael Cole says Princess Anne’s injuries are ‘no minor matter’.

Buckingham Palace said Anne is being kept in hospital as a precaution, but Mr Cole believes it’s more important to keep a close eye on when she’s actually discharged.

‘I think what we have to do is to look at not what they [Buckingham Palace] say, but what happens,’ he told Metro.co.uk.

‘If they keep her in longer than one night, I think that would indicate that they’re not happy with the condition.’

Mr Cole, a former BBC TV journalist and royal correspondent said Anne, 73, will be frustrated to miss out on any duties and keen to recover as soon as possible.

He added: ‘She’ll be, shall I say, straining up a bit – to use an equestrian term – to get back in the saddle as soon as possible

‘But that will only come when she’s been discharged from hospital, having had the necessary checks on all the aspects of her health before she can go because she’s no longer a spring chicken, although she sometimes feels like one, I’m sure.

‘Obviously, the medical professionals are taking a cautious approach, which is right and proper.’

Princess Anne is often seen taking solo horse rides near her home of Gatcome Park, one of her neighbours has said.

Ivor Hatherall, who lives near the estate, told The Telegraph: ‘Princess Anne is generally about, she’s always riding her horses down the road, or sometimes drives past in her Range Rover.

‘When she comes by she’ll stop and have a chat with you, she usually goes by on her horse on her own – it’s such a big horse now. 

‘I’m very sad to hear that she is in hospital, I would like to wish her well. I’m glad she’s going to be okay.’

Anne proved her horseriding chops by winning European gold and silver medals and competing in the Olympics in her youth, and has continued to show her skills in her later years.

Last week she joined the Trooping the Colour procession on horseback and was riding alongisde the Household Cavalry when her horse appeared to become agitated.

The horse briefly fell out of step but Anne was was seen expertly reining it in and soon brought it back in line.

At a separate point in the parade, another horse was spooked by construction work and bolted through central London.

The concussion and other injuries suffered by Princess Anne appear to have been caused by a horse, according to a report.

Anne’s medical team believes her injuries are consistent with impact from a horse’s leg or head, a royal source told The Washington Post.

The 73-year-old is known to be extremely fond of horses and has extensive experience dealing with them.

She became the first ever royal to compete in the Olympics when she took part in the three-day equestrian event in the 1976.

Anne previously revealed how she suffered a concussion during the jumping portion of the event and could not remember finishing the jumps after getting injured.

Princess Anne will miss several engagements as a result of her injuries, royal aides have confirmed.

The 73-year-old was due to attend a banquet at Buckingham Palace for Japan’s Emperor Naruhito tomorrow before flying to Canada for a visit at the end of the week, but will no longer do so.

A spokesperson for the palace said: ‘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.

‘The Japanese State Visit will go ahead as planned, though sadly Her Royal Highness will be unable to attend the State banquet tomorrow.’

Rishi Sunak has issued a statement wishing Princess Anne a speedy recovery while she remains in hospital from a head injury.

The prime minister said: ‘Everyone in the country is immensely fond of Her Royal Highness.

‘We’re all sending her our best wishes for a swift recovery.’

Tom Quinn, who has authored several books on the royal family, tells The Mirror Charles has ‘had discussions about an official visit to the United States at some time in the future’.

The trip would be ‘discreet’ and ‘private’, he said, meaning it would be confirmed by Buckingham Palace but the press and public would have no access to Charles on his travels.

The monarch is said to be frustrated over his relationship with Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, whom he only sees on occasional video calls from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s mansion in California.

He has only met Archie in person twice and Lilibet once as Harry is reluctant to visit the UK after losing access to taxpayer-funded police protection.

Harry is currently in a legal battle with the Home Office over the issue and said at a court hearing that his children can’t ‘feel at home’ in the UK and it’s ‘not possible to keep them safe’ there.

A Mayfair townhouse previously owned by Princess Diana’s family has gone up for sale for the cool price of £10.9 million.

The luxury property, at 24 Farm Street, is being listed for the first time in 22 years.

It belonged to Diana’s stepmother, Lady Raine Spencer, who was said to have had a tricky relationship with the future princess at first.

But the pair reconciled in the 1990s – after Diana’s divorce and the death of her father – and they spent a considerable amount of time together at 24 Farm Street.

Lady Spencer hosted an illustrious array of high-society guests at dinner parties there, and the home is notably where Diana met Dodi Al Fayed for the first time.

Since the early 2000s, it has belonged to renowned art collectors Alan and Mary Hobart, who died in 2021 and this year respectively.