Princess Anne is doing "fine" after being hospitalized with head injuries and concussion after an incident at her country estate on Sunday, her husband has revealed.
King Charles III's younger sister was admitted to the Southmead Hospital in Bristol on June 23 following her injuries, which have been suggested were consistent with those sustained from a blow from a horse's head or legs.
Anne is an experienced horsewoman, having become the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympic Games in 1976 in its three day equestrian event.
On Tuesday, the princess' husband of 31 years, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, responded to journalists questions for an update on his wife's condition after he visited her in the hospital.
In video footage uploaded to X (formerly Twitter) by ITV royal editor, Chris Ship, when asked "How is she doing, sir?" Laurence responded: "Fine. Slow but sure."
The princess' injuries have led to the cancellation of several of her royal engagements and an overseas trip to Canada on behalf of King Charles.
Princess Anne is “fine” says her husband after seeing her in hospital.
— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) June 25, 2024
“She’s fine. Slow but sure”, said Sir Tim Laurence after the visit.
Asked whether he brought her lunch in that cool bag - he said it was a few treats from home.
(🚨 Sorry for the sound of screeching brakes of… pic.twitter.com/XClmnGfzlo
A statement from Buckingham Palace on Monday detailed Anne's hospitalization, reading: "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.
"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."
Anne regularly tops the list of hardest working royals, undertaking hundreds of engagements each year. In 2023, according to The Times, this number was 410.
Interest in the princess grew in recent years after she became a character prominently featured in Netflix's hit royal drama series, The Crown.
Played by Erin Doherty in seasons three and four, charting her years as a tomboy princess, and Claudia Harrison in seasons five and six, as a no-nonsense working royal, Anne became a fan favorite.
The latter seasons included her romance with Laurence, her second husband, who was an equerry to her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, at the time their romance developed.
The princess and Laurence married in December 1992 on the queen's Balmoral estate in Scotland where the monarch's position as head of the Church of England, with a strict view on divorce and remarriage, was not compromised.
Anne has two children with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. Peter Phillips was born in 1977 and Zara Phillips (later Tindall) was born in 1981. Both are close to their cousin, Prince William, and were present at the coronation of their uncle, King Charles III, in May 2023.
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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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
