Princess Anne speaks out about horse accident that left her concussed last year

Friday, 24 January 2025 16:46

Princess Anne has spoken for the first time about a horse accident last year, saying she cannot remember anything about the incident.

The Princess Royal, 74, spent five nights in hospital with a concussion after being hit while walking at her Gatcombe Park estate last June.

When asked by PA news agency if she remembers anything about the accident, the royal said: "No, nothing."

Anne spoke while visiting Cape Town in South Africa, and said retirement "really isn't written in" to being a royal.

"You're jolly lucky... if you can continue to be more or less compos mentis," she added. "And last summer I was very close to not being.

"Take each day as it comes, they say."

The princess added she doesn't remember walking into a field before the incident, saying: "I know where I thought I was going and that was to go to the chickens, no, nothing to do with horses."

She then said: "It just reminds you, shows you - you never quite know, something [happens] and you might not recover."

Anne was treated at hospital for minor head injuries and a concussion, before being discharged towards the end of June.

She then returned to public duties in July, visiting the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Championships at Hartpury University and Hartpury College in Gloucestershire.

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Joking when asked about any long-lasting effect from the incident, the princess said: "Apparently not, at least I don't think so.

"As far as I know nobody else thinks so - they haven't been honest enough to tell me yet. So far so good.

"You are sharply reminded that every day is a bonus really."

Anne is making a whirlwind visit to Cape Town but is travelling by herself after her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence suffered a suspected torn ligament while working on the princess' estate.

Sky News