Princess Anne has said she “can’t remember a single thing” about the horse-related incident that left the 73-year-old royal with a concussion and minor injuries last month.
Anne began what Buckingham Palace described as her “gradual return to duties” Friday, attending the Riding for the Disabled Association’s (RDA) National Championships at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.
The Daily Mail’s royal correspondent Rebecca English reported that Helena Vega Lozano, chair of RDA UK, said: “As soon as she (Anne) got out of the car she said: ‘I can’t remember a single thing about it.’”
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The palace said that at the Championships, the biggest equestrian event of its kind for disabled competitors, Anne presented awards and met some of this year’s winners.
It was revealed on June 24 that the day before Anne had been hospitalized following some kind of “incident,” thought to have involved a horse’s head or legs, in the grounds of her home, Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. Anne was treated for head wounds and released from Southmead Hospital in Bristol on June 28.
It had been reported she had suffered memory loss following the incident, and missed nine official engagements during her recuperation—which must have been tough for Anne, who is known as the hardest-working member of the royal family.
In a statement, RDA Chief Executive Michael Bishop said: “We are honored to welcome The Princess Royal to our flagship event the RDA National Championships, at which we are celebrating our 55th anniversary and delighted that she has chosen to join us as she returns to royal duties. As our President, The Princess holds a very special place in the hearts of the entire RDA community and has helped us celebrate many significant milestones and provided invaluable support for over five decades.”
Princess Anne, Princess Royal visits the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Championships at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, in Gloucester, Britain, July 12, 2024.
Cameron Smith/Pool via ReutersThe Daily Beast previously reported that Anne still had no memory of the incident. A friend added that her family, while “deeply shaken,” supported her planned return to public duties, adding “nobody would bother” trying to urge Anne to slow down when it comes to her hectic work schedule.
However, a palace source told The Daily Beast that while Anne’s return would be welcome, her absence had not noticeably impacted on the larger palace operation, and that her recent absence from public view had been “an unanticipated dry run” of plans for the future that inevitably foresee her doing less as time draws on.
The friend said: “It was a freak accident and she still has no memory of exactly what happened. Her family of course were deeply shaken by it at the time, but when you own horses these things happen, and it seems it is a case of all’s well that ends well.”
Asked about her family’s attitude to Anne returning to work, the fellow horse-owner said: “She has been resting which won’t suit her. Anyone who knows her knows she will be itching to get back in the saddle, literally and figuratively. Her family know how much her work means to her. Nobody would bother telling her to slow down as she would probably tell them to ‘Naff off!’”
Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, said after her discharge from hospital: “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. 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.”
