by Mick the Ram

The Princess Royal has been admitted to hospital with a minor head injury and concussion after it is believed she was kicked by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate.

The 73-year-old princess was walking on Sunday evening (23 June) when the incident occurred.

She was treated by emergency responders at the scene before being transported to Southmead Hospital in Bristol for further treatment and precautionary observation.

It is understood that Anne is conscious, but is expected to stay in hospital until at least the end of the week.

She is now set to miss a number of royal engagements, including the state banquet for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan, as well as an upcoming ceremony in Newfoundland, Canada, for the 100th anniversary of the National War Memorial.

Her brother, King Charles III has been kept closely informed of the situation.

Confusion regarding how injury sustained

There remains some confusion as to what exactly happened. The princess was believed to be walking alone within the protected perimeter of Gatcombe Park and because she suffered a concussion in the incident, the exact cause of the injuries is still unconfirmed.

Her medical team have said that her head injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs.

Precaution given as reason for continuing hospital admittance

Reports from the hospital suggest that Princess Anne is conscious and although she is likely to stay there for several days, it is being made clear by Buckingham Palace that this is just a precautionary measure for observation purposes.

The facility is an NHS hospital, part of the North Bristol NHS Trust, and has a number of major specialities, including neuroscience.

King sends his love to younger sister

Her husband Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and her children, daughter Zara and son Peter, were on the estate at the time of the incident.

A Palace spokesperson confirmed that 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”.

Postponement of engagements

Princess Anne, with her sense of public duty, combined with a no-nonsense approach, is known as one of the most hard-working of all the royals, with much of her work slipping under the radar when compared to other more prominent members of the family.

This week she was due to be heavily involved in a series of events, including the Japanese state visit. The spokesperson added: “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.”

Olympic horsewoman

The Princess Royal has been surrounded by horses throughout her life and is, it should be remembered, an Olympic horsewoman. She was the first member of the Royal Family to ever participate in an Olympic Games back in 1976, taking part in the three-day equestrian event in Montreal.

Workload had increased

Her hospitalisation is the latest health problem facing the Royals, following the cancer diagnosis for both His Majesty The King and the Princess of Wales. Indeed, Anne had stepped up her workload to cover some of their engagements.

As the second child of Queen Elizabeth II she initially was third in line to the throne, but is now way down in 17th position in the line of succession.