Princess Anne is expected to return home this week, but her upcoming engagements have been postponed.
Britain’s Princess Anne sustained minor injuries and a concussion following an incident on the Gatcombe Park estate on Sunday evening, Buckingham Palace said. Princess Anne, also known as Princess Royal, is currently in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, where she is being kept under observation as a precautionary measure, the Palace added.
“Her Royal Highness remains in Southmead Hospital, Bristol, as a precautionary measure for observation and is expected to make a full and swift recovery,” it said.
“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.”
The 73-year-old royal family member had been walking on the grounds of Gatscombe Park estate where her home is located when she suffered minor injuries to her head, reported Reuters quoting a royal source.
The source added that there were horses in the vicinity and her medical team said the head injuries were consistent with impact from a horse’s head or legs.
Born at Clarence House, London, Princess Anne was the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
An accomplished equestrian, Princess Anne began competing in horse riding events at a young age. In 1971, she won the individual title at the European Eventing Championship, and in 1976, she became the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympic Games, participating in the Montreal Olympics as a member of the British equestrian team.
Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973, and the couple had two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. But she chose to forgo royal titles for her children, aiming to give them a more grounded upbringing and simpler childhood.
After her divorce from Mark Phillips in 1992, Anne married Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence later that year. The couple resides at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, a country estate that also serves as a centre for equestrian events.