As the British royal family grapples with two cancer diagnoses, another senior member has found themselves in hospital. Princess Anne, sister to King Charles III, was sent to the emergency room on June 24, 2024, following an “incident” at her estate.
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In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed kind of cancer after a routine prostate examination. A little more than a month later, Catherine, Princess of Wales, announced that she too had been diagnosed and was undergoing treatment—ending months of speculation as to why she hadn’t been seen in public since December.
Given all the health challenges the royals are dealing with right now, the news of what happened to Princess Anne feels like a “when it rains, it pours” sort of thing. Here’s what we know.
What happened to Princess Anne?
Princess Anne was hospitalized with head injuries on June 24, 2024. According to a statement issued by Buckingham Palace, she “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 statement added 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.”
While there have been no official details about the “incident” in question, a source told The Daily Beast that her injuries were “consistent with an impact from a horse’s legs or head.” They added, “She was walking in the grounds of her estate in southwest England at the time and horses were nearby when Anne was hurt.”
Anne’s husband, Sir Tim Laurence, was said to have accompanied her to hospital. It’s unclear how long Anne will be in hospital, but the palace said she wouldn’t be moved from the Bristol hospital “unless or until her medical team advise otherwise.” Her scheduled engagements for the rest of the week have been postponed on doctors’ advice. There’s no treatment for concussion, according to Johns Hopkins, just rest to give the brain time to heal is the best medicine.
