Work-horse Anne is back in the saddle
Princess Anne is home and champing at the bit to return to work
There was great news on Friday, when it was announced Princess Anne has been discharged from hospital and is home at Gatcombe Park, after sustaining a head injury last weekend.
The Princess Royal, 73, was taken to Southmead Hospital in Bristol, having sustained a head injury, thought to be from a horse, on her estate, in Gloucestershire. She suffered temporary memory loss after the event and there were no witnesses, meaning the exact details were unclear.
Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence said, “I would like to extend my warmest thanks to all the team at Southmead Hospital for their care, expertise and kindness during my wife’s short stay.” The Palace said she would return to duties, when it was deemed “safe and comfortable” to do so. Something tells us, that won’t be very long, as Anne is renowned for her work ethic, always topping the chart as the hardest-working royal and shouldering more of the workload lately, thanks to the absence of Charles and Catherine.
Kerry wrote about her admiration for Anne for the Sunday Telegraph. Here’s an extract:
Considering this is the same woman who once told her would-be kidnapper, “Not bloody likely”, we can expect her to tackle her latest setback with characteristic grit.
On March 20, 1974, 23-year-old Princess Anne was being driven back to Buckingham Palace with her then-husband Captain Mark Phillips, when a car cut off their Rolls Royce. A loner called Ian Ball, 26, shot her protection officer, Jim Beaton, chauffeur, Alex Callender, policeman, Michael Hills, and journalist Brian McConnell.
Ball ordered the princess to get out of the car, declaring he wanted a ransom of £2 million. But she wasn’t having any of it. “Not bloody likely,” she replied, adding, “I haven’t got two million pounds.” Ball was hit by a passer-by, former-boxer Ronnie Russell, then arrested.
Typically, the thing the princess was most furious about was the destruction of her new dress. “I was so annoyed he tore the sleeve out of my dress – it was a good new dress,” Anne, well-known for her thrifty approach to fashion, later said.
Ball was sent to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital, where he remains. As for Anne, she said her career with horses had prepared her for such events. “One thing about horses and sport is that you have to prepare for the unexpected,” she later told biographer Brian Hoey. Five days later, the Princess Royal attended her next engagement, as if nothing had happened. Fifty years later, it’s as though it never did.
Imagine if that occurred now – it would be a very different response. But as Anne said in the documentary Princess Royal: Anne at 70, sometimes the best thing to do, is to simply get on with it. “People talk about being trained to be a member of the Royal Family… but there is no such thing,” she said.
But oh, how I wish there was a Princess Anne School of Life. Forget all the LinkedIn coaches and Insta-experts, I’d be signing up for a Windsor Webinar in seconds. Leader Anne does not suffer fools, legendarily once muttering, “I think this person is probably the most stupid person in world sport,” at an Olympic committee meeting, forgetting her microphone was on. She never flinched, recalled chairman Sebastian Coe. “It was as though it never happened.”
That’s my kind of role model.
And will Catherine return to Wimbledon?
There’s more good news – it’s been mooted that we might see Catherine at Wimbledon. All England Club chairperson, Debbie Jevans told The Daily Mail they would give the Princess of Wales “as much flexibility as possible”, as she continues her treatment.
Catherine is Patron and traditionally presents the trophies at the prestigious event, which kicks off tomorrow, July 1, for two weeks, with the finals weekend on July 13-14. She has previously taken Prince George with her, and Princess Charlotte made her debut last year, so our fingers are crossed Catherine feels fit enough to watch some of her favourite sport. It would definitely be love all.
William falls for Hannah
We loved seeing the Prince reuniting with Hannah Waddingham at London Climate Action Week - and finding out he’s a big fan of her in the Fall Guy. The feeling’s mutual, she’s a big fan of William and the Earthshot Prize, having hosted its third annual awards ceremony in Singapore last November.
On Thursday, the pair were at London’s Sky Garden for the inaugural Earthshot Prize Innovation Camp, where the Prince joined a panel moderated by her. Before the event started, he was caught on camera congratulating Hannah on her performance in the blockbuster film, to which she asked: “Oh, did you see it?”
“Yes, I saw that, I thought you were brilliant,” he said. “A very good baddie! You make a good baddie.”
“Spoiler alert!” joked Hannah. “You can’t say that!”
Don’t worry William, we’ve seen the Fall Guy and you’re bang on, Hannah is the Queen of Badass Baddies.
Diana’s dresses raise millions
On Thursday, a few days before what would have been her 63rd birthday tomorrow (1 July), an auction called the biggest collection of her fashion and other personal belongings since 1997, raised more than £4 million.
The Los Angeles-based sale titled “Princess Diana’s Elegance & A Royal Collection” included many designs by her favourite designers, plus accessories and letters sent by the Princess. The top-selling lot a Victor Edelstein gown, sold for £720,000, and was worn twice by Diana in 1987. Held in The Peninsula Beverly Hills, the auction featured more than 200 items from the late Princess and other royals.
Read more from The Royal List writers
Finally, from the UK to Australia, we - Maria and Kerry - love researching and writing royal features for top-selling brands, which is why we are thrilled to have several articles in the latest issue of Woman’s Weekly ROYALS. On sale now in all good UK supermarkets and newsagents, or order a copy here.