Inside Princess Anne’s 700-acre estate bought by the Queen

Britain’s ‘hardest-working’ royal

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The only daughter of Queen Elizabeth ll and Prince Philip, Princess Anne has long been hailed as the hardest-working royal. Indeed, she is involved in over 300 charities and made 217 public appearances in 2024 alone.

An avid equestrian, Olympic athlete and dedicated public servant, Princess Anne, who last year celebrated her 74th birthday, lives a life in the public eye. But what does her home life look like?

Read on as we explore her life and homes throughout the years… 

A supportive sister to Charles

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Born just 21 months after her brother King Charles lll, Princess Anne, who was given the title of Princess Royal in 1987, has remained a supportive and reliable presence in her brother’s life, most notably since his ascension to the throne.

A sense of fun

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The siblings were young when their mother ascended the throne in 1952 and came to depend on one another, clearly sharing the same sense of fun, judging by the many photographs over the years of the brother and sister in fits of laughter.

Of all her siblings, Anne was the only one not born at Buckingham Palace, so where did it all begin?

Where was Princess Anne born?

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Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise, or the Princess Royal to give her proper title, was born on 15 August 1950 at Clarence House. Her mother, who was then simply Princess Elizabeth, and her father the Duke of Edinburgh, were living there while Buckingham Palace was undergoing renovations following the damage it suffered during the Second World War.

Anne subsequently spent the first three years of her life at Clarence House, growing up in relatively modest rooms.

Clarence House

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This four-storey royal residence located on The Mall in Westminster, London dates back to the 1820s. According to the Royal Collection Trust, much of the furniture was gifted to the young couple and post-war shortages meant furnishings were simple.

While they lived there, the Duke of Edinburgh directed the refurbishment of the Victorian interiors, while the electric wiring, heating, and hot water systems were updated from their 1874 origins.

Princess Anne’s childhood home

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The family remained at Clarence House, which is located just next to London’s St James’s Palace, from 1947 to Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne in 1953. Built in 1825-27 by John Nash for the Duke of Clarence, later King William IV, it was also the home of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, until her death in 2002.

This image shows the then Princess Elizabeth’s sitting room, which features Chippendale and Sheraton furniture as well as an original Nash ceiling.

Buckingham Palace

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With its grand neoclassical facade and opulent State Rooms, Buckingham Palace has always served as a hub for royal ceremonies, official receptions, and diplomatic events, but many forget that it also has functioned as a home for centuries. Standing proudly in the heart of London, this historic royal residence has been the official home of reigning monarchs since Queen Victoria’s accession in 1837.

Alongside its elegant exterior, its interiors are designed for both statecraft and family life. The building is a treasure trove of priceless art and antiques including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Rubens, so little children were kept an eye on at all times.

Princess Anne’s ‘giant playground’

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Buckingham Palace must have seemed like a giant playground when Princess Anne (seen here aged four) and her family moved here in 1953.

Her mother had, according to her nanny Marion Crawford, spent hours looking out of the window when she was young, wondering about the lives of “the real people” and Princess Anne seems to have remained down-to-earth despite the trappings of her position in life.

Where Princess Anne was baptised

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Princess Anne was christened on 21 October 1950 in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace (seen here) like her brothers, except Prince Edward, who was baptised in the private chapel at Windsor.

Originally known as the Bow Drawing Room, the Music Room was completed in 1831 and hasn’t been changed since. The room is also used as a space where guests can be presented to the monarch before dinner at official events.

Exploring Buckingham Palace

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Pictured here with her family (among others) in 1953 in the Throne Room, Buckingham Palace only opened to the public in 1993, so Princess Anne was free to roam as a child. The enormous palace encompasses 775 rooms, which include 19 state rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms, along with architect John Nash’s gilded Grand Staircase.

In total, the palace has 760 windows and 1,514 doors, as well as its own post office, cinema and ATM machine, installed by Coutts, the royals’ bank of choice.

Playing ‘kings and queens’

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It’s not hard to imagine the young Princess clambering over this pair of throne chairs playing kings and queens with her little friends in the Throne Room, seen here.

Known as the Chairs of Estate, they were used for the Queen’s Coronation ceremony in 1953, and were recently restored and used at various points during the King’s coronation on 6 May 2023.

Two new brothers for Princess Anne

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The Princess was a teenager by the time her younger brothers Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were born in 1960 and 1964 respectively.

The family are seen here in one of the private living rooms at the palace in 1972, on the occasion of the Queen and Prince Philip’s silver wedding anniversary.

Where did Princess Anne go to school?

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Anne attended the private boarding school Benenden in Kent from 1963. The school, which was founded in 1923 by teachers from another leading private school, Wycombe Abbey, is set on 250 acres (101ha) of land and is an hour from London.

The Princess Royal returned there in 2012 to open the new science laboratories. Past pupils include Rachel Weisz and lawyer Fiona Shackleton, who represented King Charles lll in his divorce from Princess Diana.

Princess Anne at school

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Anne’s brothers all attended Gordonstoun school in Scotland, due to it only being open for boys until 1972. The royals found an alternative for Anne in Bendeden. Pictured here in her smart uniform, Anne is said to have been a mischievous girl.

Old pal Sandra de Laszlo admitted that during their time at the all-girls school, they used to “break out” and go to the nearby fish and chip shop. These days Princess Anne is an exemplary member of the royal family.

Summers at Balmoral Castle

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Many happy summers were spent at Balmoral with her family when she was growing up. The Scottish baronial-style castle, which sits in 50,000 acres (20,234ha) of wild Highlands countryside, has been a royal residence since 1852.

Over the centuries, it’s been a playground for generations of royal children. Arriving in July at the beginning of the late Queen’s summer break, Anne would enjoy walks and picnics in the countryside with her family.

Close with her mother ’til the end

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The Queen and her daughter are seen here greeting the public outside Balmoral in August 1983 and the summers at the castle were a tradition that continued right up to the monarch’s death.

Fortunately, Princess Anne was close at hand when the time came, saying: “I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother’s life. It has been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys,” she said.

Christmas at Sandringham House

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Christmas for Princess Anne has always traditionally been celebrated at Sandringham House in Norfolk, which, like Balmoral, is privately owned by the royal family.

The late Queen would typically stay until February 6, the date of her father King George VI’s death and her ascension to the throne. The house dates to Elizabethan times and was snapped up by Queen Victoria in 1862 as a gift for her son, the future King Edward VII.

The most comfortable house in England

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Compared to other regal residences, Sandringham has a somewhat more relaxed feel and has been described as “the most comfortable house in England”.

The ground floor is decorated in elegant Edwardian style with a huge fireplace taking centre stage in this reception room, where Princess Anne and her siblings set about opening their Christmas presents.

Christmas traditions

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Princess Anne rarely misses the annual Christmas Day church service at Sandringham and is seen here in 1992, on her first Christmas following her marriage to Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

She was notably absent in 2022, however, on the first Christmas after the death of her mother the Queen due to a cold.

Following in the Queen’s footsteps

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Princess Anne decided not to go to university and instead accompanied her mother on her foreign tours, where she picked up on Her Majesty’s sense of duty and sacrifice.

She is pictured here at the 1969 Bath and West Agricultural Show, meeting members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their steeds.

An avid equestrian

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An accomplished horsewoman in her own right, the princess is pictured here with her father, the Duke of Edinburgh at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1971.

She won individual gold at the European Eventing Championships the same year with her thoroughbred Doublet, which was gifted to her by her mother.

Anne’s engagement

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Though Anne briefly dated Andrew Parker Bowles, the first husband of Queen Camilla, the pair eventually decided they made better friends, and remain so to this day. In fact, Andrew is godfather to her daughter Zara.

It was her love of horses which ultimately brought Anne to her first husband, Olympic gold medal-winning horseman Captain Mark Phillips. The happy pair are pictured here in their engagement announcement in May of 1973 on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Princess Anne gets married

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The first of her royal siblings to get married, Anne tied the knot with Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey in November 1973, celebrating afterwards at Buckingham Palace.

Anne’s gorgeous Tudor-style gown featured trumpet sleeves, a pearl-encrusted A-line dress and a seven-foot (2.1m) train.

Princess Anne’s near kidnap

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Not long after her wedding, a rather dramatic turn of events occurred when Princess Anne was just 23 years old. This ordinary house in Hampshire had been rented by the royal’s would-be kidnapper Ian Ball, who fired shots into the Princess’s limousine on her way back to Buckingham Palace in March 1974. He planned to keep her hostage in this detached property for a £3 million ($3.8m) ransom.

His plan was foiled, but tragically four people were shot, including Anne’s police bodyguard, chauffeur and another policeman were shot in the process, according to the Daily Mail. When Ball ordered her to get out of the car, reportedly saying: “Please, come out… You’ve got to come”. She is said to have replied: “Not b***dy likely”.

Competing in the Olympic Games

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A few years later and in happier times, Princess Anne became the first British royal to compete in the Olympics when she rode her mother’s horse Goodwill in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

Although she did not win a medal in the three-day event, her husband Captain Mark Phillips had won gold with the British equestrian team in 1972, and her daughter Zara has since won a silver as part of the eventing team in London 2012.

Princess Anne becomes a mother

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Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips had two children during their marriage: Peter, born in 1977, and Zara, born in 1981. Neither has a title because their father turned down an earldom offered to him by the Queen, preferring to keep his Captain title.

He is reported to have been involved in extramarital affairs and the couple separated in 1989, divorcing in 1992, but remain friends.

Princess Anne marries Commander Tim Laurence

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By the time of her divorce in 1992, Princess Anne was involved with Commander Tim Laurence, an equerry to The Queen (an officer who attends or assists members of the royal family).

The couple married on 12 December 1992 at Presbyterian Crathie Church near Balmoral, because at the time the Church of England did not allow marriage rites for divorced individuals, according to reports. The marriage took place just days after Prince Charles and Princess Diana announced their legal separation. But where do the couple live?

Princess Anne’s rented flat

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For a brief period, the newlyweds rented a two-bedroom flat in Drake House on Dolphin Square in Westminster, London, for a reported £1,300 ($1.6k) per month.

Not far from the Houses of Parliament, the flat had high ceilings and cream carpets, but the couple moved after just three months due to “noisy traffic” and “nosey neighbours”. They began using Buckingham Palace as their London base, but Princess Anne already owned a beautiful home since the seventies…

Where does Princess Anne live?

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Princess Anne’s principal home is Gatcombe Park in the heart of the Cotswolds, which was gifted to her by the Queen in 1976. While the hard-working royal maintains a London residence at St James’s Palace, which is used for state visits, ceremonial occasions and charity events, this 730-acre (295ha) estate is where she and her children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, along with their growing families, live.

The Queen purchased the entire Gatcombe Park estate from the former Home Secretary Lord Butler of Saffron Walden which includes Anne’s Grade ll-listed nine-bedroom house. The home reportedly initially cost between £500,000 and £750,000 ($627k and $942k). Today it’s said to be worth in excess of £6 million ($7.5m).

Gatcombe Park

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Surrounded by over 700 acres (283ha) of land, the estate is a few miles from the King’s country house Highgrove and also plays host to a handful of equestrian events, including the annual Festival of British Eventing, which takes place in August every year.

Zara Tindall is a regular competitor at the event and is often seen with her husband, Mike Tindall and her children enjoying the activities on offer.

Princess Anne’s cosy living room

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We rarely catch a glimpse of the inside of the royal’s rural home, but we were treated to an insight into her laid-back lifestyle when
The Royal Family’s Instagram account posted an image of her and her husband watching the rugby in February 2021 during lockdown.

It was endearing to see that the Princess is not too different from the rest of us, with her cosy living room full of photos and knick-knacks – and even a dog bed by the television.

The ‘no frills’ royal

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While Princess Anne is more often associated with horses, she also loves dogs and is often seen walking her English Bull Terriers during the annual Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park.

This breed is very on-brand for the famously outdoorsy and no-frills royal, who has been spotted driving with her dogs poking their heads out the window.

A good sport

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However, speaking of the Festival, the pragmatic Princess has expressed her concerns over the future of Gatcombe. In an interview with Country Life magazine in 2009, Anne spoke about her life at home, and the balance of owning a working farm and hosting events. “I do worry that one day we’ll be told that we can’t have organic status any more,” she said.

Speaking to Countryfile previously, Anne spoke about her life on the estate, revealing: “This is not something that comes free, this has got to pay its way, otherwise I can’t stay here”.

However, in March of 2024 Peter Phillips, the director of the event, made an announcement about the cancellation of the Festival of British Eventing for the first time in 40 years due to the cost of living crisis.

A family estate

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Other permanent fixtures on the estate are her children. Both Zara, who is married to former rugby player Mike Tindall and their three children, and Peter Phillips, who has two children, live on the estate.

Zara and her family now live at Aston Farm, according to the Daily Mail, the former home of Mark Phillips, who moved in following his divorce from the princess in 1992.

Aston Farm

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Zara and Mike resided in a small cottage nearby while the seven-bedroom farmhouse was undergoing a “high-tech revamp” fit for a rambunctious young family. It now boasts a gym, games room and truly impressive home cinema. In 2018, the couple also added a two-storey extension, including a conservatory.

At the centre of the sprawling 700-acre (283ha) spread, according to Vogue, is a converted barn known as ‘the party barn.’ The space comes equipped with a bar, catering facilities, a giant screen and lounges, which are perfect for family gatherings.

Zara and Mike’s Cheltenham townhouse

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Prior to moving back to her mother’s estate in 2013 and before they had children, Zara and Mike lived in this impressive Grade ll-listed townhouse nearby in Cheltenham, known as Hallery House. They sold the 5,000-square-foot (465sqm) property, which is set over four floors, for £1.2 million ($1.5m) in 2013, but by 2017, according to Hello! Magazine, it was worth £1.7 million ($2.1m).

The couple sold the property three years after converting the 19th-century mansion back into a family home. A year later they had their first child, Mia, in January 2014, so it’s not quite clear why they moved. Maybe they wanted the outdoor space of Gatcombe Park – and granny near at hand!

Princess Anne’s London residence

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Considered the most senior palace in the United Kingdom, St James’s Palace is Princess Anne’s official London residence, which she uses when she’s in the capital for engagements.

The Tudor structure, which was built by Henry Vlll and completed in 1536, is located on the site of a 12th-century leper hospital.

A functional space for Anne

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St James’s Palace is used today for ceremonial occasions and entertaining. Little is known about the interior or layout of Princess Anne’s private apartment there, although, judging by her sitting room at Gatcombe Park, it’s likely to be a no-frills and functional space.

Other residents at the palace include the late Queen’s cousin Princess Alexandra.

An exemplary royal

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Since the death of the Queen in September 2022, Princess Anne has proved a steadfast support to her brother the King. She was with her mother in her final hours and accompanied her coffin on its journey to London.

Amid Prince Andrew’s fall from grace and other tensions within the royal family, she has remained a dignified and exemplary member of the institution, in whom the King can trust in the years ahead.

A new Princess Royal?

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According to sources, Anne has also been taking on new responsibilities as a mentor to Princess Charlotte, her great niece, who may someday take on the Princess Royal’s title.

Charlotte has reportedly been receiving a ‘crash course’ from Anne in royal etiquette and the ways of the monarchy, as she has begun attending more public events alongside her mother, the Princess of Wales.

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Transaction in Own Shares

Northern Venture Trust PLC
29 September 2025 1 min read

In this article:

NVT.L

29 SEPTEMBER 2025

NORTHERN VENTURE TRUST PLC

TRANSACTION IN OWN SHARES

Northern Venture Trust PLC (“the Company”) announces that on 26 September 2025 it purchased for cancellation under an existing authority granted by shareholders 1,042,180 ordinary shares of 25p each in the market at a price of 57.0p per share, representing approximately 0.48% of the Company’s issued ordinary share capital. There remain 216,925,150 ordinary shares in issue.

In conformity with the Financial Conduct Authority’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules (the “DTRs”), the Company notifies the market that the capital of the Company consists of 216,925,150 ordinary shares with a nominal value of 25p each. All the ordinary shares have voting rights. The Company does not hold any ordinary shares in treasury. The total number of voting rights in the Company is therefore 216,925,150 (“the Figure”). The Figure may be used by a shareholder or other person as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify the voting rights they hold in relation to the Company, or a change to those voting rights, under the DTRs.

Enquiries:

Sarah Williams / James Sly, Mercia Fund Management Limited – 0330 223 1430

Website: www.mercia.co.uk/vcts

Neither the contents of the Mercia Asset Management PLC website, nor the contents of any website accessible from hyperlinks on the Mercia Asset Management PLC website (or any other website), are incorporated into, or form part of, this announcement.

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Eurostar orders UK’s first fleet of double-decker trains

Christopher Jasper
22 October 2025 4 min read

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SIE.DE

ALO.PA

Eurostar’s double-decker trains will have 20pc more seats than its existing fleet

A major fleet of double-decker trains is to operate in Britain for the first time, but passengers have been warned not to expect twice as many seats.

Eurostar said it will purchase up to 50 two-storey trains from Alstom for use on routes including London St Pancras International to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam via the Channel Tunnel.

The fully electric fleet will be named Eurostar Celestia, which is derived from the Latin word “caelestis”, meaning “heavenly”.

The order will cost Eurostar €2bn (£1.7bn), yet the trains will have only 20pc more seats than the firm’s existing fleet of 17 single-decker e320s from Siemens.

That is because the carriages will be fitted with interior steps either in the middle or at each end, taking a significant chunk out of the additional space.

They will also be barely six inches taller than the current Siemens trains, with the floor lowered to accommodate the extra deck, requiring people to take a step down when boarding.

Virgin Trains, which plans to launch Channel Tunnel services in competition with Eurostar, said this month that it had decided against ordering the same Avelia Horizon model from Alstom because the stairs would have impacted service standards.

Eurostar Celestia carriages have interior steps either in the middle or at each end

Virgin Trains said that the stairs would hamper the ability to serve at-seat meals, which are part of its efforts to offer a more upmarket service than available on Eurostar.

A limited trial of two double-decker SR Class 4DD trains was conducted on services between Dartford in Kent and Charing Cross in central London in the 1950s and 1960s, but they were withdrawn in 1971 because they were considered too cramped and expensive to maintain.

A woman and two children board an SR Class 4DD double-decker in Charing Cross, 1949 – Penta Springs Limited / Alamy Stock Photo

Gwendoline Cazenave, Eurostar’s chief executive, said the trains will nevertheless offer “exceptional comfort” and “new surprises” for passengers.

Eurostar said it is scheduled to begin receiving the first six Celestia models in January 2031, with commercial services launching in May 2031.

The trains, which will run in pairs through the Channel Tunnel – providing around 1,000 seats – will be the first major fleet of double-deckers on the UK’s railways.

Eurostar Celestia will run in pairs through the Channel Tunnel and provide around 1,000 seats

Double-decker trains are a common sight on the Continent, but the vast majority of the UK’s rail network is unable to accommodate them because of problems such as bridges not being high enough.

But the high-speed line between St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel was built to European standards, enabling it to be used by higher trains.

Ms Cazenave said the order is key to Eurostar’s “ambitious growth strategy” of reaching 30 million passengers per year, up from 19.5 million in 2024.

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Emissions from UK residents and businesses fell by 0.5% in 2024, data shows

Rebecca Speare-Cole
24 October 2025 2 min read

The UK’s ‘residential basis’ emissions were 476 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2024 (Danny Laswon/PA) (PA Archive)

Greenhouse gas emissions generated by UK residents and businesses both at home and abroad fell by 0.5% in 2024, provisional figures show.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Friday that the UK’s so-called “residential basis” emissions were 476 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2024.

This was 43.3% below levels in 1990 – the first year the ONS has data for.

Residence basis emissions cover those generated by British residents and businesses regardless of where they occur geographically.

The 0.5% fall from 2023 continues a general downward trend since the data time series began in 1990.

The manufacturing industry was the largest contributor to this total decrease in 2024, falling by 7.4% from 2023, according to the ONS.

Meanwhile, consumer spending remained the largest single contributor to UK emissions on a residence basis, at 26.0% of the 2024 UK total, the figures show.

These emissions were found to have risen by 1.7% in 2024 compared with 2023, marking the first time annual consumer expenditure emissions have increased since 2021, during the coronavirus pandemic.

This rise was largely driven by a 4.1% increase in residential natural gas combustion, the ONS said.

Consumer spending emissions were found to have risen by 1.7% in 2024 compared with 2023 (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Wire)

The second largest contributor to the UK’s emissions last year was found to be the transport sector at 16.1%.

It came after emissions from this industry increased by 4.5% in 2024, continuing a general rise for transport since 2021.

The ONS also published figures on changes in UK emissions intensity – which measures environmental efficiency by comparing the quantity of emissions to the economic output.

Between 2023 and 2024, UK emissions intensity fell from 0.16 to 0.15 thousand tonnes of CO2e per million pounds of gross value added (GVA).

Residence basis emissions, which are published by the ONS, can include emissions generated by UK residents overseas, such as travel, and from UK-registered companies operating abroad but they exclude those generated within the UK by foreign residents and businesses.

They differ from the Energy Department’s (Desnz) figures – last released in March – that calculate the emissions generated within the UK’s borders.

In 2024, these territorial emissions were 371.4 million tonnes of carbon equivalent – which was 3.5% lower than 2023 and 54.2% lower than 1990.