Princess Anne’s shock horse accident ‘so much worse’ than public knew, says pal

Princess Anne’s accident, which left her in hospital for five nights, was “so much worse” than what the public knew, claims source.

Princess Anne spent five nights in hospital last year (Image: Getty)

Princess Anne’s horse accident last year was “so much worse” than the public knew, a source has claimed. The Princess Royal went through a health scare last summer after she was involved in a horse accident at her Gatcombe Park home, which left her staying in hospital for five nights with a concussion and minor head injuries.

The Princess, who has since declared she “can’t remember a single thing” about the incident, later claimed that she was “sharply reminded that every day is a bonus”. She said: “It just reminds you, shows you… you never quite know, something (happens) and you might not recover.”

King Charles’s sister was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol last June after she was seemingly struck by a horse while walking on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

Princess Anne during her first engagement since her hospitalisation on July 12, 2024 (Image: PA

Anne said she was on the way to see chickens on her estate when the accident happened but has no memory of what followed.

Shortly before her transfer to the hospital, emergency services and an air ambulance rushed on-site to administer medical care.

Following her five-night hospital stay, the princess spent three weeks recuperating at home before returning to public duties.

Now, a source has said that despite Anne, who was back on riding for the first time in public during Trooping the Colour this June, getting back to being her usual, hard-working self, the incident was worse than what the public were led to believe.

Princess Anne on horseback during Trooping the Colour 2025 (Image: Getty)

The source, who is said to be close to the princess, told The Times: “Her accident was so much worse than anyone let on and it took quite a while for her to feel herself again.”

Anne said: “You’re jolly lucky… if you can continue to be more or less compos mentis and last summer I was very close to not being. Take each day as it comes, they say.

“You are sharply reminded that every day is a bonus really.”