The Princess Royal made the revelation during her first public engagement after the accident
Princess Anne is speaking out about her health for the first time since she sustained a concussion and minor injuries in a horse-related incident at her country home.
On July 12, the Princess Royal, 73, marked her return to royal duties, making her first public appearance since she was hospitalized last month.
During her visit to the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Championships at Hartpury University and Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, Anne shared that she “can’t remember a single thing” about the incident, which is believed to have been caused by an impact from a horse’s head or legs.
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Helena Vega Lozano, chair of RDA UK, shared that as soon as Anne exited the car, she stated, “I can’t remember a single thing about it,” reported the Daily Mail.
Despite her recent health setback, King Charles’ sister appeared to be in her element in the equestrian setting, where she joined RDA supporters in the arena, presented awards and met winners.
The three-day RDA National Championship is the largest equestrian event of its kind for disabled competitors, and the organization has long been close to Princess Anne’s heart. S
he became patron in November 1971 and has been its president since March 1986, stepping out to support the organization’s flagship festivities in a gradual return to royal duties on July 12.
Princess Anne’s comment comes after she was discharged from the hospital following a five-day stay after the accident that happened on June 23. PEOPLE confirmed that King Charles’ sister was receiving rehabilitation support at her Gatcombe Park home in Gloucestershire after leaving Southmead Hospital in Bristol on June 28.
It was understood that the royal would remain at her country home for a period of rest and return to royal duty when her medical team determined it was safe to do so. On June 25, The Telegraph reported that Anne was suffering memory loss, thought to be temporary, relating to the incident.
When Princess Anne left the hospital, her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, issued a short statement voicing his gratitude to her care team there.
“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,” said Sir Tim, who married Anne in 1992.
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Sir Tim, 69, gave a brief update to reporters about his wife’s health after visiting his wife at the hospital on June 26, saying that she was “recovering slowly” and that she would be “out when she’s ready.”
On June 24, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles’ sister sustained a concussion and minor injuries in an “incident” at Gatcombe Park the day prior.
“The Princess Royal has 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,” they said in a statement.
“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,” they continued.
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Because of the concussion that Princess Anne sustained, the exact details of the accident are unable to be ascertained. However, her injuries are consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs. The Princess Royal is a lifelong equestrian who competed for Team Great Britain at the Olympics in 1976, and made history as the first member of the British royal family to participate in the Olympics. She rode in the Trooping the Colour parade on June 15, and kept her cool when her horse began acting rambunctious on the streets of London.
The Princess Royal, who is consistently cited as the “hardest-working royal” by count of official engagements recorded in the Court Circular, was forced to clear her calendar after being injured. A palace spokesperson confirmed she would not be at the Buckingham Palace banquet King Charles threw on June 25 in honor of the Japanese state visit, and her trip to Canada later that week was also canceled on medical advice.
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Queen Elizabeth’s resilient daughter shared her first statement since her hospitalization in a message shared by the Canadian Governor General on July 1. The statement came during a memorial ceremony marking the centenary of the Newfoundland National War Memorial that Princess Anne was scheduled to attend before her accident.
“It is with deep regret that I am unable to be with you today, as you commemorate the brave efforts and sacrifices of the members of the Newfoundland Regiment who went into battle on the first day of the Somme,” Princess Anne said in a statement.
“I have fond memories of joining you in 2016, on the 99th occasion that the people of this Island commemorated the Battle of Beaumont Hamel, and I am deeply saddened that I’m unable to join you again, and I send you my warmest best wishes on this special day of commemoration,” she added.
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Last year, The Telegraph proclaimed Princess Anne as the hardest-working member of the royal family as she attended the most engagements (457!) recorded in the Court Circular. In a wide-ranging interview with Sky News Australia’s The Royal Report in March, Peter Phillips spoke about how he is inspired by his parents’ drive. Princess Anne shares her son Peter and daughter Zara Tindall with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. The former couple divorced in 1992.
“Both our parents have been hugely influential to Zara and myself, and I think primarily it’s through their work ethic,” Peter explained earlier this year.
“Both of them are incredibly hardworking and, both in their 70s, they’re still working a lot harder than either of them probably expected. But then as my mother always said, from that perspective, they had pretty good role models from my grandparents who were still working in their 90s,” he continued, referring to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. “Everyone has a huge amount to live up to, and ultimately they all live by example.”