Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall has been snapped leaving Southmead Hospital in Bristol where she spent more than an hour vising her injured mum following a horror horse attack.
Former royal correspondent Michael Cole claims Princess Anne’s horse-related incident, which left her hospitalised, might be “more serious” than Buckingham Palace has disclosed.
The Palace stated that the Princess Royal suffered “minor injuries and concussion” at Gatcombe Park.
Buckingham Palace disclosed in a statement on social media: “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.
“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.”
Cole told GB News during a recent interview that staying overnight in hospital suggests the incident was “not a minor matter”.
He noted that Princess Anne, known for her toughness, wouldn’t go to hospital lightly.
“She has stayed overnight and I think that should be an indication that this was no minor matter,” he told GB News hosts Emily Carver and Tom Harwood.
“As we all know, she’s quite a tough cookie and for her to go to a hospital in Bristol means that there was a cause for that.
“Obviously, they have to keep it under observation with a concussion. It could be just a bang on the head and you’re seeing stars, or it may be something more serious.”
The Princess Royal, a keen horsewoman and former equestrian, is understood to have been kicked or headbutted by a horse while out for an evening stroll on the grounds of her Gatcombe Park estate on Sunday about 9.15pm.
She was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol where she remains awake and conscious but reportedly “unable to recall exactly what happened” in the horror ordeal.
Zara, 43, was on Tuesday afternoon captured arriving at the hospital where she spent about an hour visiting her ailing mum.
The British equestrian, Olympian and socialite appeared relaxed and smiled as she then left the region’s major trauma centre rocking a matching denim shirt and shorts ensemble with a crossbody bag and white sneakers.
She disappeared into a waiting Mercedes Benz outside the main entrance of the clinic and was driven away shortly before 5:30pm.
It comes as Anne’s husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, 69, on Tuesday provided an update on his wife’s condition shortly after he spent an almost two-hour lunch in the hospital with her.
“She’s doing fine, slow but sure,” he told reporters outside the clinic after his visit.
“She is recovering well, thank you. We are both profoundly grateful to the medical team and hospital support staff for their expert care – and to the emergency services who were all so wonderful at the scene.
“We are both deeply touched by all the kind messages we have received from so many people near and far. It means a great deal.”
Asked if he had brought any goods for the princess in what appears to be a large blue cool bag Sir Tim carried, he said: “Just a few little treats from home.”
Princess Anne’s husband of 32 years, dressed in a jacket and light shirt tucked into beige trousers, then placed the bag on the rear seat of his Range Rover and drove away.
He is understood to have accompanied his wife to the hospital after the incident, while Zara and her husband Mike Tindall were also at Gatcombe at the time.
Although an air ambulance was dispatched from the scene, it is understood the Princess received urgent medical attention before being transported to a hospital in Bristol by ambulance.
Anne’s neighbour on Monday revealed to the Daily Express newspaper they saw an air ambulance land followed by a police helicopter circling near Anne’s home on the evening and “thought the worst”.
“I saw an air ambulance landing on her estate and I thought ‘oh my goodness, I hope it’s not Anne,” they told the newspaper.
“And then the police helicopter started circling about ten minutes later and I thought the worst.
“The air ambulance was on the ground for about 40 minutes I think – I’m not sure if it took her to hospital, but didn’t look like it did as it flew off the other way. I really hope she’s going to be okay.”
The Princess Royal is expected to stay overnight in hospital for the remainder of the week and all of her upcoming royal engagements have been cancelled including a Japanese State Visit on Wednesday attended by several members of the royal family including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The King and Queen, and the princess’s siblings the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and her nephew the Prince of Wales were notified of Anne’s injuries on Sunday evening.
In a statement issued to social media the same evening, Buckingham Palace said: “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.
“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.”
She is expected to make a full recovery and will reportedly be discharged from hospital later this week.