Princess Anne can’t remember anything

Princess Anne said she could “not remember anything” about the horse incident in which the 73-year-old royal suffered a concussion and minor injuries last month.

Anne began what Buckingham Palace described as her “gradual return to duties” on Friday, taking part in the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) national championships at Hartpury University and Hartpury College.

Rebecca English, the Daily Mail’s royal correspondent, reported that Helena Vega Lozano, chair of RDA UK, said: “As soon as she (Anne) got out of the car, she said: ‘I can’t remember anything at all.'”

The palace said Anne presented awards and met some of this year’s winners at the championships, the largest equestrian event of its kind for disabled athletes.

On 24 June, it was revealed that Anne had been admitted to hospital the previous day following an “incident” in the grounds of her home, Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. The incident was said to have involved a horse’s head or legs. Anne was treated for head injuries and was discharged from Southmead Hospital in Bristol on 28 June.

It was reported that she suffered memory loss as a result of the incident and missed nine official appointments during her recovery – which must have been tough for Anne, who is considered the hardest-working member of the royal family.

In a statement, RDA Chief Executive Michael Bishop said: “We are honoured to welcome The Princess Royal to our flagship event, the RDA National Championships, as we celebrate our 55th anniversary, and are delighted that she has chosen to join us as she returns to her royal duties. As our President, The Princess holds a very special place in the hearts of the entire RDA community and has helped us celebrate many significant milestones and provided us with invaluable support over five decades.”

Cameron Smith/Pool via Reuters

The Daily Beast previously reported that Anne still had no memory of the incident. A friend added that her family, although “deeply shaken,” supported her planned return to public service, adding that “no one would bother” to pressure Anne to slow down her hectic work schedule.

However, a palace source told The Daily Beast that while Anne’s return would be welcome, her absence has had no noticeable impact on palace operations as a whole, adding that her recent absence from the public eye was “an unexpected dry run” for her future plans, which will inevitably lead to her doing less over time.

The friend said: “It was a freak accident and she still can’t remember exactly what happened. Her family was obviously deeply shocked at the time, but when you own horses, these things happen and it seems like everything is fine, everything is fine.”

When asked about her family’s attitude to Anne’s return to work, the horse owner said: “She’s been resting, which is not good for her. Anyone who knows her knows that she can’t wait to get back in the saddle, literally. Her family knows how much her work means to her. No one would tell her to slow down because she would probably tell them, ‘Fuck off!'”

Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, said after her discharge from hospital: “We are deeply grateful to the medical team and hospital staff for their expert care, as well as to the emergency services who were 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 to us.”