Princess Anne’s Hospitalization Adds to Royal Family’s Concerns Over ‘Hardest Worker'

Buckingham Palace revealed on Monday that Princess Anne of Britain had been hospitalized with minor head injuries but was anticipated to recover completely. Anne is being monitored at a Bristol hospital as a precaution. She is King Charles's only sister; her other siblings include Prince Andrew and Prince Edward. Meanwhile, Anne's hospitalization represents a significant setback for the British royal family. The Princess Royal is unable to proceed with her scheduled activities this week, including a planned visit to Canada, as reported by PEOPLE.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said, "Her Royal Highness sends her apologies to any who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result." Anne's hospitalization sidelines the royal family's most hard-working member, known for consistently undertaking the highest number of official engagements each year on behalf of the King. Earlier in 2023, Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator said, “Anne is one of the best advertisements for the Royal family because she is hardworking, she is dedicated and she is popular because people look at the way she handles things and they like it."

He added, “The public sees Anne as someone who is grounded, I think the institution does need her very much.” In addition, according to Dickie Arbiter, another royal commentator, Anne offers invaluable support to the King. As reported by The Telegraph, he said, “She just gets on with it, often carrying out multiple engagements in one day. Of course, much of what the King does is behind the scenes, in meetings, and going through his red boxes, which doesn’t warrant a mention in the Court Circular.” He added, “Anne is a tremendous support to the King. He bounces ideas off her. For an aging monarchy, they are doing pretty well.”

Meanwhile, Anne's husband, Sir Tim Laurence, recently visited the hospital and said, "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." The palace stated that the princess was receiving hospital treatment as a precautionary measure.

They also added that Anne will “make a full and swift recovery.” In a statement, the palace said, "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," as reported by ABC News. The incident adds to the recent challenges faced by the British royal family, following health concerns involving Charles and Kate Middleton. In February, the palace disclosed Charles's cancer diagnosis, and later on, in March, Princess Middleton revealed that she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.