Princess Anne Fills “In the Blanks” Of Horse Accident While Thanking Hospital Staff

Last month, Princess Anne said she remembered “nothing” of the June 2024 horse accident on her Gatcombe Park estate that left her with a concussion. On Thursday, the royal made a return to Bristol’s Southmead Hospital to thank the medical staff who cared for her during her recovery. During the engagement, she said speaking to the staff helped her understand the situation better.

“You’ve been filling in the blanks, which partly—from my perspective—is really useful to know,” she said, according to the BBC. “Because I seriously don’t have any idea and, sadly, I don’t have huge memories of being in here either.” During her visit to the hospital, she also toured the ICU, air ambulance helicopter pad, and staff gardens.

On June 23, the royal was in a field when she was seemingly injured by a horse. She was eventually airlifted to Southmead, where she remained as an inpatient for five nights. Though said she didn’t remember her time in the hospital, she said she was thankful for the treatment they gave. “I just know I was really well looked after, so thank you,” she said. “Whatever you did, it seemed to work.”

After the injury, Anne was forced to cancel a planned tour of Canada, along with a handful of engagements in the UK. But within a month, she was back to her royal duties. In late July, the longtime member of the International Olympic Committee made a series of appearances at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Anne told the ICU staff that she had “relatively straightforward” recovery.

“That isn’t always true, so I’m really grateful,” she said. “I’m also grateful in a weird sort of way that I remember nothing because that has huge advantages you can just carry on.”

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