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Princess Anne visits Paris on 12-day Olympic trip as she returns to the spotlight after horse accident

Anne has slowly been returning to royal duties after she was rushed to hospital following a horse accident in June

Alexander Butler
Wednesday 24 July 2024 12:43 EDT
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Princess Anne has been pictured in Paris alongside other royals in her first international appearance since she was kicked in the head by a horse.

The Princess Royal, who serves on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was seen with Prince Albert of Monaco and others ahead of the games on 26 July.

The 73-year-old has slowly been returning to royal duties after she was rushed to hospital on 23 June with concussion after a “horse-related” incident on her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

Anne’s medical team said her head injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs, but her concussion has meant precise details of how the incident came about are not clear.

It was understood the princess was walking within the protected perimeter of the 730-acre estate when the incident occurred last month.

(AFP/Getty)

She was riding beside Prince William and Prince Edward at the time, and Edward can be seen in footage turning around after realising there was a problem with her horse, Noble.

As an experienced horsewoman, it was widely reported that the princess’s recent injuries would not deter her from interacting with the animals.

However, she did miss several engagements after the accident, including the state banquet for a Japanese state visit and a trip to Canada.

It was not her first horse-related injury and she previously suffered concussion while riding in the 1976 Olympic Games. She became a member of the IOC in 1988.

Her daughter, Zara Tindall, who won a team silver medal for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics, said the princess remained a keen equestrian decades after her showjumping heyday in the Seventies.

“Our horses are in our family, so there’s always discussions about performances and things like that,” she told People last year.

“There’s horses in her life, and she does a bit of breeding as well. So there’s always horse conversation going on,” Mrs Tindall added.

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