Princess Anne has remained quiet about the future of her beloved Gatcombe Park estate, after expressing her "worries" about supporting it financially.
The sprawling 730-acre country estate, which is also home to Anne's daughter, Zara, her husband Mike Tindall and their children Mia, Lena, and Lucas, is said to be where the Princess Royal is at her happiest.
The idyllic country bolthole in Gloucestershire is not just a retreat from the royal spotlight for Anne, but also runs as a working farm, and from 1983 to 2023, also played host to the Festival of British Eventing.
Princess Anne cancels annual event
© Max Mumby/IndigoThe equestrian world was stunned when the Princess Royal pulled the plug on the annual festival two years ago, a move that she was said to be "devastated" by.
An explainer on the Festival of British Eventing website published on 4 March 2024, read: "It is with great sadness that we announce the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park will not take place this year."
© Max Mumby/IndigoThe event was recognised worldwide as the only event in the equestrian calendar to provide five Championships and, as a result, brought world-class talent to the Gloucestershire farm every August.
"Despite great determination from the organising team, the current economic climate has made it unviable for the event to go ahead. Following the adverse weather experienced at Gatcombe last year, which led to the abandonment of the event, and due to the ever-increasing costs associated with operating on a green field site, it has made the event unfeasible to run," read the statement.
© GettyEvent Chairman, Captain Mark Phillips added: "The horse trials at Gatcombe and more recently the Festival of British Eventing have been a major part of my life for over 40 years when The Princess Royal and I first had the dream. The dream became reality, and with it, many special memories of the many riders, horses, volunteers, sponsors and spectators all of whom massively contributed to the history of the horse trials at Gatcombe Park.
"It’s truly a great sadness that the original model and indeed the sport has changed so much. Since Covid, costs, particularly insurance, have risen so much that the numbers no longer add up. It is an end of an era, the next 40 years of the sport will be different, let’s hope it can be equally special."
© MJ KimDespite it being exactly one year on from the announcement, there have been no further updates from the Princess Royal on whether the event will be revived for 2025, suggesting financial barriers are still ongoing.
Princess Anne: 5 surprising facts
© Getty1. Hardest-working royal
In 2024, Princess Anne retained her crown as the hardest-working royal for a fourth year in a row, racking up an impressive 395 engagements in UK, alongside 79 abroad.
2. Criminal offence
Princess Anne became the first senior member of the royal family to be convicted of a criminal offence. In 2002, her three-year-old English Bull Terrier bit two children in Windsor, Great Park. She pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act and was fined £500.
3. Lucky escape
Just four weeks after her wedding in 1974, Princess Anne survived a kidnapping attempt. While driving down The Mall, her chauffeur had to stop the car due to another vehicle blocking the road. Ian Ball got out of the car and shot the chauffeur. Despite Ian shooting a total of four men in the encounter, Anne escaped unharmed.
4. Breaking tradition
When Anne's children, Peter and Zara, were born, she declined the chance to grant them royal titles. She explained her decision to Vanity Fair: "I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles."
5. Signature hairdo
In a 2020 documentary, Princess Anne exclaimed her surprise that it took two hours to style the hair of Erin Doherty, who portrays her in The Crown. Anne said it only takes her 10 to 15 minutes to do her own hair.
