Princess Anne, 74, lives a relatively private life at her secluded estate, Gatcombe Park, in Gloucestershire, but this weekend she is opening the gates for a rare special event.
The vast grounds will play host to Gatcombe Food Festival on 26 and 27 July, where TV chefs will be doing live cookery demonstrations, amazing foodie stalls and fun for all the family with hands-on workshops. Celebrity names include The Great British Bake Off star Howard Middleton and Ready Steady Cook star Lesley Waters.
The VIP area is now fully booked, but those with golden tickets will be treated to a welcome cocktail designed by Anne's son-in-law, Mike Tindall, and his fellow rugby pal, James Haskall, who have their own gin brand.
Stalls cost a minimum of £200 for a vendor to hire, and tickets to the event cost £21.60 for an adult.
Cancelled event
Anne's grounds used to host the annual Festival of British Eventing but for a few years now it has been unable to run.
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/Indigo"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."
© Hannah ColeEvent Chairman and Anne's former husband, Captain Mark Phillips, said at the time: "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."
© 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.
Anne's pesky plants
© GettyDuring an interview with The Telegraph, Anne discussed why she has to find a "delicate balance" with the plants on her estate.
"My biggest row at home is ragwort," she admitted. "Lots of people think that ragwort is absolutely brilliant because butterflies love it, but it’s not good for the horses [it is toxic]. I would say don’t take all the ragwort out, just where the horses are – but it’s quite a delicate balance."
