Princess Anne's obscured building on mammoth 700-acre estate with 'private airstrip'


The Princess Royal has lived on the Gloucestershire estate since the 1970s


Princess Anne, Princess Royal watches Zara Tindall compete, on her horse 'Class Affair', in the dressage phase of the 2023 Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park on August 5, 2023 in Stroud, England © Getty Images
Francesca ShillcockDigital Travel Editor
July 29, 2025
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Princess Anne has called Gatcombe Park her home since the 1970s.

The beautiful Grade II-listed building has incredible features, including five primary bedrooms, four secondary bedrooms, an enormous dining hall, a conservatory, a billiard room, and more – but the exterior grounds are also impressive.

The Princess Royal, 74, has 700 acres of endless greenery to enjoy. 

And given the vast land, it's not surprising that there are multiple buildings on site beyond the main house.

© Getty
Princess Anne has been the owner of Gatcombe Park since the 1970s

Princess Anne's secluded second building on Gatcombe Estate

From aerial photos, we can spot an obscured separate building away from the main building.

The structure is another Grade II-listed building, 80 metres east of Gatcombe, and is officially described as stables and a coach house.

© Alamy Stock Photo
The stables and coach house located east of Gatcombe Park

It's not known if the structure, which remains on site, is still being used for its original purpose, but if so, it undoubtedly comes in handy for keen equestrians, Anne.

Danielle Stacey, HELLO!'s royal correspondent, said that the former Olympic gold medallist still keeps up her hobby riding on the estate. 

"Anne still rides, and a number of equestrian events have been held on the estate, including the Festival of British Eventing."

© Tim Graham, Getty
The late Queen Elizabeth II gifted Gatcombe Park to Princess Anne as a wedding present

Princess Anne's 'private airstrip' at Gatcombe

A separate stable isn't the only feature on the royal's sprawling land. Danielle added: "We know that Gatcombe Park is a large estate as both Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips reside within the area. We also know that the property features a private airstrip and a stable block."

Having a private airstrip on site for Anne no doubt comes in handy for when the royals and relatives fly in by helicopter, and it also provides an element of privacy.

© Getty Images
Princess Anne with Zara and Mia at a horse event held at Gatcombe Park

Second home at Gatcombe Estate

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the estate, closer to Aston Farm, which is where Zara and Mike Tindall live, there is also a lodge building that was used as separate accommodation for staff.

In 2018, Anne sought planning permission to refresh and extend the private lodge to give it a refresh. It was reported at the time that Stroud District Council had granted permission for the renovations to go ahead.

According to documents seen by the Daily Mail, the extension consisted of increasing the floor space from 115.5 square metres to 135.5 square metres.

© Shutterstock
An entrance to the separate lodge at Gatcombe Park

The ground floor of the lodge was given a revamp thanks to a wall from the kitchen into the dining room being knocked through to create a larger space.

Upstairs, the lodge received a new bedroom thanks to the extension, and the original small bedroom was converted into a master room with an en suite bathroom.

Anne and Timothy live at Gatcombe's main building, while Zara and Mike reside at Aston Farm just a short walk away, so it's possible the lodge is used to house either security or other staff members.

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