Princess Anne health scare left King Charles 'deeply worried'

The accident, which left the King's sister unconscious and requiring a five-day hospital stay, has only recently been discussed by the princess herself.

Buckingham Palace previously indicated her injuries were consistent with being struck by a horse's hoof or head.

Princess Anne has revealed she remembers "nothing" of the incident, which occurred while she was heading to visit chickens on her estate.

"I know where I thought I was going and that was to go to the chickens," she explained. "I don't have any idea what I was doing in the field, because I never normally went that way."

The revelation comes during her recent visit to Cape Town, where she spoke publicly about the accident for the first time.

The incident occurred last June, with the princess being found unconscious on her Gatcombe Park grounds before being rushed to hospital. According to the Mail, King Charles has been left "deeply worried" about his sister's health setback.

Speaking about the seriousness of the incident, Princess Anne said: "You're jolly lucky... if you can continue to be more or less compos mentis and last summer I was very close to not being."

The Princess Royal reflected soberly on the experience, stating: "It just reminds you, shows you, you never quite know, something [happens] and you might not recover. Take each day as it comes, they say."

She further acknowledged the gravity of the situation, noting: "You are sharply reminded that every day is a bonus, really."

The incident has clearly left a lasting impression on the typically stoic royal, despite her full recovery.

An air ambulance was dispatched to Gatcombe Park following the accident, though Princess Anne was ultimately transported by road to Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

The princess spent five nights as an in-patient before being discharged to continue her recovery at home.

In the weeks following the incident, she was seen with visible heavy bruising around her face.

While the exact cause remains unclear, Buckingham Palace has indicated the injuries were consistent with being struck by a horse's hoof or head.

The Princess Royal has confirmed there were no lasting injuries from the accident.

Despite the serious accident, Princess Anne has made it clear she has no plans to slow down her royal duties.

When asked about retirement during her Cape Town visit, she stated firmly: "It really isn't written in, no. It isn't really an option."

The Princess Royal remains one of the hardest-working royals, having undertaken 474 engagements last year.