That Princess Anne was injured, apparently by being kicked or butted in the head by a horse at her home, Gatcombe Park in the Cotswolds, would be deeply concerning for the royal family even in normal times.
But these are not normal times. King Charles III has cancer and has reportedly been forced to cancel a tour of New Zealand, and his daughter-in-law, the Princess of Wales, is fighting the disease too. She has almost entirely withdrawn from public life since the beginning of the year—except for a centerpiece appearance at Trooping the Colour, alongside her family, just over two weeks ago.
Prince William has also significantly scaled back his public role to support his wife and family. Anne’s absence means that just three individuals remain as full-time working royals unaffected by illness: Queen Camilla (who has stepped nobly up to the plate to support her husband but never wanted to be queen and does not particularly enjoy the public appearance side of things), and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
