Princess Anne has opened up about the prospect of retirement, saying it “isn’t really an option” for senior members of the royal family.Getty Images
Royal retirement?
Princess Anne has opened up about the prospect of retirement, saying it “isn’t really an option” for senior members of the royal family.
The Princess Royal, who is widely regarded as the hardest-working member of the Windsor clan, was asked about potential plans to scale back on engagements in the upcoming months during an interview with the Press Association.
“I don’t think there’s a retirement program on this particular life,” said Anne, 74. “It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so.”
Anne, who is King Charles’ only sister, completed a total of 217 engagements in 2024 — the most of any royal that year.
The beloved royal’s schedule even surpassed that of her brother Charles, who completed 186 engagements while undergoing cancer treatment, the Daily Mail reports.
The monarch, 76, was forced to decrease his workload following his cancer diagnosis, which he announced to the public in February 2024.
And while several royals opted to retire in the past, it’s still considered a rarity for senior members of the Firm to do so.
The late Prince Philip retired from royal duties at the age of 95 in 2017.
Anne’s health was cast into doubt last year after she suffered a horse-related injury that left her hospitalized for five days.
Zara Tindall’s mother sustained the injury during a stroll on the grounds of her Gatcombe Park estate in June 2024.
Speaking to the PA, Anne said she still has no recollection of the accident taking place.
“I don’t have any idea what I was doing in the field, because I never normally went that way,” she said. “It just reminds you, shows you — you never quite know, something [happens] and you might not recover.”
Asked about lasting effects, the princess said, “Apparently not, at least I don’t think so. As far as I know nobody else thinks so — [or] they haven’t been honest enough to tell me yet. So far so good.”
“You are sharply reminded that every day is a bonus, really,” she added.
Anne — the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s only daughter — was forced to cancel all of her official duties slated in the weeks that followed the accident, including a state visit and a trip to Canada.
The beloved royal experienced temporary memory loss after the injury, as well as a concussion.
