37 ‘Every day is a bonus’, says Princess Anne after horse accident Princess Royal speaks publicly for the first time about the unexplained concussion she suffered in June.

There isn't any unpleasantness, on the contrary I have been expressing concern that Princess Anne resumed normal duties so quickly after her concussion.

I have seen how serious the effects of quite a mild concussion incident can have on the short and long term health of people suffering it. I was very surprised that she resumed duties so soon. I hope this does not cause her later health problems.

Where I ride, we have to wear riding hats anywhere in range of horses. When I used to ride years ago, they were only worn when actually mounted to protect from falls.
I wondered if this was in the wake of Princess Anne's accident as I think it was clear at the time that she hadn't fallen from a horse.

Princess Anne spent five nights in Southmead hospital in Bristol before Being discharged to convalesce at home (DT 25.01.25.)
She began a phased return to her duties three weeks later.
She is unable to remember exactly what happened when she was injured, appears to have made a full recovery and regards every day as a bonus.
Why the unpleasantness?

Would the hospital or Buckingham P disclose the fact that she
discharged herself

My son suffered concussion after a fall from a horse a few years ago (as well as several broken ribs and bruised lungs). He was discharged from hospital the day after.

M0nica

I assume she then ignored it Anniebach

Yes, I think she discharged herself.

I had concussion as a teenager but no medical attention apart from friend's mother calling on a neighbour who was with St John's Ambulance to take a look st me.

I assume she then ignored it Anniebach

I assume she took medical advice MOnica

Anniebach A couple of days in hospital will not cure concussion.

Concussion means bruising the brain and the resulting swelling. It does not go down in a few days. The hospital would have kept her in until they knew the bruising had reached its maximum and was stable or subsiding, but, as my friends case showed. It took a year before her brain was back to normal.

I'm on the fence with regard to Royalty, but Princess Anne has at least inherited her mother's work ethic and seems to understand her position in 21st-century British society. Compared to Andrew, she's Cheddar to his Gorgonzola!

Anne did spend several days in hospital being treated for the
injury

I have a little wooden handpainted sign on the wall, that I found in a junk shop. That says "every day is a gift". It's there to remind me!

MOnica 💐
A salutary warning indeed.

I think her attitude is typical of most horse riders I know. I certainly know quite a few, myself included, who have had fairly serious falls and simply got straight back on the horse again. I once had a horse rear right up and fall backwards on top of me, and I just dusted myself down and got back on her again. It wasn't until the following day, when I was black and blue from head to foot, that it dawned on me what a lucky escape I'd had.

Concussion can and does kill. It killed my sister when she was knocked off her bike and hit her head on the kerb.

Another friend of mine was off work for well over a year after a road accident, She was the front seat passenger, the car spun and she hit her head against the door pillar.

Another friend has had a couple of falls wher she did not hit her head but the sudden jerk of her neck caused mild concussion and she now has long termpost-concussion syndrome www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/injuries/head-and-neck-injuries/post-concussion-syndrome-pcs/

I write all this because I feel most people on this thread are treating concussion quite lightly, when even mild concussion is a serious injury that can cause long-term health effects, including being a long term catalyst for dementia. You do not need to be a footballer who did lots of headers, for concussion to contribute to dveloping dementia

I am an admirer of Princess Anne, but I think she treated what sounded like quite a serious concussion far too lightly. All though seeming back to normal in the public eye, I do wonder how long she suffered from other side effects, like headaches after her return to work.

I would want anyone who was as seriously concussed as she was to take a lot more than three weeks off. Being royalty does not protect you from the damage other people suffer after concussion and it is silly of her to risk her long term health just because she has a reputation to (now) being a tough old bird who carries on regardless that she wants to nurture.

She’s great isn’t she?
Day after day she attends official functions without a tv camera following her. I guess she prefers it like that.

I always chuckle when I think about what her father once said about her.
“If it doesn’t fart and eat hay she isn’t interested!”

Horses have very big hard heads, so if it was a head movement from one that’s a real whack to take, especially when you’re older.
She seems to have sprung back anyway.

Pretty scary thing to happen I imagine.

In football you can get concussion from a head clash - it doesn’t have to be a fall. Usually you aren’t allowed to play sport again for three weeks.

She's really rather wonderful, totally true to herself. and such a hard worker.. It's no wonder the lovely Tim clearly adores her.

Princess Anne is a fabulous role model, hats off to her

AreWeThereYet, I'm a Republican who admires Princess Anne hugely....

Hat’s orf to you ma’m! 😊

Hear hear! Yes, I think it was a head butt merlotgran.

I know what she means. I wake up and think "Well, I'm still here".

Yes apologies. I said a fall from a horse but you’ve reminded me, I think it was a head butt from a horse.

She said it was strange she chose the path she did as she didn’t usually set out in that direction.

I have a lot more respect for her than some of the other royals. Shame about the accident.