Princess Anne is in South Africa this week, in what I believe is her first major overseas tour/trip since her unfortunate head injury last spring/summer. Anne was hospitalized for a week after what people assumed was a kick from one of her horses, although it’s still unknown what really happened there. Months before Anne’s head injury, her husband Tim Laurence appeared at an event in March with a black eye. We were told it was from a mishap around the house or garden. I bring up Tim Laurence because he was supposed to join his wife in South Africa, only he had another medical situation.
Princess Anne is on a two-day visit to South Africa, but is undertaking the trip solo and without her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, by her side.
According to Hello!, Sir Tim had to pull out of the royal tour “last minute” because of his recovery from a suspected torn ligament. He was injured while working on their estate, Gatcombe Park, the outlet reported, and needs treatment in the U.K. He is unable to fly to South Africa as a result.
Sir Tim’s injury comes less than a year after Princess Anne’s own injury on their estate. In June, the Princess Royal, 74 — a lifelong equestrian — suffered a concussion and spent five days in the hospital after sustaining a concussion and minor injuries in an incident at Gatcombe Park. Anne’s injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs.
Tim Laurence is 69, Anne is 74. In my opinion, they’re both too old to be gallivanting around internationally on behalf of the crown, but clearly, they’re not safe at home either. Two big injuries for Tim within a year, and a head injury for Anne which was lowkey life-altering. I know the Tindalls still live on the Gatcombe estate – is Zara concerned at all about her mother and stepfather? Is she around to check on them? What about Peter? Anyway, best wishes to Tim, a torn ligament is no joke.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
