Princess Anne set for well-deserved break after packed summer schedule with send-off in place close to her heart

Princess Anne is set for a well-deserved break after weeks of a packed summer schedule with a send-off in a place close to her heart. 

• The Princess Royal looks to have a special few weeks without engagements coming up in August as she prepares to celebrate her 73rd birthday.
• Her final engagement before this is on the 3rd August somewhere that Princess Anne has several special connections with.
• This royal news comes as King Charles' tattered look in an unusual place divided royal fans - but there's a good reason. 

Having been consistently found to be one of the most hard-working royals in recent years, it’s perhaps no surprise that Princess Anne’s schedule has remained as packed as ever in 2023. This summer has been especially busy for the Princess Royal, who had an official role at the King’s coronation. Princess Anne’s coronation portrait position showcased His Majesty’s respect for her and she’s been attending engagements everywhere from Kent to Jersey and Liverpool and rode on horseback in Trooping the Colour 2023.

Now it seems Princess Anne is set for a well-deserved break after an incredibly busy few months. And the final engagement before her time off is set to be somewhere that holds a special place in her heart.

Many of the engagements soon to be undertaken by working members of the immediate and extended Royal Family’s are published in advance by the Royal Diary on the Royal Family’s website. Princess Anne’s visits regularly appear here and the current list shows that she is seemingly set to enjoy a few weeks off. 

From 3rd August to 29th August, the Princess Royal currently has no engagements in the Royal Diary. Although this could change nearer the time, it would make sense for her to take a summer break here. Princess Anne’s 73rd birthday is on 15th August and she’s enjoyed time out of the royal spotlight around her big day before. 

In 2022 Princess Anne was rarely pictured in public, with one exception being when she attended the Festival of British Eventing at her Gatcombe Park home. She was there with her grandchildren in 2019 too and this year’s festival starts on 4th August - the day after her final scheduled engagement until 29th August. 

It’s likely she’ll be there again this year, though this wouldn’t be an official royal appearance. Leading into what looks to be her time off, Princess Anne’s final engagement will be in Scotland. As the Patron of The Royal Military Tattoo, the King’s sister will be attending a reception and dress rehearsal at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh.

Scotland has long been special to Princess Anne who has been the Patron of Scottish Rugby for 37 years. She married her second husband Sir Timothy Laurence in Scotland, has regularly undertaken engagements across the country and stepped out there during the first Holyrood Week of King Charles’ reign. Scotland also meant so much to the late Queen Elizabeth, who passed away at Balmoral Castle, and Princess Anne likely has many precious memories of her mother in Scotland. 

Currently, Princess Anne’s well-deserved break will come to an end on 29th August with another engagement in Scotland. As the Vice Patron of the British Horse Society, she’s set to attend a Coaching Career Insight Day at Aberdeen Riding Club. If Princess Anne does have a summer holiday after months of hard work, it’s likely she’ll be enjoying it with her family and friends before she resumes her duties with this visit.