Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert for the most Princess Anne reason ever!

Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert in Windsor on May 7 that both of her children and other senior royals attended

Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert. Seen here she arrives at Westminster Abbey
(Image credit: Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert and it’s believed she did it for the most Princess Anne reason ever! 


King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation day certainly provided fans with plenty of memorable moments. From the moment Prince Louis disappeared during the ceremony to the first glimpse of some fabulous outfits like Queen Camilla’s coronation dress and Carole Middleton’s electric blue look, there was so much to take in. Princess Anne gave fans a particularly stand-out moment when she rode on horseback to Buckingham Palace behind the King and Queen in the Gold State Coach. She was awarded the special role of “Gold-Stick-In-Waiting” by the monarch and led the procession of the Armed Forces. 

However, whilst she might’ve been seen prominently throughout the coronation day itself, Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert the next day. And she’s believed to have done so for the most Princess Anne reason ever!

Princess Anne, Princess Royal rides on horseback behind the gold state coach

(Image credit: Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

The Princess Royal is one of the most senior members of the immediate and extended Royal Family but she was notably absent from the stands at the coronation concert held at Windsor Castle on May 7. Her daughter and son-in-law Zara and Mike Tindall were there, as were her son Peter Phillips and his girlfriend Lindsay Wallace, the King, Queen and the Wales family.

It seems possible that Princess Anne skipped the coronation concert as her schedule was incredibly busy and she was preparing for a reasonably early start the next day. She attended a Coronation Street Party in Swindon, Wiltshire earlier on the day of the concert. Here she was pictured beaming as she spoke with residents and even enjoyed a very British cup of tea.

Princess Anne speaks with residents of a street as they hold a Coronation street party

(Image credit: Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

The next day the King’s sister was back out and about as she attended a special Service of Thanksgiving. Princess Anne lives at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire and given she had to be at Gloucester Cathedral the next morning, it might simply have made more sense to travel home rather than back to London and back out again even earlier the day after the concert. 

In contrast, other royals at the concert like the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh also appeared publicly the next day but not until later on in the day and closer to Windsor. The Princess Royal hasn’t confirmed that these logistical reasons inspired her decision to skip the concert. However, if she did miss it so that she would definitely be there on time for her engagement in Gloucester on May 7, this practical decision inspired by hard work couldn’t be more *her*.

For multiple years in a row Princess Anne has been found to be the most hard-working royal and regularly has a packed schedule of engagements across the UK and internationally. She’s also known for her non-nonsense, practical attitude and previously declared to Vanity Fair she’d have probably been an engineer if she wasn’t a royal. 

Princess Anne’s engagement the day after the coronation concert saw her meeting and recognizing the dedicated work of volunteers from Gloucestershire at Gloucester Cathedral. She also attended a special service as part of the Big Help Out national volunteering initiative which thanked volunteers from the city, county and diocese and was led by the Dean of Gloucester, Andrew Zihni.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!