Princess Anne didn't join her family on Christmas, but for good reason

The Royal Family showed out in force for their first Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham in three years. King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla led the charge, joined by the likes of Prince William, Kate Middleton and their three children, plus other members of the family including Prince Andrew and Zara and Mike Tindall. However, Princess Anne was missing from proceedings because she was unwell, it’s been reported.

• This Christmas Day, the royals returned to Sandringham for their first walkabout and big gathering in three years
• It was also the first Christmas since Queen Elizabeth II died, but Princess Anne was missing from the festivities due to being under the weather, it’s been reported
• In other royal news, how the royals displayed unity in their fashion this Christmas, from Lady Louise's jewelry to Sophie Wessex channelling Kate

She’s commonly known as the hardest working royal – and, indeed, once again in 2022, Anne, the Princess Royal has officially undertaken the most amount of royal engagements.

The secret behind Anne’s tireless energy is a popular fruit, so stock up for the new year if you want to emulate Anne’s relentless drive.

It was revealed earlier this month that Princess Anne had performed a staggering 214 royal engagements this year – an impressive feat in itself but one that’s even more astonishing considering the Princess Royal also had to contend with the grief of losing her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth this year.

So, it was perhaps a surprise and a cause for concern to some fans to see that Princess Anne was not with her family for the Christmas service at Sandringham.

However, it’s been reported that Anne simply stayed home at her Gatcombe Park estate due to having a cold.

We know that Anne loves to indulge in a particularly pungent food over the holidays, so what better excuse for her to get comfortable on the sofa and snack away than recovering from the seasonal illness?

It’s not known if Anne joined the family later on in the day, or for their annual Boxing Day gathering.

The Princess Royal also missed Kate Middleton’s Together at Christmas carol service held on December 15 at Westminster Abbey, but this was due to a schedule clash rather than illness. Anne attended the London International Horse Show at ExCel London on the same day, meaning she could not make the service.

While many fans were disappointed to miss out on an appearance this Christmas, the Princess Royal most definitely deserves a rest after the hard work she’s put in for the family this year. Her number of official engagements easily surpasses that of her brother, King Charles, who carried out 181.

As proof of their elevated importance as senior members of the Royal Family, Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex came in third and fourth respectively, with 143 and 138 engagements.

Prince William completes the top five, undertaking a commendable 126 engagements.