Princess Anne’s frank words about financing her own way of life have re-emerged online, placing Andrew’s property controversy in even sharper focus.
Now 75, the Princess Royal resides primarily at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. In a 2014 appearance on the BBC’s Countryfile, she spoke openly about the realities of running the 400-acre estate and why it must function as a genuine working farm.
“This is not something that comes free, this has got to pay its way, otherwise I can’t stay here,” Anne told reporter Tom Heap at the time.
Making Gatcombe Park Work
Gatcombe Park was presented to Anne by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift in 1976, when she married her former husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
But for nearly 50 years, Anne has treated the estate as a business venture rather than a perk of status. Alongside her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, she has overseen its operations while maintaining patronages with close to 50 countryside organisations.
“We’ve been here long enough to have a bit of an impact on the place – we’ve put it back to grass roots, changed the way it’s farmed, and introduced three horse trials for occasional events,” Anne explained.
