Princess Anne Faces Heartbreaking Challenges After Devastating Personal Loss!
The cost of living crisis and inflation reportedly hit Princess Anne and her family "hard", with royal experts sharing how she keeps her Gatcombe Park estate afloat
Princess Anne was said to be ‘devastated’ following the decision (Image: GETTY)
Royal experts have claimed that Princess Anne has had to make “very difficult decisions” to maintain her 700-acre Gatcombe Park estate amid financial pressure. To keep the reported £6million land afloat with her husband Timothy Laurence, the 74-year-old has reportedly had to reconsider ways of bringing in an income over the years.
Kate explained: “Gatcombe Park is an expensive place to run, it’s a huge estate and the inflation, cost of living crisis, has hit them hard. Anne has had to make some very difficult decisions to keep Gatcombe Park afloat.”
Channel 5 News’ Royal correspondent Simon Vigar said of the pair managing the estate: “From day one, they’ve had to make massive financial decisions, quite rightly, they don’t get money from the tax payer, they have to make it work.”
Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park Estate is 700 acres of prime Gloucestershire countryside, near Minchinhampton (Image: GETTY)
The Princess Royal and her family were said to be “devastated” following the cancellation of The Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park last year, after 40 years.
Mark Phillips, Anne’s former husband, attributed the decision to soaring costs, including insurance, post-pandemic.
Country Life Magazine’s Deputy Editor Kate Green said of discontinuing the event: “It’s a big thing to put on and if you know you’re going to struggle to break even or make a profit on it, it’s sometimes best to pull the plug.
“It was not a decision taken lightly. It’s a big loss.”
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Following the conclusion of the festival, Princess Anne and her husband have found their alternative income streams more crucial than before.
The pair, who tied the knot in 1992, reportedly earn a significant portion of their income from their farming activities, with the help of their estate manager.
“The Princess rears Gloucester Old Spot pigs, White Park cattle and Wiltshire Horn sheep and selling their meat locally is what keeps the whole thing ticking over,” Kate remarked in the Channel 5 documentary Gatcombe Park: A Royal Residence.
Royal expert Emily Andrews also noted that their farm operates with native breeds, grass-fed, [and] organic practices.
“And the reason they [made] this decision was a very commercial decision,” she said. “It’s because those animals command the best possible prices.”
Kate further noted: “Native breeds have never been more important. They need less sort of food and less medicine. They leave a much lighter carbon footprint and they’re more ecologically sound.”
Princess Anne has reportedly stated that these methods are “the only way they can turn a profit” and represent “a sustainable choice”.
Moreover, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter also profits from her equine facilities, which are described as “vital” to the family’s finances.
According to Emily, many “wealthy men” including Team GB’s Tom McEwen pay the Princess to stable their horses on the Gatcombe Park grounds.
