Princess Anne’s battle at home that could have ‘fatal’ consequences for her horses
Princess Anne's home estate boasts 700 acres and welcomes many horses
Princess Anne reportedly faces a battle at her home estate and it involves her love for horses.
The Princess Royal manages a sprawling 700 acre estate in Gloucestershire and has done for many years, but it seems one issue on the grounds is pretty challenging.
Princess Anne’s home at Gatcombe Park
Princess Anne was gifted her home Gatcombe Park in 1976 by her mother Queen Elizabeth II. It came after her marriage to her first husband, Mark Phillips.
Although a wedding gift this extravagant is one major perk as a royal, the huge grounds have posed difficult to contend with.
Anne has discussed the “delicate balance” she tries to achieve when dealing with the potentially fatal problem at her home.
Princess Anne’s home is known for hosting equestrian events such as the Festival of British Eventing. So when it is also inhabited by a poisonous plant, that can cause lots of trouble for her four-legged guests.
Anne’s estate is home to “beautiful” plants, she has previously assured, according to The Telegraph.
However, some problematic plants are also known to pop up.
Problem posed for horses at Princess Anne’s home Gatcombe Park
Anne said during an interview in 2023: “The ones that survive – quite a lot don’t. We live on Cotswold brash which is not popular with plants; but having said that we have beeches. You’ve just got to live with what’s there and make sure it doesn’t get overwhelmed. I’m not sure that rewilding at scale is necessarily a good idea. It probably is in corners, but if you’re not careful, you rewild all the wrong things because they are just the things that are more successful at growing.
“My biggest row at home is ragwort. Lots of people think that ragwort is absolutely brilliant because butterflies love it, but it’s not good for the horses [it is toxic]. I would say don’t take all the ragwort out, just where the horses are – but it’s quite a delicate balance.”
Ragwort is a UK native plant with yellow flowers. It likes to bloom in gardens as well as grasslands and meadows – the latter often being the home of horses and cattle.
Unfortunately, it can be fatal when eaten in large quantities for horses and cattle.
The National Trust website explains that the plant tastes unpleasant so grazing animals would only eat it if there was no other food, or if it was cut along with the grass and made into hay.
Inside Gatcombe Park
Not only does Gatcombe Park have idyllic grounds, but Anne has a cosy home with a large footprint.
Anne’s grand abode is said to comprise of a home office, an inviting living area, four reception rooms, a library, a billiard room and a conservatory. It also boasts five main bedrooms and four guest bedrooms.
When Anne and her husband Mark first split, Mark moved into the nearby Aston Farm estate, so he could stay nearby their two children Zara and Peter.
Now, Zara and her family live at Aston Farm, just a stone’s throw from Anne.
Anne now shares Gatcombe Park with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.
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So, what do you think of this story? Do you have any advice for Anne? Are you a fan of horses? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.
