Princess Anne and Zara Tindall delight as they prepare to host treasured event at home
PRINCESS ANNE hopes to welcome thousands of visitors at her private home next year as the royal's beloved Festival of British Eventing is due to make a post-pandemic comeback.
Princess Anne's 'underrated style' discussed by commentators
Princess Anne, 71, and her daughter Zara Tindall, 40, are both keen equestrians and the Princess Royal hosted the key British Eventing Festival in the grounds of her Gloucestershire Estate for years until the pandemic put a stop to it. The prestigious event was due to take place this year from August 6-8 but had had to be cancelled due to the ongoing Covid crisis.
Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, who is the event director, released a statement on the official website.
He explained the reasons for cancelling the event and added it was an "extremely difficult decision".
Part of the statement read: "It is with huge regret that the organisers of the Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s event.
"This has been an extremely difficult decision, but the situation with the pandemic is still too volatile."
The Festival of British Eventing celebrates the popular sport, as well as bringing together enthusiasts and local artisans.
Regular vendors are hoping to return to the festival in 2022, according to a report on the Hello! website.
Normally, the general public doesn't get to see the grounds of Gatcombe Park because it is the private residence of Princess Anne and is also where she resides with her husband Sir Timothy Laurence.
Peter Phillips and Anne's daughter Zara Tindall also live within the grounds of the residence, which boasts a huge 730 acres of land.
READ MORE: Harry should sort Charles and William feud and meet his family
Visitors to the event in 2022 will be able to take in the royal residence from the outside.
But inside, the home features five main bedrooms, four secondary bedrooms, four reception rooms, a library, a billiard room and a conservatory.
Princess Anne has stayed at the for more than 40 years after the Queen bought it from her and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips.
The latest hope for the Festival of British Eventing comes with a royal insider stating Princess Anne is "universally respected" because of her "unpushy" nature and work ethic.
DON'T MISS
Meghan Markle to 'alter engagement ring' again [REPORT]
Queen plans legal action over Meghan and Harry's 'repeated attacks' [LATEST]
Harry and Meghan accused of 'calculated omission' after Kate 'snubbed' [COMMENTS]
She carried out an impressive 148 royal engagements over 145 days last year, according to public figures.
That is the most of any member of the Royal Family member, with many of these events taking place virtually because of restrictions resulting from the Covid pandemic.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, one insider said: “The public does get the royals and over time, you can’t fool anyone.
“Princess Anne is universally respected because she is who she is – and I think it’s the same with Camilla; what you see is what you get.
“She’s unselfconscious, unpushy and on message, and she gets on with the job.
“She’s respected and admired and liked a lot – some people may now even love her.”
Darren Best, from commercial property agent Savoystewart.co.uk, analysed the figures.
He said: “For many generations, the royal family’s fierce dedication to serving the crown has been one of their greatest legacies, and our findings clearly indicate that age is no obstacle for the most senior members of ‘the Firm’.
“The Queen’s commitment to lifelong service has been an example to her daughter Princess Anne and her ultimate successor, Prince Charles, who follows closely in her hardworking regal footsteps.”