Princess Anne was sadly forced to miss the royal family's annual Christmas Day church outing at Sandringham, disappointing royal watchers when she failed to join her children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, for the service.
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HELLO! understands that the Princess Royal, 72, was sadly suffering from a cold – but her absence was all the more surprising given her typically busy schedule and lack of past illnesses. In fact, Princess Anne was named the hardest-working royal of 2022 and has shown little sign of slowing down, so the decision to miss the service must have been a difficult one.
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Over the years, Princess Anne has rarely been reported as being unwell. Even when her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence caught Covid in December 2021, the royal didn't test positive – a testament to her strong immune system.
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A rare period of illness occurred back in 2016 when Queen Elizabeth II's daughter was forced to cancel a visit to Botswana and Mozambique due to a "bad chest infection".
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Anne has rarely been reported as being unwell
A Buckingham Palace statement confirmed at the time: "The princess royal is still recovering from a bad chest infection. (Her) working programme for next week has therefore been scaled back, with a number of engagements cancelled. As a precaution, on the advice of doctors, the princess will not undertake the planned visit to Botswana and Mozambique at the end of the month."
Princess Anne's action-packed schedule could be the key to the royal staying so healthy. July was her busiest month of 2022 and saw her carry out an amazing 24 royal engagements, adding to her total of 214 events over the year.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Anne was the hardest working royal of 2022, come rain or shine!
Coupled with her love of horse riding and outdoorsy activities like sailing, the royal matriarch's active lifestyle no doubt helps prevent muscle stiffness and tension, which are common as we get older.
In addition, Princess Anne is known to enjoy a balanced diet including plenty of fruit and protein-rich fish and meat.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Princess Royal (pictured in 1971) has always led an active lifestyle
She particularly enjoys kippers, a form of smoked herring. The salty fish is most commonly eaten at breakfast with eggs but makes a delicious lunch alternative served in a salad or paired with buttery new potatoes.
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We hope the hardworking Princess Royal is feeling better and is resting up for her 2023 engagements!
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