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Mercifully the blow she received was not life-threatening and the wounds to her head were described as “minor”. But even if Princess Anne makes a characteristically swift recovery from the concussion that has kept her under close observation at Bristol’s Southmead Hospital, the unfortunate incident is a dramatic reminder of just how vital she is to the monarchy. Indeed without the ever-present Anne, it is impossible to imagine it continuing its schedule of public engagements on anything like the scale that it does.

In recent times, with both the King and the Princess of Wales being treated for cancer, she has almost single-handedly propped up the Royal Family. Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion. In the first three months of the year, she took on more than 30 per cent of all royal appearances.



But the reliance on Anne is not just confined to the past six months; her workload, which shames the output of younger royals, has been consistently high for years, decades even. More than anything, though, her absence — however long it will be — offers the most compelling warning of the perils of a slimmed-down monarchy. Who could possibly step in with that same extraordinary power of concentration and sheer endurance for hour after gruelling hour? Who could demonstrate that ability to absorb the details of anything from trade to pollution, theology, art and canine distemper, as she might do on any single day? Over the years An.

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