Princess Anne’s frank words about financing her own way of life have re-emerged online, placing Andrew’s property controversy in even sharper focus.
Now 75, the Princess Royal resides primarily at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire. In a 2014 appearance on the BBC’s Countryfile, she spoke openly about the realities of running the 400-acre estate and why it must function as a genuine working farm.
“This is not something that comes free, this has got to pay its way, otherwise I can’t stay here,” Anne told reporter Tom Heap at the time.
Making Gatcombe Park Work
Gatcombe Park was presented to Anne by the late Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift in 1976, when she married her former husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
But for nearly 50 years, Anne has treated the estate as a business venture rather than a perk of status. Alongside her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, she has overseen its operations while maintaining patronages with close to 50 countryside organisations.
“We’ve been here long enough to have a bit of an impact on the place – we’ve put it back to grass roots, changed the way it’s farmed, and introduced three horse trials for occasional events,” Anne explained.
“Bit by bit we’ve added value, I suppose… And of course, as time’s gone by, we’ve learned how to manage it. If that’s farming- it’s the responsibility of the land-owning and land-management to make the best possible use of the land.”
When Heap asked whether she worried some might assume she was only able to manage such an estate because of “birthright and a privileged position” — and how she might respond to that view — Anne’s reply was characteristically direct.
“Well, being able to take on a place like this – I’ve got to make it work.”
A Stark Contrast With Andrew’s Housing Battle
That pragmatic stance has inevitably been contrasted with the situation surrounding her 65-year-old brother, Andrew, who lived for two decades at Royal Lodge in Windsor without paying rent and reportedly resisted repeated efforts to vacate the property.
Andrew was formally removed from the 31-room residence following the latest release of documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein on January 30.
Reports indicated that the former Duke of York had long refused to leave Royal Lodge despite sustained pressure from King Charles III, who withdrew his private security in 2024.