Princess Anne emerged on January 8 as one of the first senior royals to return to action by 2026.
She arrived in Oxford as honorary president of the Oxford Agricultural Conference, which has become something of a winter tradition for the palace’s most indefatigable royals.
Instead of enjoying the pomp and ceremony, Anne joined a nitty-gritty meeting of British farmers, industry leaders and political thinkers looking at the future of food, sustainability and rural life.
The conference itself was held at the historic Examination Schools in Oxford city centre.
Sources close to the event say he participated in lively discussions, listened to speakers debate topics from land stewardship to innovation, and rubbed shoulders with delegates long enough to have practical conversations outside of the usual royal photo ops.
As Honorary President, Anne has been a fixture in Oxford farming circles for years, championing a sector that relies as much on resilience and innovation as it does on tradition.
One delegate told FarmingUK that his comments at previous conferences have inspired producers trying to balance economic pressure and environmental management.
The Princess has reminded the public that beyond hard work, she also has a keen sense of humor.
A video of an official engagement at the Wormwood Scrubs Pony Center recently went viral, showing the 75-year-old cracking jokes as he marked the 35th anniversary of the London-based equine charity.
Addressing reporters before cutting the celebratory cake, Anne joked: “I hope everyone has had a chance to see this cake because it is truly stunning.
The instructions are that you will eat it if I cut it. Otherwise, it’s just legalized vandalism. So enjoy the cake!
The crowd burst into laughter and social media users were quick to praise them.
“I adore her,” one wrote, while another noted that she is “dry like her father, cheeky like her mother.”
Anne, who serves as vice-patron of the British Horse Society, toured the center alongside actor and BHS president Martin Clunes and chief executive James Hick, and met volunteers who support equine therapy for children with physical disabilities.
He carried his own umbrella, proving that practicality goes hand in hand with good humor.
The visit was particularly poignant as it came just three days after his brother, King Charles, publicly shared his cancer diagnosis.
