Inside Gatcombe Park: The Private Residence of Anne, Princess Royal

Video Description

When Anne, Princess Royal royalty truly relaxes, this is where she does it – not in gilded palaces or tourist-filled castles, but behind the discreet stone walls of a Georgian country house planted in seven hundred acres of Cotswold countryside. --------------------------------------------------- The Queen’s Lost Scottish Castle: Balmoral’s Forgotten Sister (Mar Lodge) -- https://youtu.be/k9uU6W1oScw --------------------------------------------------- Top 5 Most OPULENT English COUNTRY HOUSES (Tour) -- https://youtu.be/MXdBEXnKoaM --------------------------------------------------- TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Introduction 1:35 Chapter 1: A Royal Hideaway in the Cotswolds 5:08 Chapter 2: From Manor House to Royal Residence 9:27 Chapter 3: Princess Anne's Era Begins 13:43 Chapter 4: A Working Estate for Modern Times --------------------------------------------------- You see this stately manor operates by entirely different rules than other royal residences – functioning as genuine working farmland where rare breed livestock graze, Olympic-level horses train, and three generations of a royal family pursue country life without ceremony or pretension. And a glimpse through Zoom calls during the pandemic revealed interiors devoid of throne-room grandeur – instead showing comfortable rooms with family photographs, modest watercolors, and the accumulated mementos of a life spent outdoors rather than on parade. The surrounding landscape speaks volumes about priorities – paddocks rather than formal gardens, functional outbuildings instead of ornamental follies, and the practical infrastructure required by serious equestrians and farmers. Between the villages of Minchinhampton and Avening in Gloucestershire's countryside stands Gatcombe Park, a Georgian country house that serves as the private residence of Anne, Princess Royal – a practical home befitting Britain's hardest-working royal family member. This Grade Two Star listed country house, constructed from Bath stone, presents an elegant yet understated façade that reflects its owner's preference for practicality over pomp – a refreshing departure from more ornate royal residences. The main residence boasts five principal bedrooms, four secondary bedrooms, four reception rooms, a library, a billiard room, and a conservatory – substantial without being excessive, much like the Princess Royal's approach to her official duties. The estate spans approximately seven hundred and thirty acres of Cotswold landscape, encompassing parkland, working farmland, and woodland that provides essential privacy. Long before Princess Anne took ownership, Gatcombe Park had established itself as a substantial country property with an impressive lineage of owners – each leaving their mark on this distinguished Gloucestershire estate. Edward Sheppard, a successful clothier who had done well from the region's thriving textile industry, commissioned the construction of a new house between 1771 and 1774 in the fashionable Georgian style of the period. The house received a significant upgrade when purchased in 1814 by David Ricardo, a speculator and theoretical economist who engaged George Basevi to substantially remodel and enhance the house around 1820. The royal chapter of Gatcombe's history began in 1976 when Queen Elizabeth the Second purchased the property for her daughter Princess Anne and her then-husband Captain Mark Phillips. When Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips took up residence at Gatcombe Park in November 1977, they brought with them a shared enthusiasm for horses that would influence the estate's development for decades to come. The couple's status as Olympic-level riders meant that the extensive stabling and surrounding countryside weren't merely decorative features but essential infrastructure for their sporting ambitions. Today, Gatcombe Park functions as a genuine working property that balances its roles as family home, farm, and occasional event venue – reflecting Princess Anne's own statement that "being able to take on a place like this, for me, I've got to make it work; this is not something that comes free." The estate operates as a working farm with rare breeds of livestock including Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs, White Park cattle, Wiltshire Horn sheep, and various poultry – combining agricultural production with conservation of traditional British breeds. Gatcombe's function as a family compound has intensified in recent years, with Zara and Mike Tindall raising their three children – Mia, Lena, and Lucas – on the estate, creating a decidedly unstuffy royal upbringing characterized by muddy boots, ponies, and the unique experience of having a grandmother who appears on postage stamps.