The younger generations of the British royal family have made a habit of being open with fans about their lives, from speaking frankly about mental health to sharing candid photos of their homes and families. Their forebears, meanwhile, have largely stuck to old traditions, with Queen Elizabeth II and her children typically sharing only formal photos and pre-approved stories, and only when officially sanctioned. It came as a bit of a shock, then, when the royal family’s official Instagram page posted a photo over the weekend offering a rare glimpse into Princess Anne’s life at home.
In the photo, the 70-year-old Princess Royal (daughter of the Queen and sister to Prince Charles) is dressed casually in a maroon sweater and black fleece vest. She sits cross-legged on a floral-printed, melon-colored couch next to her plaid-clad husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, as they watch the Calcutta Cup rugby match between England and Scotland. (The princess is the royal patron of the latter team.)
Their living room is cozy and cluttered, with a dog bed situated next to the TV, two cabinets filled with knickknacks and framed photos, and every surface stacked with books, figurines, and more photos. The cream-colored walls are dotted with a series of framed works of art, all of them appearing to depict various seaside scenes.
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The homey space is likely located in Gatcombe Park, the Gloucestershire estate the Queen purchased for her daughter in 1976, and which has been Princess Anne’s main residence ever since. The estate’s grounds are host to the annual Festival of British Eventing, as well as a handful of other, smaller equestrian events, and Anne’s daughter Zara also maintains a home on the property with her husband, Mike Tindall.
