Lady Anne Glenconner, former lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, has revealed how a young Prince William once triggered chaos at Balmoral Castle, leaving Queen Elizabeth II “terrified” and royal staff “frantic”.
Eight-Year-Old Prince Missing on Pony
During a summer break in August 1990, the eight-year-old prince went missing on his pony after slipping away from his riding party. Lady Anne recalled waiting inside the castle for Princess Margaret when the quiet afternoon was shattered by furious shouting outside.
“Everything was going smoothly until I was waiting for Princess Margaret in the castle later in the afternoon and heard raised voices coming from outside,” Lady Anne shared in an excerpt from her latest book. “I peered out of the window and saw The Queen tearing a strip off Prince William, who was on his pony on the drive. He must have been around eight years old.”
Staff Frantic and Queen's Reprimand
Startled by the commotion, Lady Anne quietly backed away from the window and reported the encounter to Princess Margaret. It soon transpired that the young prince had returned to the castle on his own without letting anyone know, abandoning his groom and cousins mid-ride.
“Prince William had been out riding with the groom and his cousins and had... returned to the castle on his own without letting anyone know,” Lady Anne explained, writing in the Daily Mail. “The grooms had been frantic looking for him.”
The sudden disappearance sparked instant alarm, with estate staff terrified that the future king had suffered a serious accident in the Scottish countryside. “You can imagine how terrified they were in case he had fallen and hit his head with no one knowing where he was,” Lady Anne added.
Queen's Reaction Approved by Princess Margaret
Having sent shockwaves through the estate, the young royal was delivered an uncompromising reprimand by his grandmother—a move that received total approval from Princess Margaret. Lady Anne revealed: “Princess Margaret said, 'The Queen was quite right to give him a rocket.'”
The historic 50,000-acre Aberdeenshire estate has long served as the Royal Family’s cherished sanctuary. Generations of royals have gathered at Balmoral every August for summer retreats, barbecues and outdoor hobbies—a tradition passed down from Queen Victoria and maintained today by King Charles. The estate holds profound emotional significance for the family, notably as the location where Queen Elizabeth II spent her peaceful final days before passing away in September 2022.
