Royal Drama (and Naps) at the Royal Highland Show
The Royal Highland Show brought together Scotland's finest livestock, agricultural experts, and—unexpectedly—a royal encounter with two very tired farmers. Princess Anne, always the picture of duty, arrived at the event near Edinburgh on June 21, 2025, fresh from a string of high-profile royal engagements. But it wasn't a prize bull or sheep that stole the show this time. Instead, all eyes (and cameras) caught the moment she stumbled upon two farmers catching forty winks in the cattle stalls.
Anne toured the Highland Hall, flanked by James Logan, chairman of the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland, and Alex Paterson, the society's chief executive. Her agenda was packed: inspect livestock, chat with farmers, and show support for rural communities. But even royalty can’t compete with sleep when the show spans from dawn till dusk. As Anne moved by the cattle pens, there they were—one older gentleman in tartan and a flat cap leaning back, deep in dreams, and a younger man in scruffy denim, sound asleep right by his side.
The Princess Royal didn’t hide her feelings. Her unimpressed glance said it all—these men missed the chance to meet a royal (or maybe they just needed the rest more). The scene had onlookers stifling laughs, snapping subtle photos, and sharing the funny moment across social media within minutes. Sometimes, rural life is tireless, but even the biggest agricultural event in Scotland can't keep everyone awake the whole time.
Anne Keeps Calm and Carries On
Despite the sleeping farmers, Anne switched gears and pressed on with her plans. She spent time at the Royal Highland Education Trust Discovery Centre, greeting groups of primary school kids who were buzzing with excitement—not a single one asleep. The centre offered hands-on activities, letting kids learn about farming and the countryside, and Anne got right in there, chatting about everything from show cows to sustainability.
This lighthearted royal episode followed a packed period for Princess Anne. She'd already joined the pageantry at Royal Ascot, riding in a carriage procession with her son Peter Phillips and his girlfriend Harriet Sperling. Just days before, she was in the thick of things at King's official birthday festivities—marching with troops, attending the Order of the Garter ceremony, and keeping the royal schedule moving at a brisk pace. Sleep, apparently, is a rare commodity, at least for some attendees of the Royal Highland Show.
The Royal Highland Show remains a fixture in Scotland’s calendar, drawing crowds from across the UK. This year, Princess Anne’s unimpressed moment with the napping farmers became the event’s unexpected viral highlight—proof that even in the presence of royalty, sometimes a garden chair and a quiet corner are just too tempting.