Being King can be a lonely thing… only you carry the crown and not many can relate to what that is truly like. For King Charles wearing the crown comes after a very long time of waiting. His mother, Queen Elizabeth, is the longest reigning monarch in British history and as such King Charles held the title of Prince of Wales for the longest time.
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Waiting for his destiny to take place wasn’t smooth sailing for King Charles who had his fair (and notable) share of scandals. But, through it all, there was a constant: Princess Anne. His sister, who is not even two years younger, has been through it all with him and though they are different King Charles has always been able to rely on her.
Princess Anne is King Charles right-hand woman
The relationship between Princess Anne and her older brother has reentered the spotlight after the BBC’s Boxing-Day documentary Charles III: Coronation Year in which she greets him with a
Hello, old bean!
The documentary also showed how popular Princess Anne is with many watchers taking to social media to share their love and respect for the royal. But beyond that, what really came through in the documentary and in the first year of King Charles’ reign is how important she is.
On 7 January, Express published a piece which highlights her important role. In it, Sian Honnor writes:
The deaths of their parents seem to have heightened their bond; they are thought to trust each other implicitly and Anne is increasingly being called Charles’s right-hand woman.
(...) it could be argued that she’s the only person who could truly know what Charles endured as he waited to be King, and now he has her unwavering support.
Princess Anne is the protector of the monarch
Moreover, at the Coronation, Princess Anne played a crucial role as Gold-Stick-in-Waiting. This role is often described as ‘the bodyguard’ to the monarch. It is a tradition that dates back to the Tudors. For Princess Anne to hold such a role is not without meaning.
At the time of the coronation, Tatler spoke to royal commentator Wesley Kerr OBE who said:
She can be relied on for complete discretion and unconditional love. (...) She understands completely who and what has shaped him and is eager for him to succeed
Princess Anne’s role in the monarchy through time
Though the importance of Princess Anne is currently getting attention her sense of duty and hard word has always been celebrated.
In 2022, BBC wrote
She is hardly someone to baulk at duty and service.
Since becoming a working royal, her and King Charles have fought over who does the most engagements. Through time, the Princess has always increased her number. BBC reports that she has completed over ‘500 overseas visits’ and ‘is patron of a 300 charities’.
Moreover, it is known and it came through in the BBC’s latest documentary that Princess Anne has something of Prince Philip: her no-nonsense personality. She has also inherited his sharp wit and humour.
In their article, the BBC does a great job a summarising what has been a sort of life motto and mission of Princess Anne when they write about her expressing her opinion in sometimes blunt ways:
For Anne-watchers it was more a mark of a practical solutions-focused woman who has spent her life wanting to get things done
That attitude is well-known by her brother and it’s not surprising that since his ascension to the throne he has leaned on her even more. Just this month, January 2024, Princess Anne will fly to Sri Lanka for the first Royal Tour of the year.
Read more:
⋙ Princess Anne: The real reason why she divorced Captain Mark Phillips
Sources:
Clip of Princess Anne calling King Charles ‘Old bean’
Express: Princess Anne is King Charles's 'right-hand woman' and 'understands pressure he is under'
Tatler: Princess Anne, King Charles III’s secret weapon, had a starring Coronation role
BBC: Princess Anne: The can-do will-do royal
