Princess Anne is the royal King Charles 'can rely on absolutely' to 'hold the institution together' as he 'steadies the throne'
According to royal author Robert Jobson, the Princess Royal's way of working is vitally important to the monarchy's success
Princess Anne is the Royal Family's not-so-secret weapon, calmly filling her schedule with huge numbers of engagements and never seeking the spotlight for herself. Her approach has made her invaluable to King Charles in particular and she's apparently "determined" to help him stabilise the monarchy's future after a challenging time.
According to royal author Robert Jobson, she is "the family member the King can rely on absolutely". Speaking to Hello!, he shared that the Princess "doesn't stop", although what he calls the "Andrew fallout" has "undoubtedly rattled her and the family".
Princess Anne's younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office in February.
Just months earlier he was stripped of his princely title by the King and notice was served on his lease at his home of over two decades, Royal Lodge. Andrew now lives on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk and he continues to vehemently deny all allegations of wrongdoing against him.
Even so, scrutiny and headlines continue to follow him and, by association, the Royal Family, so it's perhaps no surprise if his older sister feels "rattled". Throughout everything, Robert claims Princess Anne is "determined to serve her brother [King Charles] as he steadies the throne".
"But she has never wanted the spotlight; she has never needed it," the author of The Windsor Legacy continued. "She turns up, does the job, gets back in the car. She never shies away from her duties and responsibilities. Such work is what holds the institution together."
A lot of the time fans might not even be aware of certain engagements Anne is undertaking as many of them aren't highly photographed. Whilst some view the royals as glamorous celebrities, the Princess Royal is focused on "serving" like Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, and isn't interested in having the limelight for herself.
"It's not just about, 'Can I get a tick in the box for doing this?'" she told Vanity Fair in 2020. "No, it's about serving…. It comes from an example from both my parents' way of working and where they saw their role being."
Philip reportedly thought, "The attention is for your role, what you do, what you're supporting. It isn't for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the Royal Family. That's all." It's a sentiment Princess Anne seems to share.
What better person for King Charles to "rely on absolutely" than her? The siblings are closer in age than they are to Andrew and Edward and the Princess Royal took pride of place next to the King in his official group coronation portrait in 2023.
After everything that's happened concerning Andrew, the rest of the Royal Family have been united behind King Charles and many of them are expected to reunite on 6th June for Anne's son Peter Phillips' wedding to Harriet Sperling. The private ceremony will take place in Gloucestershire and reports have alleged that neither Andrew nor the Sussexes will be there.
