Princess Anne’s hilarious way of seeking out people ‘who didn’t want to be seen’ at huge royal occasion

Princess Anne’s hilarious way of seeking out people “who didn’t want to be seen” at a particularly prestigious royal occasion over the years was revealed by the royal herself.  

• The Princess Royal discussed her route going around Garden Parties in the documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70.  
• Princess Anne shared that she liked talking to people who stood at the “back of the border” of the Palace of Holyroodhouse.   
• This royal news comes as it was revealed Prince William's 'dutiful' pose in a new Royal Family portrait with Kate Middleton signifies 'attentive waiting'.  

Long admired for her dedication which echoed that of the late Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne consistently carries out a huge number of royal engagements, from overseas visits to investitures. So much so, that research found that she was the hardest-working royal of 2021 and 2020. Earlier this year when the annual Garden Parties were held at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse and it was confirmed the Queen wouldn’t be attending, several of the Queen’s children including Princess Anne appeared at several of them in her absence. 

And it seems that when it comes to these occasions, the Princess Royal once had a particular route for making her way around the guests in the past. Opening up during the 2020 documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, Princess Anne’s hilarious way of seeking out the people who “didn't want to be seen” at Holyroodhouse was revealed by the senior royal...

Discussing her extensive experience of meeting so many people at once at engagements, Princess Anne declared, “You don’t literally work your way through the crowd as that’s “usually left up to other people. In some ways it would be just as much fun if you did it all by yourself but that’d be a bit chaotic!”

It was then that the Princess Royal explained how her sense of “fun” at royal engagements led to her loving a particular route as she made her way around the royal Garden Parties in Scotland.

“Although, Holyrood, at the garden party I’d use to work my way up the back of the border,” Princess Anne revealed cheerfully. “Which is where the people who didn’t want to be seen went.”

Smiling cheekily at the camera, the King’s sister then added, “They were almost pretending they weren’t there. So engaging them in conversation was always quite…they were always looking around - ‘I’m not really here! You know, I don’t really want to talk to anyone’.” 

However, whilst Princess Anne’s hilarious way of going over to these guests showcases her sense of fun, they perhaps enjoyed their conversation given her focus on giving everyone equal time and attention. Later on in the documentary, the Princess’ Lady-in-Waiting, The Honorable Madeleine Louloudis reflected upon an engagement which highlighted this. 

“I do remember a day - the Princess must have met a thousand people on four or five engagements and I remember thinking, ‘I’m absolutely wrecked’, at the end of the day,” Madeleine shared. “She was still giving everybody the attention she gave at the beginning of the day.”

Following the end of the royal mourning period for Queen Elizabeth, Princess Anne has resumed her royal duties. The Princess Royal recently made a surprise visit to New York and delivered an address at the English Speaking Union’s gala dinner and enjoyed a trip on the Staten Island Ferry.