The royal privilege Princess Anne was denied that all her brothers had - and it’s never happened since!
There's a privilege Princess Anne was denied that King Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward had but she's not the only one to miss out


Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Thank you for signing up to Woman & Home. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
There’s a royal privilege that Princess Anne was denied that all her brothers had - and it’s never happened since!
- The Princess Royal was the only one of Queen Elizabeth’s children not to be born in a particularly significant place.
- Since Prince Edward was born, no other members of the immediate Royal Family have been welcomed at this location.
- This royal news comes as we revealed Queen Elizabeth’s washing up habit that has blown our minds and she didn’t want a former Prime Minister changing it!
Over the years Princess Anne has consistently been found to be one of the most hard-working members of the Royal Family. Earlier this year Princess Anne’s coronation portrait position showed King Charles’ immense respect for her and she took a key role as Gold-Stick-In-Waiting on the day. She was also appointed as one of His Majesty’s Counsellors of State despite being 17th in the royal line of succession. Despite her importance to the monarchy there’s a royal privilege Princess Anne was denied that all her brothers had. And it’s one that no other descendants of Queen Elizabeth have had for decades!
Princess Anne was born in 1950 at Clarence House where King Charles and Queen Camilla currently live. Whilst this might sound like a pretty impressive - not to mention unusual - place to be welcomed into the world, it’s not quite as magnificent as where King Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were all born.
All three of Queen Elizabeth’s sons were born at Buckingham Palace which has traditionally been the monarch’s official London residence. The royal residence is one of the most iconic of all the Royal Family’s homes and some might well be intrigued about why it was only Princess Anne who was denied the privilege of being born there.
It turns out that this choice was down to nothing more than practicality and according to Hello!, Princess Anne was born at Clarence House because Buckingham Palace was being renovated.
During the Second World War the palace sustained damage and in 1950 Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth were living at Clarence House as they waited for the renovations to be complete.
Since Princess Anne’s youngest brother Prince Edward was born in 1964, none of the Queen’s grandchildren or great-grandchildren have been born at Buckingham Palace. Instead, perhaps in a reflection of the modernisation of the monarchy, royals have chosen to give birth in hospitals.
The Portland Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital in London have remained favourites across the generations. The newest royal arrival, Princess Eugenie’s second baby Ernest, was born in May at Portland Hospital like his mum and brother August.
Princess Anne’s children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall were born at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital. Like their mum they missed out on being welcomed into the world at Buckingham Palace, but they also didn’t receive titles as Princess Anne turned down Queen Elizabeth’s offer of them.
Princess Anne’s very forward-thinking reason was revealed by the senior royal on the 2020 documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70.
“As a member of the Royal Family living with that sort of pressure is hard,” Princess Anne declared. “And the expectations that come with it is hard and that might have been at the bottom of the list, that it may be less difficult for you. But, actually, understanding where they sit within the family and what happens next, it made much more sense.”
woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Emma is a Royal Editor with seven years of experience working in digital publishing. Her specialist areas including literature, the British Royal Family and knowing all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and every streaming service out there. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, you can find Emma cooking and watching yet more crime dramas.
-
-
Yoga sex positions: 6 moves to stretch out with your partner
Yoga sex positions can help you stretch out and improve the connection with your partner, for a satisfying night of pleasure for both mind and body
By Grace Walsh Published
-
The new Smeg X Dolce & Gabbana collection is the stuff of kitchen dreams
Smeg have partnered up with iconic designers Dolce & Gabbana for an exquisite collection of Mediterranean-inspired appliances and we're obsessed
By Emily Smith Published
-
Why Princess Charlotte has a better chance of securing this prestigious position than Princess Anne ever will
Princess Charlotte has a better chance of taking on this role thanks to a royal change but it doesn't make a difference for her great-aunt
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Princess Anne is the 'fun aunt' of the family despite her 'stiff and standoffish' outer shell that is reserved for professional moments
Princess Anne can have a serious exterior but she's plenty of fun too, a royal expert says
By Caitlin Elliott Published
-
Prince William recalls this 'terrifying' memory of Princess Anne - and it's so in keeping with the no-nonsense royal!
Prince William recalled a hilarious memory of the Princess Royal as they’d get competitive at Balmoral
By Jack Slater Published
-
Princess Anne’s ‘frosty’ response and ‘sense of exclusion’ with Queen Camilla as she took ‘slow-thaw route’
Princess Anne’s ‘frosty’ response to her sister-in-law in the early years has been revealed by a body language expert
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince Harry's latest outings showcase major shift as he flips from ‘adult’ to ‘child’ states
Prince Harry shifted from ‘adult’ to ‘child’ states as he went on a solo outing without Meghan Markle
By Laura Harman Published
-
Princess Anne looks 'spectacular' in bold scarlet jacket and fun matching hat
Princess Anne's red and tartan ensemble was a total showstopper as Her Royal Highness stole the show at the Braemar Gathering
By Laura Harman Published
-
Princess Anne’s cranberry red dress, gold-buttoned coat and chic fedora is business-dressing at its best
Princess Anne's cranberry red dress was a gorgeous choice for an outing in Scotland and her outfit was right on trend...
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Queen Camilla’s gorgeous teal jacket and skirt combination is a feather in her cap as she takes a leaf out of Princess Anne’s style book
Queen Camilla's teal jacket and skirt is a winning combination and she paired it with a magnificent feathered hat in Scotland
By Emma Shacklock Published