King Charles and Princess Anne have a special bond that has spanned their lifetimes. Born just 21 months apart, they're the oldest children of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
Both children were very young when their mother, Queen Elizabeth II, became the youngest ever British monarch at just 21, after which they soon moved to Buckingham Palace and their lives changed forever. While you may be familiar with many pivotal milestones photographed throughout, you might not have seen snapshots of some of his and Princess Anne's most poignant moments.
From giggling together on the grounds of royal residences across the country to embarking on safaris in Kenya and standing side by side during difficult moments of loss, King Charles and The Princess Royal have been through it all together. They share a love of gardening, as well as watching live sports and have been pictured throughout the years sharing a joke at various events such as Royal Ascot and the Braemar Highland Games.
During one of the most significant days of King Charles's life, his Coronation in May 2023, Princess Anne featured in the procession as the prestigious 'Gold-Stick-in-Waiting', a role historically given to someone entrusted with the safety of the Monarch, and a testament to her loyalty to her brother. The Princess Royal acted as the 'personal aide-de-camp' to His Majesty, travelling on horseback behind the new King and Queen after they were crowned at Westminster Abbey.
From their idyllic early childhood days as a family of four to navigating the trials and tribulations that come with being part of the Royal Family, these are the moments that King Charles and Princess Anne’s unshakable bond.
King Charles and Princess Anne's special sibling moments
1. The siblings board the train to Balmoral
In one of the earliest pictures of King Charles and Princess Anne, the then-Princess Elizabeth boarded a first-class railway carriage en route to Balmoral Castle in 1950. She's seen cradling baby Princess Anne, while a young King Charles dutifully stands beside his mother and sister, dressed up for the occasion in a smart double-breasted coat.
2. Charles holds his baby sister's hand
Charles shows his caring side, checking in on his little sister (we're big fans of the adorable baby bonnet!) as they sit alongside in matching prams. The siblings are less than two years apart in age, meaning King Charles was just a one-year-old baby when Princess Anne was born, resulting in closeness between the siblings, who have shared so many life experiences.
3. Charles and Anne pose with their mother
In one of their first official Royal Family portraits featuring King Charles and Princess Anne together, Queen Elizabeth II smiles while posing with her children in 1951. The photographer must have said something to set them off, as it's beaming smiles all around for Queen Elizabeth and her eldest two children. The Queen went on to become a mother to sons Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - with her and Philip's four children giving them eight grandchildren. You can read about the incredible life of the late Queen Elizabeth II in Gyles Brandreth's Elizabeth biography, available to buy now.
4. The whole family pose for a playful photo
King Charles, Prince Philip, Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth II pose for a family photograph, which shows their playful dynamic. While little Charles, who was a young prince at the time, dutifully looks at the camera, Princess Anne is seen pushing her hand towards her father's face as he grins at her, all while the Queen looks on. A joyful family moment.
5. The siblings perfect their camera pose
It looks like Charles and Anne were already getting used to being in the limelight by the time this photograph was taken in 1954. The siblings are seen smiling for the camera on the patio of the Royal Lodge in Windsor, with King Charles putting a protective arm around his younger sister.
6. Princess Anne climbs in the window of Balmoral Castle
At first glance, this picture looks rather alarming, but there's nothing to worry about - young King Charles is simply helping his sister up through the window towards her mother during this amusing holiday moment in 1952. The family were enjoying a break at Balmoral Castle, a treasured destination for the late Queen, for the first trip for the family after the Queen’s accession to the throne in February earlier that year.
7. Charles shows off his pocket watch
In another heartwarming portrait, a young King Charles studies a pocket watch with his sister by his side. While nowadays we're used to seeing Princess Anne's brunette hair, two-year-old Princess had adorable blonde ringlets. The photograph was taken by society photographer Marcus Adams to mark King Charles's fourth birthday in 1952 and shows the children dressed up for the occasion.
8. The siblings step out hand-in-hand in matching outfits
In one of our favourite photographs of the young siblings, Princess Anne and King Charles are pictured out on a jaunt together in matching peach outfits, both sporting smart double-breasted tailoring. They've even got matching shoes and socks to boot! The children were on holiday in Malta, after flying out to meet their parents, who arrived on the Royal Yacht after a long tour of the Commonwealth in 1954.
9. The children strike a pose with their mother
This portrait of Queen Elizabeth II and her two children taken in 1954 shows how quickly then-Prince Charles and Princess Anne are growing up - and look much more confident in front of the camera. Queen Elizabeth looks happy and relaxed alongside her children, dressed in a fitted long-sleeved gown with an opulent string of pearls and one of her signature brooches.
10. The siblings make some music together
Growing up fast, the children start to discover more about their hobbies and interests. There are countless pictures of Charles and Anne enjoying activities in the gardens of various royal residences across the country. This picture depicts the siblings playing with a xylophone in the garden of the Royal Lodge in Windsor, both looking rather serious about honing their musical skills.
11. Peeking out of the window alongside their mother
Queen Elizabeth II is pictured leaning out of a window with her children, perhaps with dad Prince Philip behind the camera. We're not entirely sure where the family are headed, but if their smart coats and perfectly coffered hair are anything to go by it could be someone special. Or not, perhaps - after all, the Royal Family are always impeccably turned out.
12. Matching outfits in the Highlands
Little King Charles, wearing a kilt, and Princess Anne, in a matching skirt, attend the Royal Highland Gathering at Braemar in Scotland in 1952. Braemar would become a special place for the siblings, who are pictured enjoying the Highland Games together on many occasions in later life.
13. A night at the funfair
King Charles and Princess Anne look a lot more grown-up in this picture from 1959 when the siblings attended a funfair in London together. The event took place at the Olympia Exhibition Centre in Kensington and was the chance for the pair to enjoy a festive night out together in the lead-up to Christmas.
14. The siblings attend the polo together
King Charles and Princess Anne share a love of sports, which is evident in the many pictures throughout their lifetimes of the siblings attending various matches together. This picture from 1968 shows the siblings arriving at a polo match in Windsor Great Park, with Princess Anne sporting a new longer hairstyle swept into a ponytail hairstyle with volume at the crown - an early iteration of her signature bouffant style.
15. Riding together at Windsor Castle
Horse riding is a favourite pastime for many members of the Royal Family and was most notably a great passion of King Charles and Princess Anne's mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Here Charles, then known as the Prince of Wales, and Princess Anne are pictured riding side by side in the grounds of Windsor Castle.
16. The family pose for a portrait together
In this wonderfully retro family portrait taken in 1970, we see a much more grown-up King Charles and Princess Anne posing with their parents in the salon at Sandringham House. The photo session was in connection with their forthcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand and saw Charles and father Prince Philip wearing formal suits, while The Princess Royal and her mother wore eye-catching bright dresses.
17. The siblings enjoy a night out on the town
Princess Anne and King Charles are pictured dressed up to the nines for a special service marking the 900th anniversary of the consecration of London's Westminster Abbey in 1965. In this photograph we see the siblings settling into their own styles, with Charles wearing his signature side-parted hairstyle and Princess Anne donning a stylish hat typical of '60s fashion.
18. An early trip to Royal Ascot
During one of Princess Anne and the then-Prince of Wales's first trips to Royal Ascot, the siblings look polished and ready for a day of racing, arriving in style in a horse-drawn carriage back in 1972. Ascot Racecourse would become a location they'd return to to make many more happy memories throughout the years.
19. Charles and Anne go on safari in Kenya
The siblings have travelled across the globe together both on family holidays and for royal engagements. Here, they're pictured studying a fossil together on safari in the Masai Game Reserve in Nairobi, Kenya in 1971. The pair had an action-packed trip, where they spotted wild animals during a jeep tour and also met gamekeepers to learn about animal preservation and the dangers of poaching.
20. The siblings share a giggle on holiday in Jamaica
King Charles and Princess Anne look happy and relaxed holidaying together in Jamaica in 1966. The siblings travelled together to Kingston for the opening of the 8th Commonwealth Games.
21. Dressed up for a day out at Royal Ascot
Showing their mutual love of racing, Princess Anne and King Charles are pictured all dressed up and ready for a day out at Royal Ascot, this time in 1986. This included the addition of a rather smart top hat for Charles and a stylish twin set for Anne, who stand side by side on the race course.
22. The siblings wear their military medals with pride
Sporting a much more official look, King Charles and Princess Anne are pictured together in formal dress with their military medals displayed with pride for the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2000. The Buckingham Palace balcony is one of the most photographed locations when it comes to the Royal Family, with many touching moments captured - including this quiet moment between the siblings where they both look deep in thought.
23. A happy moment at Royal Ascot
Fast forward to 2012 and King Charles and Princess Anne are back at Royal Ascot to enjoy a day of racing. Charles is pictured in conversation with his sister with a wry smile on his face - perhaps the pair are sharing an in-joke.
24. The siblings come together for a sombre occasion
As well as being there for each other through the happy times, King Charles and Princess Anne also stand in solidarity during harder times. The Princess Royal and King Charles are pictured here at the funeral of Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, which took place at St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge in 2017.
25. Having a laugh in the Highlands
In 2010 Charles and Anne were back in the Highlands, where they spent many happy times together as children. The siblings share a joke in the Royal Box during the Braemar Highland Games at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park. While they might not have as explicitly matching outfits as they did as children, Princess Anne's tartan collar complements Charles' traditional kilt perfectly.
26. The siblings enjoy the Highland Games
It's a favourite pastime for the now King Charles and Princess Anne to sit together watching the Braemar Highland Games, with the pair pictured in similar positions throughout the years. In this photograph taken in 2010, Princess Anne looks over at her brother while he gestures enthusiastically, with a grin spread across his face.
27. King Charles and Princess Anne pay their respects to their mother
During a poignant moment for the siblings, standing tall together, King Charles and Princess Anne pay their respects to their mother, during the procession for the Lying-in State of Queen Elizabeth II. While the siblings may be standing away from each other in this formal setting rather than embracing, their close proximity shows their close bond on this emotional occasion.
28. The siblings walk the procession side by side
Princess Anne and King Charles led the historic procession as Queen Elizabeth II was taken on her last journey from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle. The siblings stood proudly side by side for the lengthy and sombre walk through the streets of London, no doubt providing each other with some much-needed support. Princess Anne flew with the Queen's coffin from Edinburgh to London, before joining her brother and the rest of the Royal Family.
29. Princess Anne features as the 'Gold-Stick-In-Waiting' at the Coronation
Princess Anne was given the honour of being the 'Gold-Stick-In-Waiting' during the Coronation of King Charles III - a role given to the Monarch's most trusted ally. The Princess Royal rode on horseback behind the gold state coach carrying the newly crowned King and Queen Consort as they travelled down The Mall in May 2023.
30. Duty calls for King Charles
Despite his grief, the newly appointed King Charles was expected to get back to work, with one of his first public ceremonies as King held to present the new Sovereign's Standard to The Blues and Royals in June 2023. Naturally, Princess Anne was by his side for this big event.
31. The siblings visit the Braemar Highland Games again
Princess Anne and King Charles were back at the Braemar Highland Gathering again in September 2023, recreating a familiar scene. Again, they're pictured in fits of giggles as they sit together watching the Games. It's great to see the siblings enjoying a family day out, particularly in the wake of the death of their mother a year earlier.
32. The pair share a private joke
King Charles and Princess Anne look to be in fits of laughter for the day out at the Braemar Highland Gathering again in 2023, chuckling away before King Charles is presented with a shield. It's great to see the siblings in such high spirits after a tumultuous few years laced with family tragedy.
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