For six years now, the Windsors have been desperately trying to find “replacements” for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I still remember the “Magnificent Seven” branding in QEII’s final years – the Mag7 consisting of QEII, Prince William, Kate, Charles, Camilla and… I guess Prince Edward and Sophie? Then when QEII died, it became the new “Fab Four” – Charles, Camilla, Kate and William. But wait, two of the Fab Four are incredibly lazy and arrogant! So they needed special guest stars in the form of “secret weapons.” Sophie is dusted off every five months or so and declared a “secret weapon.” They’ve been trying to make Sophie’s daughter Lady Louise into a secret weapon as well, only Louise isn’t playing along. Zara Tindall was a secret weapon for a time, as was her brute husband. It feels a bit sad now, doesn’t it? So they’re trying to dust off the OG Secret Weapon, Princess Anne. Poor Anne is 75 years old and in 2024, she suffered a catastrophic head injury which seemed to significantly change her (even if the family refused to admit it). Well, now the Daily Mail is trying to pretend that it will all be okay for the Windsors if people just focus on poor Anne.
She is hailed as the nation’s no-nonsense royal whose professionalism never wavers in the face of adversity. Now, as the Royal Family faces its greatest crisis to date following the arrest of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, it is Princess Anne who is set to play a ‘pivotal’ role in keeping the Firm afloat, according to a royal expert.
As the Royal Family navigate the scandal, they will be looking to their down-to-earth and hardworking ‘trump card’ – the Princess Royal, 75, who is ‘synonymous with dedication to duty’, said Richard Fitzwilliams. Mr Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail: ‘She relishes a high workload and usually undertakes the most royal engagements of any royal. However, she prefers to avoid the media circus that follows the most high profile royals. She is absolutely pivotal in keeping public support for the monarchy.’
The royal expert added that a wise and insightful Anne may likely be able to assist her brother, King Charles, with his handling of the crisis.
He explained: ‘What Anne can offer King Charles, who reportedly has been under pressure from William over his handling of this crisis, is down to earth advice.’ Mr Fitzwilliams noted that the royal siblings may ‘not always agree’, but says that in such unprecedented circumstances ‘it is pivotal that Charles listens to views which differ or are opposed to his own’.
Over the course of the last few weeks, the stoic Princess Royal has routinely maintained a brave face – while also delighting royal fans with her quick wit and humble nature during her public engagements. And as calls for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to do ‘the decent thing’ and remove himself from the royal line of succession mount, one may begin to question where Anne could fall amid a possible royal restructure.
As Mr Fitzwilliams noted, the Princess Royal is currently 18th to the throne, given that the altered rules of succession in 2013 ‘unfortunately were not applied retroactively’.
‘If they had been she would have been 5th behind William and his family and the public would undoubtedly welcome that,’ he explained.
I don’t really have an issue with Anne, and I think that’s how most people feel – she does a lot of events, barely gets any attention, is known to be quite no-nonsense, and she’s not a fashion-plate. She’s fine. That’s it, I suppose – they’re frantically looking to promote the least offensive Windsor and they’re like “IDK, maybe Anne??” These people should do a tad more research though – last year, Anne was widely credited with making the argument to King Charles that he should go easier on Prince Andrew and that Charles should walk back some of Andrew’s punishments. I guess we’re supposed to forget about that! We’re also not supposed to remember that Anne actually wants to retire and she thinks it’s past time for her nephew Prince William to stop being such a lazy bum.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
-
- London, UK, 16th Sep 2025. Prince Andrew and Anne, the Princess Royal. HRH King Charles III, The Prince and Princess of Wales Prince William and Princess Catherine, Anne the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew The Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Michael of Kent and other senior members of the Royal Family all pay their last respects as the coffin is carried to the hearse. They then depart from Westminster Cathedral after the a requiem mass, a Catholic funeral service held for the Duchess of Kent, who passed away on 4 Sep.,Image: 1037893222, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter/Avalon
-
- Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Sarah, Duchess of York, Princess Anne, Princess Royal, and Timothy Laurence attend the Easter Mattins Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, UK – 31 Mar 2024,Image: 861384314, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: James Shaw/Shutterstock/Avalon
-
- London, UK, 16th Sep 2025. Prince Andrew and Anne, the Princess Royal. HRH King Charles III, The Prince and Princess of Wales Prince William and Princess Catherine, Anne the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew The Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Michael of Kent and other senior members of the Royal Family all pay their last respects as the coffin is carried to the hearse. They then depart from Westminster Cathedral after the a requiem mass, a Catholic funeral service held for the Duchess of Kent, who passed away on 4 Sep.,Image: 1037893213, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter/Avalon
-
- London, UK, 16th Sep 2025. Anne, the Princess Royal. HRH King Charles III, The Prince and Princess of Wales Prince William and Princess Catherine, Anne the Princess Royal, Prince Andrew The Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Michael of Kent and other senior members of the Royal Family all pay their last respects as the coffin is carried to the hearse. They then depart from Westminster Cathedral after the a requiem mass, a Catholic funeral service held for the Duchess of Kent, who passed away on 4 Sep.,Image: 1037893218, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Imageplotter/Avalon
-
- Cheltenham, UNITED KINGDOM – The 2024 Cheltenham Festival – Day 3 at the Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park. Pictured: Princess Anne – Princess Royal BACKGRID USA 14 MARCH 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Death Of HM Queen Elizabeth II: Procession Of Queen Elizabeth’s Coffin To St Giles Cathedral King Charles III, the Princess Royal and the Duke of York walk behind Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin during the procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles’ Cathedral, Edinburgh. Featuring: King Charles III, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew Where: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom When: 12 Sep 2022 Credit: Phil Noble/PA Images/INSTARimages.com/Cover Images **North America Rights Only**
-
- The Princess Royal arrives for a visit to the South African Riding School for Disabled Association (SARDA)while on her two-day to trip to South Africa. Featuring: Princess Anne Where: South Africa When: 21 Jan 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Princess Royal views the Princess Anne rose with Anja Taschner (right) daughter of Ludwig Taschner of Ludwig’s Roses, during a visit to the British High Commission Residence garden in Pretoria, while on her two-day to trip to South Africa. Featuring: Princess Anne with Anja Taschner Where: Pretoria, South Africa When: 21 Jan 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
-
- The Princess Royal makes a speech during a service to officially open the new Labour Corps Memorial at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWCG), Company’s Garden in Cape Town during her two-day to trip to South Africa. The memorial honours over 1,700 members of South African labour units, predominantly black South Africans, and is the first memorial on the continent of Africa honouring those who served in non-combat roles in the military labour units during the First World War. Featuring: Princess Anne Where: Cape Town, South Africa When: 22 Jan 2025 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Yeah, while they’re saying. “I don’t know, maybe Anne?”, to distract us, they’re quietly prepping George and Charlotte and Louie to become child shields. They will trot the kids out next I would bet so much money on it. There is no low to which they will not stoop!
Hahaha yeah, no. I don’t think she’s the one who’s going to connect with the millennials and Gen A’s who were talking about being fed up with the monarchy in yesterday’s article.
When will all of these people admit they made a huge mistake by running Harry and Meghan out of town? Not to say they could have (or wanted to) saved this shitshow, but their treatment of the actual modern royals and the real secret weapons helped to hasten its demise.
I love the Sussex’s but even with their authenticity and star power I don’t think they could save this monarch or the heir.. they actively colluded to cover up AMW crimes and it’s now been exposed this stain is not going away. I’m just glad that the Sussex’s have been gone for so long now that the stain can’t reach them, especially now since it’s becoming very clear that they were used as scapegoats to divert attention from AMW crimes. If they were there Willy and the tabloids would be making this their problem also. I don’t think the Sussex’s can save a Monarchy that doesn’t drastically change how they operate.. Ann isnt the answer either but transparency, budget reform and stopping the tabloid wars would be a good start.
That’s just what I thought, @SussexWatcher. When you need a royal who can relate to and sell the RF to the skeptical younger generation, Anne is hardly the one who comes to mind.
She may be “no-nonsense” and do more engagements, but she is as elitist, coddled, and helicoptered around as Chuckles and Peg. People like her witty quips, but that simply isn’t enough. She may offer her brother sage advice, but she’s been an advocate for Andrew in his ear as well.
Her kids aren’t going to help either. Zara and Mike are itching to relocate down under, and Peter, who knows what he does?
There really is no one left who can save the monarchy in the public eye. I love this for the BRF.
How is Anne going to play a pivotal role when she’s 75 and doesn’t allow the royal rota to cover her events? Plus if they had moved her up in the line of succession in 2013 she would be 8th in line to the throne now, not 5th. Harry is 5th in line and the son of the monarch. His position wouldn’t have changed.
I think they are breaking it to us gently that Anne, Ed and Sophie and elderly Kents and Gloucester’s will be pivotal because the much younger heir ain’t stepping up to the plate. Between endless vacays and travelling from castle to castle Wilbur is much too important to SWEAT THE SMALL StUFF.
Cocoon – the royal edition.
These people always want to have it both ways. For years it’s been, Anne is incredibly close to her mother, and has her older brother’s ear, and is the only one that can be direct with Charles about Camilla. It’s also, Anne is so straightforward and no nonsense, she just gets on with the job.
They want you to believe all this, but simultaneously believe that she is absolved from having an idea what her brother was doing for the past 35 years? And how the family handled him and his “relationships” for the past 15?
They need to stop looking for a savior, by deploying the exact same playbook that they’ve been doing since they got in bed with the media in the 80s. People aren’t going to just take for face value that simply because a group of people were born into a privileged family they are better than you and above reproach and you shouldn’t look too deeply into what they say or do any more. You’re not going to be able to ribbon cut your way out of trafficking and mass corruption allegations.
Right!!!
So has Anne been the lynchpin of the monarchy for decades, close to her mother, father, and older brother, dutiful and hardworking, which would imply that she knew a great deal about what Andrew was doing, and knew the cover up – or is Anne a rebel royal, swooping in to save the monarchy from itself at 75 years old?
I think we all know which it is.
And like you said, you can’t ribbon cut your way out of trafficking and mass corruption allegations. No one is going look at anne at an event and say “you know what, this is more important than all those crimes. No one else can cut a ribbon like she does!!!”
They’re desperate for someone to save the monarchy, but it’s not William and Kate. The references to Anne’s work ethic and humble nature are pretty pointed.
Obviously there are two strongly divided camps there. The “Charles must abdicate so Willy can save the monarchy” camp (Willy and his mouthpieces like Sykes). And the “no friggin way, Willy is a disaster/Charles is fine” camp (C and C and anyone who thinks Willy and Kate are lazy and arrogant), the only question being whether C&C planted this or it’s just someone concerned about all Willy’ and Kate’s red flags.
I don’t care who they roll out, whether it’s a secret weapon or a plate of macaroni salad.
Until they all start acting as though they actually believe Andrew and all his Epstein Ilk committed crimes , until they start actively supporting the victims — they’re all tarred with the same corruption brush.
Anne is no more to be admired than any of the rest of them. Individually and collectively, their silence screams complicity and guilt.
I think the bottom line is that they do not see his behavior as wrong.They are as entitled as him.
“As Mr Fitzwilliams noted, the Princess Royal is currently 18th to the throne, given that the altered rules of succession in 2013 ‘unfortunately were not applied retroactively’.
‘If they had been she would have been 5th behind William and his family and the public would undoubtedly welcome that,’ he explained.”
She would be 8th, not 5th. 😏
Way too late for Anne to be moved up. It’s more shoulda woulda coulda.
@MSj … I came here to say the same thing, that Anne would be 8th as Charles’s Spare. And her two children, would have been Prince Peter and Princess Zara. While Andrew’s children would have been titleless.
‘‘If they had been she would have been 5th behind William and his family and the public would undoubtedly welcome that,’ he explained.’
No 8th behind Harry and his children
She looks tired and she must sometime why she’s going on. She should retire.
No. Anne is not saving anything. Please.
I don’t understand. What are they expecting her to do? She already works more than most of them put together and it’s not like visiting more lighthouses will save the Windsors.
LOL on Anne not being offensive. She is actually super offensive when she actually talks about her views, which is lucky for everyone extremely rarely. Is she a hard worker? Yes, she is. Is she a HARDCORE monarchist, in the “our blood makes us superior to the peasants” kind of way? Oh yes she is! I have talked here before about how in my work I interact with members of the Royal family (not closely! Like in group settings) and their “staff”. There’s a HUGE difference between those who actually understand that this is yes some soft power diplomacy, but just really a show, a funny, odd throwback to a 1,000 year old system that the world has moved beyond and those who are actual monarchists (and yes there are many of these!). They are extremely rude, arrogant and off-putting to interact with. And that is Anne if she has the opportunity to open her mouth. Yes, she’s 75 so I think people give her a pass (and old people like her and may even agree with what she says), but she definitely would not be loved by the younger generations if they got to hear more from her. Quite the opposite.
Yes, at this point, the problem is not that one royal is better than the other, it’s the fact of their existence.
Ha, now I want to know which ones think royalty is a funny odd throwback lol.
Ha, I was referring to the staff and courtiers I’ve interacted with. No idea into the thoughts of the actual RF members (though I did have a fascinating interaction with Prince Edward years ago and quite liked him in that exchange). But, even just from staff, encountering a real monarchist in the wild is a crazy experience, I have to say. I always have to bite my tongue because I really do sometimes want to say “you know this isn’t real, right? No one is anointed by God to rule over other people, right???’. But, the majority of staff are more chill, they’re very respectful of course of the institution and the “titles” and just kind of have that natural deference to aristocracy generally, but they aren’t real, actual monarchists. Anne is a true monarchist, I bet she privately bemoans that the UK has a constitutional monarchy instead of the “good ole days”.
If Charles didn’t chip in for Andrew’s settlement with Virginia Giuffre, and the Queen didn’t pay it all, logic suggests that Anne and Edward were part of this. And Anne’s more likely to have spare cash than dopey Edward, I think. Who else could have chipped in, some random cousins?
I’d say it was effectively QEII no matter what’s being claimed. The RF reserves must be eye-watering and the men in grey would have shuffled funds around to get the £12m. So maybe The Queen’s own bank account took a hit for some of it, but the rest would have come from general reserves. No problem at all!
She got confused about which player she was talking to at the rugby recently. Not for the first time. She’s elderly and had a bad accident not so long ago. So without meaning to sound ageist I don’t think she’ll be helping anything stay afloat.
They are looking for band aids until George is 18. He and Charlotte are going to be trotted out more often than William and Harry had to mostly because William kicked out two adults who could have done a lot of engagements for them.
I know this is cold, but the only thing Anne really could do to divert attention from her pedophile brother right now is to shuffle off her mortal coil.
A royal funeral would buy them some time anyway.
Judging by some of the articles ‘concerned’ for Andrews mental health, I think there are a few in the press and royal establishment who agree. They have a different tragedy in mind, though.