As the monarchy continues to grapple with fresh turmoil in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest for misconduct in public office, the spotlight has shifted in an unexpected direction. Away from the bad news and mounting speculation, attention is settling on a figure long viewed as the institution’s most reliable presence — Princess Anne. According to royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the Princess Royal could prove ‘pivotal’ as the King navigates what many are describing as one of the gravest crises the monarchy has seen. In times of strain, he suggests, the monarch would be wise to draw upon the judgment of his sister, a senior royal who has built her reputation on consistency.

King Charles and Princess Anne attend the Platinum Pageant on The Mall on June 5, 2022. (Image Source: Getty Images | Max Mumby/Indigo)
Anne, 75, has spent decades cultivating an image as the working horse of the royal family, someone rooted in duty. As per the Daily Mail, Fitzwilliams describes her as “synonymous with dedication to duty,” adding that her down-to-earth manner and relentless work ethic make her the family’s quiet “trump card.” Fitzilliams said, “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.” Her approach has been particularly evident in recent weeks. As her brother, Mountbatten-Windsor, faced escalating legal troubles, Anne maintained a full schedule.

Yet maintaining her schedule has not insulated her from public scrutiny. As Anne arrived at Guiseley, West Yorkshire, to visit Abraham Moon and Sons Limited as the President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, her engagement was briefly disrupted by a member of the public who shouted a question about her brother Andrew’s arrest. In footage that has since circulated widely online, the individual can be heard calling out: “What’s your reaction to your brother’s arrest, Your Royal Highness?”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor,  Vice Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt (Master of the Household to King Charles III), and Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attend Katharine, Duchess of Kent’s Requiem Mass. (Image Source: Getty Images | Max Mumby)
Despite a few sporadic instances, public sentiment, at least anecdotally, appears firmly in her favor. When Anne attended an engagement at St. James’s Palace alongside Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, observers noted that much of the excitement centred on her. Royal expert Rebecca English remarked that “there were lots of people fangirling,” with attendees “craning their necks trying to catch a glimpse of her.” As Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Anne began the ceremony in full academic robes before meeting guests. Fitzwilliams attributes much of her popularity to this “no-nonsense approach.”

Princess Anne, Princess Royal, attends the Platinum Pageant on June 05, 2022, in London. (Image Source: Getty Images |  Frank Augstein )
“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,” he said. “She reportedly does her own makeup and sometimes drives herself to engagements. She is also famed for her unstuffy approach and often recycles outfits.”

Despite holding the formal title of Princess Royal, she is, as Fitzwilliams notes, “almost invariably referred to as Princess Anne.” Her decision not to grant royal titles to her children, Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, only further cemented her image as a pragmatic modernizer rather than a traditionalist.