A royal expert has described exactly what it is like to work alongside Princess Anne, who is known to have a “quick sense of humour”. The 76-year-old is known to be one of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family, with many people having described their time working beside her as nothing short of brilliant.
Royal editor Emily Nash spoke of the rare opportunity to join the royal at an engagement in York earlier this week, September 28. She wrote: “She famously abhors fuss of any kind and prefers to go about her business without a press pack following her every move.”
Ms Nash says that Anne “made a low-key arrival at the University of York’s athletics track,” adding that she “stepped out of the car”, with her lady-in-waiting already at the engagement.
Princess Anne pictured in York earlier this week (Image: GETTY)
Writing in HELLO‘s latest article about the Princess Royal, she said: “She was straight into the handshakes, asking everyone who they were, where they had come from and what their roles were.
“Her quick sense of humour, utter dedication to duty and even the way she carried her handbag in a gloved hand reminded me enormously of her mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
“Her very down-to-earth, direct and unstuffy approach also echoed that of her father, Prince Philip. But while she has undoubtedly inherited many of her parents’ qualities, she brought her own unique perspective to the proceedings.”
In the way she carried her bag, she also embodied many traits that echoed those of her late mother, who passed away in 2022.
Anne laughs during the 7 in 7: The Grand Finale at the University of York Athletics Track yesterday (Image: GETTY)
She is also, however, described as “very much herself,” with former England rugby captain Lewis Moody, according to the article, calling her “an incredible spirit in her own right”.
Speaking of the royal’s desire to be low-key, Ms Nash recalled how she was once told that “her only ‘rider’ on a royal engagement is ‘a cup of coffee strong enough to stand a spoon in’.”
Princess Anne is currently 19th in line to the throne.