Princess Anne has discussed the future of the monarchy and says “it is a moment” to have discussions about relevancy, in a rare television interview.
The Princess Royal says she believes the monarchy has “long-term benefits” which help provide “stability”.
In a wide-ranging interview with the Canadian channel CBC News, Princess Anne also said when it comes to the King, “you know what you’re getting” and that her job remains a supporting role.
She is the only senior working royal to give an interview ahead of the coronation.
CBC chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault raised the idea of a slimmed-down monarchy and said it is difficult to imagine how the 72-year-old princess would have the time to take on more work.
Anne replied: “Well, I think the ‘slimmed-down’ [monarchy] was said in a day when there were a few more people around to make that seem like a justifiable comment.”
When it was put to her that the world changes, Anne said: “It changes a bit. I mean, it doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I’m standing, I have to say. I’m not quite sure what else, you know, we can do.”
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Anne also talked about the impact that COVID had on her father Prince Philip, saying: “I think it stole a bit from my father who lost a lot of the people who would have gone to see him, who kept him interested, and he lost all of that.”
During the interview, which was carried out at St James’s Palace, the Princess Royal was asked about people having questions about the relevance of the monarchy.
“It’s not a conversation that I would necessarily have – I think it’s perfectly true that it is a moment where you need to have that discussion,” she said.
“But I would just underline that the monarchy provides, with the constitution, a degree of long-term stability that is actually quite hard to come by in any other way.”
Royal interviews are rarely given and Anne’s comments provide a significant insight from one of the most senior members of the Royal Family.
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Talking about the role and duties of her brother, the King, she said: ” You know what you’re getting, because he’s been practising for a bit, and I don’t think he will change. He is committed to his own level of service. That will remain true.”
When asked about her ceremonial role as “Gold-Stick-in-Waiting”, travelling behind the King and Queen after the ceremony, Princess Anne joked: “I said ‘yes’ because, not least of all, it solves my dress problem.”
