Despite undergoing cancer treatment, King Charles remains dedicated to his royal responsibilities. Since ascending to the throne after the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, his reign has been marked by numerous challenges, including health struggles within the Royal Family and ongoing tensions with Prince Harry.
While Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Kate Middleton are often the most visible members of the Royal Family, they are not the only ones. Princess Anne, Charles’ younger sister, plays a pivotal role within the monarchy, offering unwavering support to her brother.
A Lifelong Bond Between King Charles and Princess Anne
Charles and Anne have shared a close bond since childhood, growing up together at Buckingham Palace with their parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. With only a 21-month age gap, the siblings have stood by each other through life’s ups and downs.
When Charles became king in 2022, Anne was fully committed to supporting him. Even after suffering a concussion in an accident last year that required a hospital stay, the 74-year-old princess returned to her royal duties as soon as she had recovered.
Throughout the years, the siblings have participated in numerous royal engagements together. Anne, known for her hardworking nature, has even affectionately referred to Charles as an “old bean.”
Princess Anne’s Relentless Work Ethic
Anne has long been recognized as one of the hardest-working members of the Royal Family. Royal correspondents Roya Nikkhah and Kate Mansey of The Times have described her as a true “workhorse”—a reputation she fully embraces.
During a recent trip to South Africa, Anne reflected on her accident in 2023, admitting she has no memory of the incident that led to her hospitalization. Gloucestershire Live reported:
“The Princess Royal says she still recalls nothing about the incident on her Gatcombe Park estate that led to her five-night stay in hospital.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams noted that Anne has never agreed with King Charles’ vision of a slimmed-down monarchy, believing that the absence of Prince Harry and Prince Andrew has already reduced the Royal Family’s size significantly.
“It is certainly no surprise that the member of the Royal Family who usually is the hardest-working royal has no plans to retire,” Fitzwilliams said. “Senior working members of the royal family rarely do.”
The Royal Family’s Challenges
Princess Anne’s accident was just one of several setbacks for the Royal Family. Earlier in 2024, King Charles was diagnosed with cancer, and in March, Kate Middleton announced her own battle with the disease.
Although Kate has since been declared cancer-free, Charles’ treatment is expected to continue into 2025. While it remains uncertain how many royal duties he will be able to take on in the coming months, he appears to be in good spirits.
Prince William has called 2024 “brutal” and admitted it has likely been “the hardest year” of his life.
For Princess Anne, returning to work was a priority. Speaking with the NY Post, royal expert Ian Pelham Turner praised her resilience:
“When she had her unfortunate accident with a horse, many pundits thought this would be the end of her service. But miraculously, after taking an absence of leave to recover, she is back hitting the trail again as strong as ever.”
Turner added that Queen Elizabeth II set the standard for Anne’s unwavering dedication to duty.
Princess Anne’s Role in the Royal Family’s Future
Royal expert Helena Chard described Anne as a “trusted” family member who provides sound advice to the Royal Family. She has also taken a special interest in Princess Charlotte, seeing her younger self in the young royal.
“They share a close bond, have a lot in common, and have fun together. Princess Charlotte is [also] likely to inherit Princess Anne’s title, The Princess Royal,” Chard noted.
Anne has been actively preparing Charlotte for her future role as Prince George’s right-hand woman, just as she has been for King Charles.
British royal expert Hilary Fordwich attributed Anne’s work ethic to the example set by her late parents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
“Anne is determined not to retire,” Fordwich stated. “None of the young royals dare mess with ‘Auntie Anne.’ The younger royals could learn a lot from her dedication to duty. It was what [made] Queen Elizabeth II so popular.”
King Charles’ Emotional Conversation with Princess Anne
Despite their strong bond, Charles and Anne have had serious discussions about the future of the monarchy.
According to Women’s Day Magazine, an anonymous royal aide revealed that Charles was overcome with emotion when Anne informed him of her decision to continue working indefinitely.
Although Charles was “overjoyed” that Anne would remain active in the Royal Family, he was also deeply moved by the possibility that she felt compelled to continue working due to his illness.
“Camilla might be the love of his life, but Anne’s his greatest and most reliable confidante,” the aide explained, as reported by Express. “Anne’s the only one with the ability to tell him uncomfortable truths and pull him back from any emotional distractions.”
“The conversation they had about that was unusually emotional for Charles, and he did break down in tears over her lifelong loyalty to him,” the source added. “In private, he is simply overjoyed that she’ll be there with him until the end.”
