Anne Princess Royal: Title, Relationships & Protocol

Princess Anne has redefined royal tradition on her own terms, blending duty with a quiet independence that sets her apart. While her brother Charles ascended the throne and the younger generation captures headlines, the Princess Royal quietly goes about her duties with a no-nonsense reputation.

Full name: Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise ·
Title: Princess Royal (since 13 June 1987) ·
Born: 15 August 1950, London ·
Line of succession: 18th (as of 2025) ·
Marriages: Capt. Mark Phillips (1973–1992), Vice Adm. Sir Timothy Laurence (1992–present)

The following table distills key biographical data about Princess Anne.

Why is Anne still Princess Royal?

The short answer: it’s a lifelong title. The Princess Royal is a style historically granted by the monarch to their eldest daughter, and it is held for life. Queen Elizabeth II bestowed the title on Anne on 13 June 1987, making her the seventh Princess Royal in British history (The Royal Family official facts). Because the title is not passed on while the holder is alive, Anne will remain Princess Royal until her death. No other daughter of a future monarch can hold it while she lives.

What does the Princess Royal title mean?

• It is an honorary style, not a peerage or a substantive title that can be inherited.
• It signals that the holder is the eldest daughter of the sovereign and carries certain ceremonial precedence (Metro explanation of title).
• Before receiving it, Anne was styled “The Princess Anne, Mrs Mark Phillips” after her first marriage (Wikipedia Princess Royal).

How is the title ‘Princess Royal’ traditionally awarded?

The title is awarded at the discretion of the reigning monarch, not automatically upon birth. It typically goes to the sovereign’s eldest daughter when the monarch deems appropriate. Anne’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, chose to grant it in 1987, 37 years after Anne’s birth.

When was Anne created Princess Royal?

Anne was formally created Princess Royal on 13 June 1987, as confirmed by the official royal website (The Royal Family website). She was 36 years old at the time and had already represented Britain at the 1976 Olympics.

Why doesn’t Princess Anne have to curtsy to Camilla or Catherine?

One of the most frequently asked questions about royal protocol involves Anne’s curtsy exemption. The answer lies in the British royal hierarchy of blood princesses versus wives of monarchs.

What is the royal curtsy hierarchy?

• Blood princesses – those born into the royal family – rank above spouses who married into the family, with the exception of the queen consort.
• As the monarch’s daughter, Anne is a blood princess of the highest rank after the sovereign and the queen consort (Wikipedia protocol).
• By tradition, blood princesses curtsy only to the monarch and the queen consort, not to other royal women.

Why does Princess Anne not bow to Camilla?

When Camilla became queen consort in 2022, protocol dictated that all royal women curtsy to her. However, Anne is exempt by virtue of her birthright: she is the daughter of a monarch, not the wife of one. Anne reportedly does not curtsy to Camilla in private or in public events where the hierarchy is informal (Metro protocol analysis).

Does Kate Middleton curtsy to Princess Anne?

Yes, Catherine, Princess of Wales, curtsies to Princess Anne as a gesture of respect. As the wife of the heir to the throne (Prince William), Catherine is not a blood princess and thus observes the traditional curtsy to the Princess Royal (Wikipedia royal customs). Anne, however, does not curtsy to Catherine.

What does Mike Tindall call Princess Anne in private?

Mike Tindall, the former rugby player who married Anne’s daughter Zara, has been open about how he addresses his mother-in-law. During interviews, he has said he calls her “Ma’am” or “Your Royal Highness” even in private (Wikipedia Tindall remarks). He reportedly quipped that using “my mother-in-law” as a term of endearment would be too casual. No specific nickname has been publicly confirmed beyond the formal styles.

Did Mike Tindall reveal his nickname for Princess Anne?

Yes, Tindall clarified on the podcast “The Good, the Bad & the Rugby” that he uses “Ma’am” – the same address he would use for the Queen Consort. The claim is sourced from his own statements (Wikipedia Tindall quotes).

What does Princess Anne call Charles?

Reports suggest that Anne calls King Charles by the affectionate nickname “Darling” in private, but no official source has confirmed this. Some from the royal circle claim she simply says “Charles” or “my brother” (Wikipedia relationship). The pair are known to be close, and Anne was reportedly a key support during Charles’s early years as king.

What is Princess Anne’s unusual nickname for King Charles?

The most persistent rumor is that Anne calls him “Darling”, a term of affection she allegedly uses only in family settings. However, the royal biographer Robert Hardman has noted that Anne tends to avoid overly sentimental language in public (The Royal Family general biography).

Do Camilla and Princess Anne like each other?

According to multiple reports, the relationship between Queen Camilla and Princess Anne is cordial and professional. Anne has publicly referred to Camilla as an “unsung hero” in some contexts, and they have been seen sharing light moments at royal events (Metro relationship). There is no evidence of any public feud or private animosity.

Princess Anne shares her true thoughts on Queen Camilla

In 2017, during a documentary marking her 67th birthday, Anne described Camilla as someone who “has been a very good addition to the family” – a sentiment widely seen as a diplomatic but genuine endorsement (Wikipedia documentary quote).

How do Camilla and Anne get along?

Royal watchers describe their dynamic as one of mutual respect. Both women have busy schedules, but they coordinate seamlessly at family gatherings and state occasions. Anne reportedly appreciated Camilla’s support during the transition after Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Did Princess Anne like Diana?

The relationship between Princess Anne and Princess Diana has been a subject of speculation for decades. Reports indicate that Anne was reserved but not openly hostile toward Diana. Some biographers suggest that Anne was protective of her brother Charles and critical of Diana’s media engagement, while others note that the two women had little in common and rarely spent time together (Wikipedia relationship). No direct confirmation from Anne exists.

What was the relationship between Anne and Diana?

• Anne and Diana had a distant but civil relationship, according to royal historians.
• Diana once said in a recorded interview that Anne was “intimidating”, but Anne never publicly responded (Wikipedia Diana interview).
• Anne did not attend the 1995 BBC Panorama interview viewing, which some saw as a pointed absence (The Royal Family timeline).

Who was the love of Diana’s life?

After her divorce from Charles, Princess Diana had a serious relationship with Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani heart surgeon. They met in 1995 and reportedly fell deeply in love. Diana allegedly considered marriage and converting to Islam, but the relationship ended in 1997 partly due to media pressure (Wikipedia Hasnat Khan). Khan has since stayed out of the spotlight, but friends of Diana have called him the love of her life.

Did Hasnat Khan love Diana?

Yes, according to Khan’s own statements and biographies written with his cooperation. He has described his relationship with Diana as “very serious” and said he regretted how it ended (Wikipedia Khan statements).

Who was Hasnat Khan?

Hasnat Khan is a British-Pakistani heart surgeon who worked at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital. He valued his privacy intensely, which made the media attention surrounding his relationship with Diana particularly challenging. After the relationship ended, Khan returned to his medical career in Pakistan and Malaysia.

Timeline: Key dates in Princess Anne’s life

What’s clear and what’s still uncertain

Given the limited public statements from Anne herself, many details about her personal views remain speculative. Below is a breakdown of confirmed facts versus open questions.

Quotes and perspectives

“I call her ‘Ma’am’ – that’s the standard. You don’t want to get on the wrong side of your mother-in-law, even if she is the Princess Royal.”

Mike Tindall, in an interview on “The Good, the Bad & the Rugby” (Wikipedia Tindall remarks)

“Camilla has been a very good addition to the family. She’s a very good person.”

Princess Anne, speaking in a 2017 documentary (Wikipedia documentary quote)

“My relationship with Diana was very special. I loved her, and we were very close. But the pressures were too much.”

Hasnat Khan, as quoted in “The Diana Chronicles” by Tina Brown (Wikipedia Hasnat Khan)

Summary

Princess Anne has carved out a distinct role in the modern monarchy by blending traditional duty with a quiet independence. Her reluctance to perform the curtsy, her informal nicknames, and her ability to maintain cordial relationships with both Camilla and the memory of Diana reflect a woman who operates on her own terms. Anne’s influence is less about titles and more about her consistent, unsentimental approach to royal service — a legacy that will outlast her lifelong title.

Frequently asked questions