It’s rare for the discrete and dependable Princess Royal to ever really speak out about private matters, preferring to focus on her duties and rise above the fray. So to hear her voice her opinions on how her sister-in-law, Queen Camilla, is doing as monarch was truly eye-opening.
Princess Anne appeared on a new 90-minute documentary focusing on the first year of King Charles’s reign, offering never-before-seen footage of the Royal Family preparing for the monumental Coronation in May of this year, and getting to hear their more unguarded opinions.
And the Princess Royal – who has previously criticised her brother’s vision for a slimmed down monarchy – spoke candidly about topics including how she feels Camilla is doing taking over the role her late mother held for a history-making 70 years.
Of Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal accepted that it wasn’t something that would come “natural” to her, but she’s still impressed.
“I've known her a long time off and on. Her understanding of the role and how much difference it makes to the King has been absolutely outstanding. This role is not something that she'd be a natural for but she does it really well."
"She provides that change of speed and tone, that's equally important.”
She wasn’t the only one within the King and Queen’s inner circle to share some new insight.
Queen Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, who acted as one of her sister's two Ladies in Attendance on the day of the Coronation, revealed how she feels Charles and Camilla are total opposites, but it works for them.
She said on the documentary, “She is his rock, and I can't actually emphasise that enough. She's somebody who is completely loyal and she isn't somebody who has huge highs and lows.”
But she emphasised that it wasn't a one-sided relationship, explaining, “He brings to her everything. I'm not talking about all of this [she said, referring to Buckingham Palace], but... he has such a knowledge and interest in so many different things, which she wouldn't really have been open to if she hadn't met him.”
“They are yin and yang, really. They really are polar opposites. But I think it works brilliantly.”
And what she sees in the pair’s future? Well, Queen Camilla’s sister doesn’t think the two will hand over the reins anytime soon. With a wave of her hand upwards indicating their busying work rate, she said “Most of us as we get to this sort of age are thinking yes, quiet times. But theirs is just going to go like that.”
Camilla's long-term friend Fiona Lansdowne, one of her new Lady Companions – a modern-day Lady in Waiting – and her other Lady in Attendance at the Coronation, also shared her opinions, and addressed the elephant in the room.
Touching on the fact that their road to wedded bliss has been mired in controversy, she revealed, 'They are an extraordinary team.”
“And I think it's, whether they've sort of had to fight to get there, or whether it's just because they've been through a lot together – it's made them have a really strong bond.”
The women were interviewed for Charles III: The Coronation Year, a documentary now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
