Princess Anne, the second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has provided insights into her decision to not bestow HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles upon her children in a rare interview. The Princess Royal shares two children, Peter, aged 42, and Zara, aged 38, with her former husband, Mark Phillips. When Princess Anne married Phillips in 1973, he declined the offer of an earldom, resulting in their children not receiving HRH titles. This decision has shed light on the Princess Royal’s approach to raising her offspring outside the constraints of traditional royal protocols.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair magazine, ahead of her 70th birthday in August, Princess Anne discussed her decision not to give her children, Peter and Zara, royal titles. She explained that she believes it “was probably the right thing to do,” stating, “I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles.”
Interestingly, this interview took place a month before the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced their intention to relinquish their HRH titles as part of their decision to step back from their senior roles within the royal family. Princess Anne’s perspective sheds light on the potential challenges and considerations surrounding royal titles, particularly for those not directly in line for the throne.
Meghan and Prince Harry have decided not to utilize their HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles moving forward, despite retaining them officially.
Coincidentally, the day Princess Anne and Ms. Nicholl conducted their interview at St James’s Palace coincided with the announcement of Princess Anne’s son Peter’s divorce from his wife Autumn after 12 years of marriage.
While Princess Anne did not address Peter’s divorce during the interview, she did discuss spending time with her four granddaughters: Peter’s daughters Savannah (9) and Isla (8), as well as Zara’s daughters Mia (6) and Lena (1).
Additionally, the Princess Royal acknowledged her lack of affinity for digital devices, stating, “I find it difficult to understand why anybody gets sucked into screens and devices,” placing herself “in the real dinosaur range” at 69 years old.
Regarding fashion preferences, Princess Anne provided an insightful perspective. She expressed her belief that life is too short to be overly preoccupied with fashion, stating, “Life’s too short, frankly. There’s more entertaining things to be done.”
On the topic of clothing choices, Princess Anne revealed her strong inclination towards British-made garments, admitting that she “very seldom” purchases clothing that isn’t manufactured in the UK. She particularly favors Harris Tweed, a fabric renowned for its durability and timeless appeal. As the president of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, she praised Harris Tweed, saying, “It went through a phase when it was very fashionable. For me, the point about it is that it looks exactly the same at the end of the day as it did at the beginning. Brilliant.”
