Princess Anne King Charles’s sister is opposed to streamlining the royal family. Before her brother’s coronation on Saturday, King Charles III’s younger sister, Princess Anne, gave a rare interview with Canadian public broadcaster CBC, in which she stated that simplifying Britain’s royal family to make it a smaller, cheaper enterprise for U.K. taxpayers “doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
There have been rumors that King Charles, to lower the cost of maintaining the monarchy, may seek to limit the number of “working” members of the royal family, a partner network.
Anne was asked if a smaller royal family would be a good idea, and she responded that it could have been suggested: “when there were a few more people around.” This was an apparent reference to the recent high-profile departures of her brother, Prince Andrew, and her nephew, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan.
She pointed out that things had evolved and that the aging royal family members still performing official duties reflected the modern world.
“From where I’m standing, it doesn’t seem like a good idea,” she added.
Anne stated that the royal family would “have to shift the way we support” the incoming queen, but she did not elaborate.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of evolution in my mom. The yearly cycle was something we were familiar with. “Things like that will evolve,” Anne predicted to the CBC. Who knows if our role in preserving the monarchy will remain unchanged?
Speaking about her soon-to-be-coronated brother, Princess Anne predicted that he would change nothing in his new role as monarch.
Anne warned that he wouldn’t change his act because he’d been practicing for some time. He will continue to provide service at the same high standard “he has always maintained.”
Especially in British Commonwealth countries where the U.K. monarch remains the official head of state, discussions regarding the role and purpose of the monarchy have heated up since Queen Elizabeth II’s death last year.
Most Canadians (54%) agree that their country should sever relations with the British monarchy, according to a poll in September, the month in which the king’s sister gave her interview.
Anne agreed, “It is a moment when you need to have that discussion.” However, I would like to emphasize that the constitutional monarchy provides a degree of long-term stability that is quite unusual.
