Princess Anne says ‘you know what you’re getting’ with her brother, King Charles

Princess Anne said there were no surprises as her brother, King Charles, prepared to formalize his position as king with a coronation on May 6 – a role he has held throughout his life as the longest-serving heir. English history.

“Well, you know what you’re getting because he’s been training for a while, and I don’t think he’s going to change,” Princess Anne told CBC News chief correspondent Adrienne Arsenault in an interview at St. in London. “You know, they’re committed to their own level of service, and they’ll stay true to that.”

The only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip sat down for an interview, a Canadian exclusive with Nationalto talk about the coronation of his 74-year-old brother, the future of the monarchy in light of the recent dwindling support and the upcoming visit to Canada.

The coronation marked the official investiture of King Charles with regal powers. For the rest of the royal family, the changes will determine how best to support the King, Anne, 72, said.

“My mother was Queen for a very long time. And even though you knew it could happen, you didn’t think about it – at least because the monarchy is about continuity.”

There are orders for the years of the Queen’s reign, from 1952 until her death in September 2022, because she “hasn’t changed much” over the years and a predictable rhythm to the activity has emerged, the Princess Royal said.

The recent headlines in England have been dominated by speculation about the changes the new King will make. There is talk that he will reduce the number of working palaces, reduce the royal staff and continue to champion the causeeven as a king.

The family will continue to be supportive, Princess Anne said.

“For the rest of us, it’s more a question of, OK, we need to shift the way we support. And what we need to do.”

On the day of the coronation, Princess Anne will ride behind the newly crowned King and his wife, Queen Camilla, as Gold-Stick-in-Waitinga role that has been described in the international media as prestigious.

“So I said yes, at least I can solve my clothing problem.”

The role is now largely ceremonial, but in the past, the Gold-Stick-in-Waiting was a bodyguard, tasked with protecting the ruler – “a close protection officer,” Anne says.

Polls say support has fallen

Polls show interest in watching the coronation ceremony is low. An April 13 poll suggested 48 per cent of Britons are not very likely or not likely at all to watch. In Canada, one in five polls by the Angus Reid Institute said they can set for part of the ceremony.

Beyond the coronation, there are still questions about the future of the monarchy. Support for these institutions has generally declined Canada with UK since the Queen’s death, according to a new poll.

Princess Anne admits conversations about relevance are everywhere.

“It’s not a conversation I need to have. I think it’s right that you need to have that discussion,” he said, adding that the monarchy offers a level of stability that is “quite difficult to do. any other way.”

Anne said the royal family saw themselves supporting the King and showing kindness to the communities he worked in.

“I hope that sometimes what we can do is just to underline the goodness and the fact that there are many people out there who know how to act one and the other is important and the monarchy provides an element. focus on that level of service and support it in the long term, ” he said.

“It’s not a short-term thing. You’re there for the long term.”

Research on slavery

Some questions about its relevance have been prompted by conversations about the history of the monarchy, colonization and its relationship to slavery. After the problem made headlines in England, King Charles signaled that he would support research into the Crown’s links to slavery.

Buckingham Palace released a statement on April 6, saying the Royal Household would support research through access to the Royal Collection and Royal Archives.

It has been several months since Prince Charles gave a speech in Rwanda at a meeting of Commonwealth heads of government in June 2022.

“I cannot describe the depth of my personal sorrow in the suffering of many, because I continue to deepen my own understanding of the lasting impact of slavery.”

When asked about this decision, Anne refused to discuss what her sister wanted with the support.

“It’s not a subject of conversation that I’m going down. I have a slightly different historical perspective, maybe more real,” he said.

“Historical perspective [is] it just returns a lot more. And the modern context is very different. Slavery has not disappeared.”

Slimmed-down monarchy

Recent years have been tumultuous for the Royal Family – with Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, stepping down as senior members, and Prince Andrew, the Queen’s son, losing his patronage and military affiliation after sexual allegations. abused teenage girls. A lawsuit has ended out of court.

Along with the deaths of the Queen and Prince Philip, this means fewer working royals.

Rumors have swirled for months about how King Charles will change the institution, including some working royals, a move the monarchy has called “slimmed”.

Princess Anne is often referred to as “the hardest working royal” due to the number of engagements she undertakes in a year. In 2022, he is at the top of the list with 214, compared to King Charles 181. He does not seem to support the idea.

“Well, I think ‘slimmed down’ said on the day when there are few other people around,” she said.

“It doesn’t sound like a good idea from where I stand, I said. I’m not sure what else we can do.”

Next trip to Canada

Princess Anne has visited Canada more than 20 times for official visits, private work visits and stopovers. He will return in May for his first post-pandemic trip to Canada to mark the 175th anniversary of the 8th Canadian Hussars, a major reserve unit based in New Brunswick.

This is a patronage that started in 1972 with the title of colonel-in-chief.

He said it was important to be there for the landmark anniversary because of the regiment’s rich history. But there will be no time on this trip for leisure.

“I have grandchildren who go to New Brunswick on vacation. They know the coast because it’s a beautiful beach,” he said.

“It’s really nice. But no, this time of year is really hard, really.”

The full interview with Princess Anne will be broadcast National Saturday at 10 pm Eastern on CBC TV, 9 pm Eastern on News Network and CBC Gem.