Princess Anne has once again demonstrated her unwavering support for King Charles III, carrying out a string of royal engagements as the monarch navigates fresh tensions surrounding Prince Harry’s return to Britain.
The 75-year-old Princess Royal began Wednesday with a low-key visit to the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Sandbanks, Dorset, in her role as President of the Royal Yachting Association.
Listed in the Court Circular, the engagement marked Anne’s second visit to the area in just over a year.
She later travelled to Stockbridge to visit a new housing development before reuniting with the King at St James’s Palace for a reception honouring recipients of the King’s Award for Enterprise.
Dressed in a seafoam green dress with a coordinating shawl and white gloves, Anne accessorised with a Cartier aquamarine pendant and pearl earrings as she warmly greeted award recipients alongside the King.
The reception celebrated winners across five categories: Young founder, innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester also attended in support of the monarch.
Anne’s busy day of engagements came as King Charles continues to deal with the fallout from a public dispute over Prince Harry’s accommodation during his visit to the United Kingdom for an Invictus Games event.
Harry arrived in Britain alone on Monday as Meghan Markle remained overseas with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet following the family’s European holiday.
On Monday evening, the Duke of Sussex’s spokesperson announced he had accepted the King’s offer of accommodation at Buckingham Palace.
However, Buckingham Palace later issued its own statement saying the invitation was no longer available after the deadline to accept had passed.
The Palace said Harry, 41, had missed the deadline to confirm the arrangements, making it logistically impossible for him to stay at the royal residence during his five-day trip to London and Birmingham.
Harry’s representatives disputed that account, claiming he had formally accepted the offer over the weekend and describing it as “disappointing” that the invitation had been “withdrawn at the last moment”.
Following Harry’s arrival, royal aides suggested the latest disagreement had placed further strain on the King.
“The King’s patience snapped,” an insider told The Sun.
“He wants to be a loving father and grandfather but that was being tested beyond endurance.
“He is not willing to be pushed around, nor to indulge a constant state of chaos.”
Despite the dispute, reports have suggested Charles remains hopeful of meeting with Harry before the end of the week and is eager to spend time with his grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, should the opportunity arise.
Senior palace aides are reportedly continuing discussions with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in an attempt to find time in the King’s schedule around his official commitments.
Relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have remained strained since Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020 and relocated to the United States.
Princess Anne has never publicly commented on the family rift; however, a source told New Idea that she has been deeply frustrated by the latest accommodation dispute.
“Anne is livid and can’t bear to see the Royals be toyed with like this, not to mention the insult to their beloved country,” the insider said.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.skynews.com.au ’
