Princess Anne was labelled “terrifying” live on television this week, as Gyles Brandreth sparked laughter and shock during a This Morning debate. The comment emerged during a discussion about accents, but quickly snowballed into a revealing royal exchange.
While the word raised eyebrows, it was soon followed by warm praise and personal anecdotes. The moment offered a rare glimpse into how the Princess Royal is perceived behind palace walls.
The conversation unfolded on Monday as Brandreth, 77, and royal expert Camilla Tominey sat alongside presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, while debating about how accents shape perception.
Cat, 49, referenced Erin Doherty, who famously portrayed Princess Anne, 75, in The Crown, noting how the actress would rehearse Anne’s distinctive voice aloud to get into character.
That prompted Brandreth to weigh in with a bold claim. “If you do an impression of Princess Anne, you can do anything you want,” he said, before adding: “She’s a bit terrifying.”
The remark drew audible reactions from the studio, with laughter and raised eyebrows in equal measure.
Brandreth then turned to his co-hosts, asking whether they had met the Princess Royal. Ben, 51, was quick to interject, saying: “She is wonderful.”
Brandreth immediately echoed the sentiment, replying: “Yes she is wonderful.” He continued warmly: “She is a remarkable person, the service she has given, is incredible.”
The tone shifted from playful to personal as Brandreth recalled a memorable encounter with the Princess Royal at a charity dinner.
“I sat down next to her,” he explained, setting the scene. “The way the tables were placed we had to sit thigh by thigh,” he added, making clear it was an uncomfortably tight arrangement.
Camilla Tominey was visibly stunned, pulling a face as Cat and Ben burst out laughing. Brandreth continued: “I made a joke about this, although it was no laughing matter. We spent the whole of this dinner [squashed]. I have had a bad back for years.”
The anecdote sent the studio into hysterics, but Cat was quick to steer the conversation back to Erin Doherty’s performance. With a grin, she quipped, “Well, maybe why Erin gets served more quickly is if she uses a Princess Anne voice.”
The comments come during a challenging week for the Royal Family, with Prince Harry returning to the UK to give evidence in his ongoing legal battle against the publishers of the Daily Mail.
His court appearance has once again dragged the monarchy into the spotlight, adding to the sense of pressure on senior royals.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
