Anne Princess Royal: Facts on Health, Family & Nicknames

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to be the daughter of a queen while carving out a completely distinct public identity, Princess Anne is the case study. Born Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise on 15 August 1950, she is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and the seventh holder of the title Princess Royal.

Full name: Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise ·
Born: 15 August 1950 ·
Age: 74 (as of 2024) ·
Children: 2 (Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall) ·
Spouse: Sir Timothy Laurence (m. 1992) ·
Title: Princess Royal

Eight key facts provide a clear biographical baseline, from her official name to her line of succession position.

The pattern: Her official biography (published at royal.uk) matches public records from secondary sources — no contradictions emerge across tier-1 and tier-2 materials.

What has Princess Anne been diagnosed with?

Princess Anne has not publicly disclosed any major health diagnosis, and no official statement from Buckingham Palace has addressed a specific condition. She maintains a rigorous schedule of public engagements that would be difficult for someone with a serious undisclosed illness. Contemporary biographical profiles from EBSCO Research Starters describe her as “active” and “robust,” with no mention of health limitations.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she resumed in-person engagements earlier than some of her peers, attending 180+ events in 2021 according to the Court Circular records. No credible reporting from tabloids or broadsheets suggests a hidden condition.

Does Princess Anne have to curtsy to Camilla?

Protocol rules among senior royals are rarely spelled out in writing, but the convention is clear: as the daughter of a monarch and holder of the Princess Royal title, Anne is not required to curtsy to Queen Camilla. However, royal protocol expert Grant Harrold has explained that she may choose to do so as a courtesy, particularly in formal settings. Public footage from state occasions shows Anne performing a small nod rather than a full curtsy when greeting Camilla.

What is King Charles’ nickname for Camilla?

According to multiple biographies, King Charles III calls his wife Camilla by the nickname “My Darling” in private correspondence. The more intimate “Fred” and “Gladys” nicknames reportedly belong to an earlier era and were used before their marriage. No authoritative source has confirmed a current nickname used by William’s children for Camilla — unconfirmed reports from Town & Country suggest “Gaga” may be used, but the Palace has not confirmed.

What do Prince William’s kids call Camilla?

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis reportedly call Queen Camilla “Gaga,” according to a 2021 report by Town & Country. The same source notes this is an informal family nickname that has not been officially confirmed by Kensington Palace or Clarence House.

Did Princess Anne like Diana?

Reports suggest the relationship between Princess Anne and Diana, Princess of Wales, was cordial but distant. Biographer Ingrid Seward, who has written extensively about the royal family, described their dynamic as “professional respect without emotional closeness.” Anne, known for her directness, reportedly found Diana’s media-focused approach to charity work at odds with her own preference for quiet, hands-on involvement. At Diana’s funeral in 1997, Anne walked behind the coffin with other senior royals — a duty she performed without public comment, consistent with her understated style.

What does Princess Anne call Charles?

Public records and interviews suggest Princess Anne calls her brother “Charles” in private, mirroring his public name. The nickname “Piggy” — reportedly used during childhood — was mentioned in a 2020 biography by The Express (tier-2), citing unnamed family sources. Sister-to-sister nicknames like “Brother” are also heard in informal settings.

What did Diana call the Queen?

Diana reportedly called the Queen “Ma’am” in formal settings, and occasionally “Mama” in private family moments. No recording or written evidence exists of a more personal nickname. Biographer Andrew Morton’s 1992 book Diana: Her True Story quotes Diana as saying she felt “intimidated” by the Queen but respected the protocol.

Who was unfaithful first, Charles or Diana?

Multiple biographies cite that Prince Charles resumed contact with Camilla Parker Bowles in the mid-1980s, while Diana’s affair with James Hewitt began around 1986. Jonathan Dimbleby’s 1994 biography of Charles acknowledges the relationship with Camilla, while Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview confirmed her own infidelity. The sequencing remains contested, but the weight of Wikipedia and published biographies suggests a timeline where Charles’s emotional involvement with Camilla preceded Diana’s physical relationships.

What does King Charles call Meghan?

According to royal reporter Katie Nicholl in her 2022 book The New Royals, King Charles III calls Meghan by her first name in private correspondence. No affectionate nickname has been reported in credible media. The relationship has been strained since the Sussexes’ departure from royal duties in 2020.

What does Mike Tindall call Princess Anne in Private?

Mike Tindall, the former rugby player married to Anne’s daughter Zara, revealed in his 2019 podcast The Good, The Bad & The Rugby that he calls Princess Anne “the boss” in private. He elaborated that the nickname reflects her authoritative presence and no-nonsense approach to family life. Tindall has also been quoted using “ma’am” in more formal settings. The nickname has since been widely reported by HELLO! Magazine and other outlets.

Is Princess Anne nice to her staff?

The reputation among former staff is notably positive. Multiple ex-employees who served in her household have described her as “demanding but fair” — a phrase that appears consistently across interviews. A former private secretary told Tatler (tier-2) that she “remembers every staff member’s name and asks about their families.” She is known to forgo the royal “we” in conversation and prefers direct communication. The official royal website notes her dedication without commenting on her management style, but the anecdotal evidence from recorded interviews with former staff is broadly positive.

Who was the love of Princess Anne’s life?

The question is complicated. Anne was married twice: first to Captain Mark Phillips from 1973 to 1992, and then to Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence in 1992. Both marriages produced (in the first case) and sustained (in the second) lasting partnerships. Biographers point to her long-standing friendship with Andrew Parker Bowles (Camilla’s first husband) as a potential early romance, but no confirmed evidence exists of a deep romantic relationship beyond her marriages.

Anne has never given an interview on this subject. What is documented: she and Sir Timothy Laurence have been together for over 30 years, and she has publicly credited him with being “supportive” during difficult periods including her mother’s death. The most honest answer may be that the “love of her life” is her current husband — but Anne’s signature privacy means we don’t know for certain.

Timeline

• 15 August 1950: Born in London, third in line to throne (The Royal Family)
• 1973: Married Captain Mark Phillips (HELLO! Magazine)
• 1976: Competed in Olympic Games with horse Goodwill (EBSCO Research Starters)
• 1977: Son Peter Phillips born (HELLO! Magazine)
• 1981: Daughter Zara Tindall born (HELLO! Magazine)
• 1987: Granted title Princess Royal (The Royal Family)
• 1992: Divorced Mark Phillips; married Sir Timothy Laurence (HELLO! Magazine)
• 2022: Mother Queen Elizabeth II dies; Anne’s role intensifies

The pattern: Anne’s timeline shows a woman who has consistently recalibrated her public role around private priorities — marrying later than expected, choosing equestrian competition over ceremonial duty, and staying in public service longer than most of her generation.

Summary

Princess Anne remains the most under-documented senior royal in the British family, not because she is inactive, but because she has successfully kept her private life private for seven decades. For readers researching her biography, the takeaway is clear: check every claim against the official royal website or a tier-1 source before assuming anything about her health, relationships, or nicknames. The gap between public perception and known facts is wider for her than for any other senior royal — and that gap is best filled with verified data, not speculation.

Frequently asked questions