Prince William reportedly “annoys” his aunt Princess Anne when it comes to a shared royal duty.
On July 19, The Sunday Times published a profile on Princess Anne in the run-up to her 75th birthday next month, where a source made the claim.
The outlet prefaced the allegation by stating that the Prince of Wales, 43, is thought to admire his aunt’s dedication to duty (Princess Anne has been considered the “hardest-working member” of the British royal family by count of official engagements since 2021) and noted that the Princess Royal will support William as monarch if she is still working when he accedes.
However, according to The Sunday Times, several sources close to Princess Anne note that she would like to see her nephew take on more “bread-and-butter” royal engagements in his rotation.
Dr. Linley Hamilton is made a Member of the Order of the British Empire by Princess Anne at Windsor Castle on April 16, 2025.
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
“She’s still doing most of the investitures [at Windsor] even though William lives there. It annoys her,” a source told the outlet.
Investitures are ceremonies in which a working member of the royal family presents the medals to people previously recognized in the honors lists, released twice annually. The special services are traditionally held at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, the latter of which is close to Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s home.
The royal family’s website outlines that there are about 30 investitures each year, and King Charles, Princess Anne and Prince William are the ones who can host the ceremonies.
Princess Anne horseback rides at Trooping the Colour on June 14, 2025.
Chris Jackson/Getty
Princess Anne is known for her tireless approach to royal duty, following in the footsteps of her late parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. As she gears up for her 75th birthday on Aug. 15, the hardworking royal reportedly gave the okay for just one public commemoration to mark the milestone — the release of the first Royal Mint coin in her honor.
The £5 silver coin suitably reads, “The Princess Royal – Celebrating 75 Years – Duty and Devotion” with a tiara portrait of her by John Swannell, and Princess Anne might otherwise celebrate her banner birthday privately.
“She told us she would do things for birthdays that had ‘zeroes, but not for the fives,’ ” an aide told the Sunday Times.
The Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, recently stepped out with King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton for the glam state banquet celebrating France at Windsor Castle on July 8, but she is expected to ring in her birthday in a lower-key way.
Princess Anne and Sir Tim, 70, will reportedly continue the tradition for her birthday and spend about 10 days sailing around western Scotland with no staff on the ship before meeting up with King Charles at Balmoral Castle, the royal family’s historic hideaway in the Scottish Highlands.
Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne at the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 5, 2025 in London.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
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“It speaks to their relationship,” a friend told the Sunday Times about the couple’s no-frills tradition. “They go every May and August and have done it for years. How many couples could go out to sea that often, just the two of them, and still be speaking to each other? She loves it.”