Prince Harry has always occupied a very particular place in the hierarchy of the British royal family, one that his brother William and even his father, King Charles, have never really understood. They, after all, have lived their entire lives as heirs to the throne, and now Charles is King. Harry, however, is the spare. And that’s a position perhaps only a few people in the family can understand. Among them is Princess Anne, King Charles’s sister. And her understanding might be essential in bringing the family together.
Recent reports indicate aides for King Charles and Prince Harry met in an attempt to bring about a reconciliation between the two. Now, there are suggestions that Princess Anne might have an important role to play in this possible reconciliation. In a profile of the Princess Royal, The Sunday Times revealed that she might be an ally in helping bridge the gap.
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“[S]ome royal watchers have suggested Anne could have a role to play in peace-building,” the outlet said, referring to her as the “ultimate uncomplaining ‘spare,’” which means she understands her nephew like no one else could.
“He really ought to talk to Princess Anne,” a friend of the family told The Sunday Times‘s royal editor, Roya Nikkhah. “She often talked about how, as children, she was treated so differently from Charles. She was second to him and kicked further down the line of succession as a woman, but she forged her own path.”
Not just that, but the source also added that, “In her twenties she was bolshy and upset about a lot of things, but she came through that. He should talk to her about her experiences. She is shrewd. She could tell him a lot about what she went through.”
And the two already share a connection, according to the publication. She was reportedly the person who was there for Harry when Queen Elizabeth II died. “When Prince Harry arrived solo at Balmoral…it was ‘Aunt Anne’ who greeted her nephew with a hug and showed him to his grandmother’s bedroom where she lay at rest, so he could say a final goodbye.”
The Princess Royal is widely regarded as the hardest-working royal. Last year, Princess Anne outnumbered every working royal when it came to royal engagements, undertaking 474 engagements. Meanwhile, King Charles had 372 engagements, and Prince Edward carried 293. And she doesn’t seem like she’s ready to stop anytime soon. In an interview with the Press Association, she said, “I don’t think there’s a retirement program on this particular life. It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so.”
All of this comes as King Charles’ illness has made the idea of reconciling with Harry not just more appetizing, but more urgent. British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. “King Charles is living with cancer, which makes his family situation very sad,” Chard said about his issues with Harry. “I’m sure he is thinking about his mortality and reevaluating his life.”
His sister, Princess Anne, could just be the one to help him bridge the gap.