Prince William has been open about wanting to transform the monarchy once he ascends to the throne, but there seems to be an ongoing issue about his idea that keeps getting in the way. And now, Princess Anne has some pointed thoughts.
King Charles III’s sister is known to have a strong work ethic, and she’s often described as the “hardest working royal.” Her name is usually at the top of the list for the number of royal engagements she participates in, while Prince William lands closer to the bottom. That fact reportedly “annoys her,” according to a source for The Times.
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That curious revelation was shared along with Princess Anne’s wish that her nephew would do “more of the ‘bread-and-butter’ royal engagements.” Investitures, which are ceremonies that honor individuals for their outstanding contributions, are only done by Charles, Anne, and William. Most of them take place at Windsor Castle, which is just a short jaunt from his Adelaide Cottage residence.
Princess Anne, Princess Royal attends the Sovereign’s Garden Party at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on July 1, 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. King Charles III and Queen Camilla are visiting Scotland with members of the Royal Family for a Royal Week until Friday, July 04. (Photo by Jane Barlow – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“She’s still doing most of the investitures [at Windsor] even though William lives there. It annoys her,” one of Anne’s pals revealed to the U.K. media outlet.
This isn’t the first time the Prince of Wales’ light work schedule has irked his family and the public. Years ago, the British tabloids nicknamed him “Work-Shy Willie,” but the Daily Mail shared in March 2024 that King Charles’ inner circle dubbed him the “10 a.m. to 4 p.m.” prince. He reportedly only wants to work within those particular hours.
During his visit to Singapore in November 2023, the Prince of Wales also discussed his desire to narrow his focus to “social leadership” in order to bring about more meaningful change within the palace. “You have to remain focused, if you spread yourself too thin, you just can’t manage it and you won’t deliver the impact or the change that you really want to happen,” he told the print media, via Roya Nikkhah, Royal Editor of The Sunday Times on X.
Still, William and Kate Middleton have held firm on prioritizing their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, especially after her cancer battle. But Princess Anne’s words are looming in the background, and the media is likely to follow her lead on William’s work ethic.
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