Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, all eyes have been focused on a few notable royal family members. King Charles III assumed the throne and delivered his first speech in public while William, Prince of Wales, his eldest son, spoke to the Welsh commonwealth.
People questioned whether William and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, was actually prepared to reunite after their bittersweet reunion. Princess Anne, Princess Royal, is being praised in particular for her service and tenacity both now and throughout her entire life.
Despite not being next in line for the throne, Anne was at her mother’s bedside when she passed away, making her Twitter’s favorite royal.
The significant yet painful task of accompanying her mother’s funeral cortège from Balmoral to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh was given to Princess Anne as well.
She did a bow in front of the coffin to honor the Queen. For the five days that the queen will lie in state in Westminster Hall, Anne will also board the plane carrying the coffin to London.
“The royal family is not just a genetic family, but a representation to the British people of the value of family,” explains body language expert Mark Bowden. Speaking exclusively to The List, he adds, “Each member will serve at this time to remind us of the relationships we hold with our own.”
According to the Daily Mail, the queen herself designated her daughter as the escort, and Bowden has a theory about her reason.
Princess Anne had a unique connection to the queen
It was especially heart-wrenching to witness Princess Anne, Princess Royal, following Queen Elizabeth II’s hearse as part of the cortège. She was the only child of the queen, and as such, she and her mother are said to have had a special bond.
The List had an exclusive interview with Mark Bowden, a royal commentator, body language specialist, and founder of Truthplane, about the incident.
“It is a most special honor to accompany the queen’s body on its journey across the U.K.,” he said. “As the only daughter of the queen, Princess Anne represents to the nation all daughters who lose a mother.
This represents a moment for every woman to think of their mother, departed or alive, and recognize the unique and special relationship daughter and mother have.”
Her Majesty and Anne have always had a close relationship because they frequently attended events together and have many of the same interests and pastimes.
The pair even donned matching outfits on several occasions, including when they attended the Epsom Derby in the 1980s and the “Murder on the Orient Express” movie premiere in the 1970s (via Hello!).
Even as recently as July 2022, Princess Anne made an appearance with Queen Elizabeth II, which would turn out to be their final joint appearance in front of the public.
Princess Royal and Her Majesty reportedly participated in the July 15 “opening of the new Thames Hospice building in Maidenhead, Berkshire,” as reported by Town & Country.
