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Princess Anne Makes Rare Joke About King Charles — Even Has a Cheeky Nickname For Him: ‘I Need to...'

Princess Anne is admired for her work ethic and unwavering commitment to the Crown, but few know she also has a witty sense of humor that keeps her family on their toes, much like her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth. On June 5, the Princess Royal welcomed representatives from over 100 charities to Buckingham Palace for a special forum on the occasion of her upcoming 75th birthday. While addressing more than 200 guests, she slipped in a cheeky joke at her brother King Charles’s expense. 

As reported by People magazine, the Princess Royal told her crowd, "You very kindly asked me to become patron of your organizations, so it's an honor for me to have all of you here." She joked, "I would just like to make the point that we are very fortunate that His Majesty has allowed us to use Buckingham Palace for this event tonight — and I need to say that — it does help." The crowd was left in stitches and laughed heartily after Anne's quip.

While Anne kept the event lighthearted with her sense of humor, she also took the opportunity to thank the attendees, who were invited from over 300 charities she supports. She told the forum audience, "The responsibility and respect that you give to your own organizations, the people who work for you, and your own beneficiaries, is perhaps the key to what makes you so important...Thank you very much for doing what you do." Representatives from Save the Children and Riding for the Disabled, two of her longest-standing patronages, were also present for her speech.

As for Anne's bond with her brother, the King reportedly trusts her the most in the family. The Princess Royal, who is two years younger than Charles, also has a funny nickname for him. She affectionately calls him 'old bean,' revealed during behind-the-scenes footage from Charles's 2023 coronation. As per The Independent, in a clip from the BBC documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year, the royals were seen returning from the coronation when Anne walked into a room with Charles and said, “Hello, Old Bean,” followed by the monarch laughing and kissing her hand.

Anne and Charles have also been hilariously mistaken for one another in public. According to Hello! magazine, during a public engagement, Anne was accidentally introduced as the Prince of Wales (Charles's former title). She took the mishap in stride, rolling her eyes before saying, "There's a worry!" She recalled another similar incident. While Charles was visiting a care home in Scotland wearing a kilt, the monarch overheard a woman ask, "Is that the Princess Royal?" Anne cheekily narrated the incident in detail with a smile, adding, "And I am wearing trousers today!"