Princess Anne’s Reaction to a Painter’s Awkward Gaffe During Portrait Sitting Is So Very ‘Her’
Princess Anne's friendly approach differs from her mother's, who once pushed back against removing her Crown and appearing less formal.
Princess Anne is known for her no-nonsense attitude and apt sense of humor, taking after her late mother, Queen Elizabeth. Yet on occasion, the Princess Royal has shown a different approach to royal duty, one that prioritizes genuine human connection over pomp and ceremony. She demonstrated just that during a portrait sitting with painter Louise Pragnell, greeting her informally despite being briefed on formalities. Her approach stood in stark contrast to one of the Queen's portrait encounters, when she rejected a suggestion to remove her Crown and adopt a less formal image for the public.
In an interview with HELLO!, Pragnell fondly recalled her experience painting Anne for a portrait, which depicted the Princess Royal in the robes of the Worshipful Company of Saddlers, of which she is perpetual master. She revealed that ahead of their first sitting, she was given strict instructions on where to stand, what to say, and when to curtsey. However, when Anne arrived, she immediately dispensed with the formalities, prompting Pragnell to do the same. "She [Anne] walked in and looked straight across and waved and said, 'Hello!' The people around were thinking, that didn't go how we'd planned. She's really cool, she just gets on with it."
Unlike Anne, who brushed aside protocol to put her portrait painter at ease, the Queen famously defended the symbolism of the Imperial State Crown and kept things strictly professional with her photographer. Back in 2007, when Annie Leibovitz suggested she remove her Crown for a 'less dressy' look during a Buckingham Palace photoshoot, the late monarch firmly replied, "Less dressy? What do you think this is?" The contrast between the two women highlights their differing approaches to royal symbolism and public image: while Anne prioritized warmth, informality, and humility, her mother remained steadfast in upholding the traditions of the institution she represented in favor of appearing more grounded.
While the incident highlights a difference in how Anne and the Queen approached formality, the two women shared more in common than it may first appear. The late monarch was warmly remembered by portrait photographers as highly patient during sittings, just like her daughter, even during highly choreographed sessions. Anne has inherited much of the Queen's confidence and self-assurance, but tends to express it differently, through openness, informality, and a refusal to stand on ceremony. She has forged her own path outside of her mother's legacy, proving that devotion to duty can take many forms within the same family.
