(OTTAWA) Princess Anne, daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and sister of King Charles III, believes that reducing the size of the British monarchy is “not a good idea”, in an interview with the Canadian public broadcaster CBC.
“From my point of view, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I don’t really know what else we can do,” the 72-year-old princess commented, referring to the measures taken in recent years to reduce the lifestyle of the Windsors.
This reduction project was notably mentioned “at a time when there were a few more people” in the royal family, she observed.
Princess Anne’s statements come a few days before the coronation of Charles III, scheduled for Saturday at Westminster Abbey in London, an event where thousands of Britons and tourists are expected, as well as many political figures including the Canadian Prime Minister. Justin Trudeau.
Princess Anne, 16th in line to the throne, is considered the most active in the family, attending 214 official events in 2022.
She added that she doesn’t expect any major changes or surprises under her older brother’s rule.
“You know what to expect because he’s been preparing for a while, and I don’t think he’s going to change,” she said in the interview that aired Monday.
According to Princess Anne, the family will continue to support Charles as King, as they did for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who died in September 2022.
An official ceremony is also planned for Saturday in Ottawa to mark the coronation of Charles III, the monarch as Canada’s head of state, with artistic performances and a 21-gun salute fired from Parliament Hill. .
Canadians are divided on the monarchy: according to a recent Ipsos poll, 54% of them believe that Canada should do away with royalty, whose role is now largely ceremonial.
Only 56% of Canadians are confident that Charles III will do a good job as king, compared to over 80% who supported his mother.
“I would simply like to point out that the monarchy gives the [Canadian] Constitution a certain degree of long-term stability. It’s actually quite difficult to get that any other way,” Princess Anne said.
