Princess Anne, known for her dedication and hard work, holds the title of the hardest-working royal within the Windsor family.
Despite her impressive work ethic, she finds herself positioned as the 17th in line to the throne, trailing behind US-based Prince Harry and the disgraced Duke of York.
Welcome to Royal Pancakes, where we delve into the intricacies of the British monarchy without missing a beat.
A steadfast supporter of her older brother, King Charles, Princess Anne stands as the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
While her commitment to royal duties is unwavering, a historical quirk dictates her place in the line of succession.
The order of royals in relation to the throne was established back in the 17th century and further solidified by the 1689 Bill of Rights and the 1701 Act of Settlement.
Following James II’s retreat from the country in 1688, the throne was offered to his daughter Mary and her husband, William of Orange.
This pivotal moment cemented Parliament’s authority to remove a monarch from power in cases of misgovernance and to regulate the succession process.
The Act of Settlement in 1701 reinforced Parliament’s role in determining the rightful heir to the throne, specifying that only Protestant descendants of Princess Sophia, granddaughter of James I, are eligible for succession.
In a bid to modernize the line of succession, the 2013 Succession to the Crown Act brought significant changes.
The amendment put an end to the system of male primogeniture, allowing older daughters to maintain their place in line ahead of younger sons.
Princess Anne, born before October 28, 2011, finds herself positioned below other female royals like Princess Charlotte, Princess Lilibet, and Lady Louise Windsor due to this provision.
Despite her lower ranking in the line of succession, Princess Anne has been hailed as a crucial figure in King Charles’s inner circle.
An analysis conducted by the Sunday Telegraph revealed that Princess Anne undertook the highest number of royal engagements last year, surpassing even King Charles himself.
The Act also abolished the rule disqualifying individuals who marry Roman Catholics from the line of succession, a change that was implemented across all Commonwealth realms in March 2015.
At the forefront of the line of succession after King Charles is his eldest son, Prince William, followed by Prince George II, Princess Charlotte III, and Prince Louis IV.
The Duke of Sussex, currently residing in California with his wife Meghan Markle, occupies the fifth position, succeeded by Prince Archie, Princess Lilibet, and the Duke of York, who faces renewed scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
The lineage continues with Princess Beatrice, her daughter Siena Moppeli-Mozzi, Princess Eugenie, and her sons August Brooksbank and Ernest Brooksbank, trailing behind Prince Andrew.
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, stands as the 14th in line, with his son, the Earl of Wessex, and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor following suit.
Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and Zara Tyndall claim the 18th and 21st spots in the line of succession, respectively.
Related Stories
