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Princess Anne is set to land in Australia in one of the royal family’s first international appearances since King Charles removed his brother’s princely title.
The monarch’s younger sister, often dubbed the hardest-working British royal, is expected to spend four days travelling the country with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, to mark the centenary of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.
The journey was likely arranged months in advance, without any foresight into the King’s decision regarding their sibling, the former prince now referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
University of Sydney monarchy expert Associate Professor Cindy McCreery said the tour could present an opportunity to take some heat off the royals.
“The best-case scenario for the monarchy is to have an example of what the public want to see — which is a hardworking royal being met by people who are glad to see her,” McCreery said.
“People will try and ask her questions, but I suspect she will say very little, if anything.
Princess Anne holds great respect and admiration in Australia, which suggests she personally won’t face much backlash due to her brother’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein.
King Charles III announced in late October he would strip his younger brother of his title and evict him from his mansion after more details emerged of the ex-prince’s ties with high-profile sex offender Epstein.
The scandal had dealt a huge blow to Australians’ perceptions of the royal family, McCreery said.
This situation raises questions about the monarch’s prior knowledge, whether his actions were timely, and if his responses are driven by public and media pressure rather than a commitment to addressing the victims’ concerns.
Australian Monarchist League national chairman Philip Benwell said the former prince had been less involved with Australia, which could work in the princess’s favour.
“Princess Anne and the King have had a lot to do with Australia, but Prince Andrew has had very little to do,” he said.
Princess Anne’s visit to Australia is indeed a significant event.
Despite this, her trip is unlikely to attract as much attention as previous royal visits such as the King and Queen’s 2024 tour.
Princess Anne is expected to attend Remembrance Day services and centenary events in Sydney and Brisbane.
