King Charles' Sister Princess Anne Says She Disagrees With His 'Slimmed-Down' Monarchy Idea

By Michael Hein

King Charles III has been making a lot of big decisions for the royal family recently with one reported goal: to streamline their operating costs. It's no secret that many people disagree with this course of action, but now one prominent member of the family has spoken out. In a new interview with CBC, the king's younger sister Princess Anne said frankly that she doesn't agree with this "slimmed-down" monarchy.

Princess Anne is the second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and is less than two years younger than the king. She said that she is not in favor of the "slimmed-down" monarchy idea, adding: "Well, I think the 'slimmed-down' [comment] was said in a day when there were a few more people around... [to] make that seem like a justifiable comment. It doesn't sound like a good idea from where I'm standing, I would say. I'm not quite sure what else we can do."

So far, most of the changes King Charles have made have involved cutting off extraneous expenses, including housing and financial support to tangential members of the family. However, a royal expert told Us Weekly that the king also wants to "slim down the working royals at the core of the family." That means cousins and other family members outside the direct line of succession – potentially including Princess Anne – might no longer be allowed to collect a salary in exchange for public outreach and charity work.

If that is what the king wants, his younger son made his job a bit easier by stepping down from his role as a "working royal" by choice in 2020. Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle left the U.K. to live in the U.S., but one aspect of that decision that wasn't revealed until later was Markle's working status. In his recent memoir, Prince Harry revealed that his father did not want Markle to become a "working royal" drawing a salary from taxpayers in the U.K.

Related:

"Well, darling boy, you know there's not enough money to go around," the prince remembers his father saying at the time. "I can't pay for anyone else. I'm already having to pay for your brother and Catherine."

Insiders say the king will likely formalize his plans to streamline the royal family's finances – possibly after his coronation. The king will be crowned in an abbreviated ceremony on Saturday, May 6 in London. It will be televised by news networks around the world.

Trending Now: