Inside Princess Anne and Prince William’s Relationship Over Time

Princess Anne and Prince William are not your typical aunt and nephew duo.

After Princess Diana gave birth to William in June 1982, Anne publicly acknowledged that she thought there was “too much fuss” about the young royal who would one day become king. Anne even joked that William “might not even like me when he grows up,” per the Daily Mirror.

However, as William has stepped into his role as the Prince of Wales, he’s looked up to his aunt. Anne has been dubbed one of the hardest-working members of the royal family due to her countless public engagements over the years.

While Anne has prided herself on her commitment to the role, the Sunday Times reported in July 2025 that Anne was “annoyed” with William. The outlet claimed that Anne was not thrilled that William had not taken on more work with Windsor Castle, especially since he resides nearby. William and Anne have not publicly addressed the reports.

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of Anne and William’s relationship through the years:

Being There After Diana’s Death

After Diana died in 1997, Anne was there for William and Prince Harry as they navigated their grief while living in Balmoral Castle.

“I don’t think either of those two could … would have been able to cope if they had been anywhere else,” Anne told ITV in 2017. “[They] had that structure, they had people around them who could understand, give them the time, little time that they had, which was never going to be very much, to try and come — even in a fleeting sense — to terms with what had happened.”

She added that “it’s not possible for most people to do that in that space, never mind children at that age.”

Playing Around

During a September 2023 appearance on Anne’s son-in-law Mike Tindall’s podcast, the Princess Royal and William recalled silly moments from his childhood. Anne opened up about how she used to race William around the castle hallways when he was younger.

“You were quite quick,” William reflected. “The look that you had on your face was quite terrifying.”

Making Royal Appearances

William and Anne have attended multiple royal events and engagements over the years, including Trooping the Colour, the Royal Cornwall Show and more community events.

Stepping In for King Charles

Following Charles’ cancer diagnosis in February 2024, both Anne and William took on more royal duties as the monarch sought out treatment. In addition to Anne and William, Queen Camilla and Prince Edward were all authorized to stand in for Charles at royal engagements.

Cheering On Anne

After Anne suffered from a concussion following a horse-related accident in June 2024, William and wife Princess Kate Middleton expressed their gratitude that the princess made a full recovery and was back to work.

“Super trooper! So great to see you back so soon! W & C x,” the royal couple wrote via X alongside photos of Anne at the Riding for the Disabled Association National Championships.