Princess Anne’s ‘withering’ 6-word remark towards Earl Spencer that made him feel ‘small’

Charles Spencer discusses members of the royal family at great length in his new book, Swan Song: Diana my Sister. 

And, in addition to numerous passages detailing the behaviour of King Charles, the Earl also focuses on his younger sister, Princess Anne. 

In one passage, the Earl described the days leading up to Charles and Princess Diana‘s wedding in 1981, including a formal meal held at Buckingham Palace in the days prior. 

The Earl recalled how, to his “alarm”, he was sat next to the Princess Royal and asked her how her daughter Zara Tindall’s christening went.

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He alleged that Anne gave a “withering” response that made him feel “small”, writing: “I expected her to run away with the happy topic of her baby Zara’s baptism.

“But instead, she stopped, looked at me witheringly, and asked, ‘Tell me, how’s a christening supposed to go?'” 

Princess Diana’s younger brother was only 17 at the time, and found he could not reply, writing that he only “turned red and looked at my plate”. He looked enviously across the room at his brother-in-law, Neil, who was chatting next to the Crown Princess of Japan.

He reflected: “It was the luck of the draw that night, whether you were placed next to a royal who was happy to make you feel small, or one that had the grace and manners to look for common ground, wherever it might be found.”

What is Princess Anne really like?

Princess Anne is commonly referred to as the “hardest-working” royal and is renowned for her practical nature.

HELLO!‘s royal editor Emily Nash writes: “It’s rare to cover one of the Princess Royal’s engagements in person. She famously abhors fuss of any kind and prefers to go about her business without a press pack following her every move.”

Emily adds that Anne’s down-to-earth and “unstuffy” approach echoes that of her father, Prince Philip.

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Last week, Anne met English rugby union coach Sir Kevin Sinfield on his 7 in 7 rugby challenge, joking that she herself would “stick to horses”. 

And in September, ahead of an official visit to Norway this week, she joined Prince William to attend the funeral of King Harald V.

But despite her hectic schedule, Anne is said to be a “hands-on” grandmother to Peter Phillips’ daughters, Savannah and Isla Phillips, as well as Zara Tindall’s three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas.

A well-placed source told HELLO! previously: “She is an amazing mother and grandmother and has a natural talent for putting people at ease, much like her mother, the late Queen.”

Latest on Earl Spencer‘s book release

The 9th Earl Spencer has been making waves following the release of his bombshell new memoir, Swan Song, which delves into his close bond with his sister and the aftermath of her death.

© Instagram / @charles.earl.spencer

In the book, the 62-year-old shared fresh insight into the famous eulogy he gave at her 1997 funeral.

In a conversation with Tina Brown about his memoir, Charles revealed that the late Queen Elizabeth II was “gracious” about his fiery speech, despite the royal family reportedly being “incandescent” about his words.

“She was gracious enough to say that it was his sister’s funeral, he could say what he wanted, and I thought that was remarkably good of her,” Charles remarked.