Princess Anne — cat burglar?
Is this where Zara Phillips gets her ability to jump over obstacles on horseback?
The Queen and Prince Charles helping Princess Anne into Balmoral
She certainly looks the part of a future Olympic sportswoman. A very young Princess Anne is shown being helped to climb into a window at Balmoral by the Queen and a youthful Prince Charles.
Nowadays, of course, such “shocking” behaviour would fall foul of the European Union’s “health and safety” rules. And she hasn’t even got a hard hat on!
Children do need adventure and real learning experiences. Both youngsters grew up to be fearless horse riders.
Methinks the Queen was a much better mother than she’s often given credit for.
This is one of the pictures released by the Palace in advance of Prince Charles’s 60th birthday next November.
I absolutely LOVE this photograph!! Look at the expression on the Queen’s dear face–loving, caring, full of pride in her children. I do believe that this is one of my favorites of the Queen.
John, I do not believe that the Queen was ever deficient as a mother. If there was anything lacking in the childhood of the Royal children, it was, in my opinion, because the Queen, mindful of the difficult “second fiddle” role her husband was forced to play, gave him complete charge over the children. Prince Philip did not have attentive or even functional parents, as we know, and was less than what might be wanted as a father. His brusque, quarterdeck manner and quick temper, along with a penchant for sharp critcism and martinet ways created a less than loving, kind relationship within the family. The Queen might have stepped in, but she was, I believe, in a classic “Catch-22″ situation, and she chose to let Prince Philip run the show. I believe that the Queen was a loving and a compassionate, caring Mother to her children. She is not demonstrative in public, but that does not mean that she does not care deeply.
By Gigi on December 6th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Pictures like this prove that out of the prying eyes of the public, the Royals behave down to earth like everyone else. I can understand why the Queen felt wounded when Prince Charles told his biographer, Jonathan Dimbleby, that his mother was unable or unwiling to show affection. Most private pictures I have seen of the Queen, with Charles and Anne as youngsters, show a very attentive, affectionate mother. Charles must have been going through his “poor me” phase when he gave that interview to Dimbleby.
By Arthur on December 6th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
My dear Arthur, Charles has been going through a “poor me” stage his entire life. Not only is it unseemly and unattractive, what Charles said about the Queen to Jonathon Dimbley is absolute rubbish. (GRRRR!)
By Gigi on December 6th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Gigi you took the words right out of my mouth. Princess Anne even spoke out about the Dimbleby book saying that HM was quite a caring mother. She has been trained never to show emotion in public but looking at this picture her she probable gave plenty of hugs and kisses in private. This really is a beautiful photo.
By Trudie on December 6th, 2007 at 7:44 pm
I agree this is a beautiful photograph with the look of motherhood shining in her smile. Fast forward to the present to the recent investiture when the Queen gave her granddaughter Zara her MBE, the look of pride was on her face and she is alleged to have said, something like ‘You do look nice’.
I am sure she has the same feeling for her grandchildren as she had for her own children and I cannot believe that she was anything but a very loving mother.
The tragedy was that Dianna was a splendid mother to ‘her boys’ which William and Harry remember with deep love and affection.
I just hope that when the princes have a family that they and their wives give their children the same love that their grandmother shows in this photograph.
By Royalist on December 6th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I love this photo. The Queen often is seen as overly stern and stoic, so it’s wonderful to see her in situations with her children. Sometimes it’s hard to think of her just being a mom.
By Melissa on December 6th, 2007 at 9:42 pm
Royalist I can see Harry becoming the same loving parent that his mother was, unfortunatly I cannot see that in William in more ways he has that same melancholy nature of his father and you can see he relates more with his father than Harry. Charles problem was he was spoiled rotten by the QM IMO she seemed to compete with her daughter for his affections and as Queen he spent more time with his grandmother due to her vast responsibilities and duty. Let me as this Why have HM’s other children complained about her parenting?
By Trudie on December 7th, 2007 at 12:51 am
She is a great mother and grandmother. I really like those pictures of her having fun with her children. I just know she must have fun with her grandchildren. In public she is Queen but in private she is a mother and grandmother and I think she like to seperate the two but at public events you can still see her affection for her family.
By Claudius on December 7th, 2007 at 12:51 am
I have to say how wonderful it is that everyone is on the same page here with their comments. HM always said she was a country woman at heart. I think she would have enjoyed motherhood even more it she had not come to the throne so early in life. I noticed that recently in public her pride toward her grandchildren and her affection quite evident as when William and Harry passed out at Sandhurst during her inspection of the graduates both William and Harry smiled at comments such as I reconize this face and HM smiled back and as Zara received her MBE she told Zara she looked lovely. I think as she gets older she is more relaxed about her family in public and as you can see her grandchildren adore her.
By Trudie on December 7th, 2007 at 1:59 am
Trudie, I have never heard any of the Queen’s children complain about the Queen’s parenting except for Charles. As for Charles, he seems to enjoy finding someone else to blame for just about everything.
I realize that Prince William is more reserved than Prince Harry, but I think he will be a warm and loving father, and so will Prince Harry. I LOVED the photos of Prince William holding the hand of Viscount Linley’s little girl on the way to chapel. She was swinging her legs and he was being just wonderful with her.
By Gigi on December 7th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Gigi, Charles is just miserable and yes it seems that everyone else is to blame if his life is not perfect. Andrew, Anne and Edward seem to be close to HM. I found it quite endearing that Andrew at 47 feels he let his parents down by the failure of his marriage and held them up as an example and Edward and Anne always have a smile in her presence. As for William perhaps you are right but then again time will tell with his own children. I just hope he gives them the life he had before Diana’s death lineing up at Mcdonalds and day’s at amusement parks it was such a shame that all ended with Diana.
By Trudie on December 7th, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Trudie, you astonish me. If you think lining up at MacDonald’s and a day at crowded Alton Towers are fun, gosh, I’m speechless.
Give me a table at The Ritz and a trek up a Balmoral mountain any day. And I mean that seriously, folks.
By John on December 7th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
The Ritz and a Scottish mountain are fine, John, but children need a variety of experiences. I’m glad that Diana gave her sons the opportunity to experience some of what most non-royal children experience in their childhoods. I hope that will help them relate better to “common” people. Seeing how well Princes William and Harry do when they’re with regular folk at charity events, that seems to be the case. I hope they will one day raise their own children with the same mix of ordinary and extraordinary experiences
By Evelyn on December 7th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
I agree with Trudie and Evelyn children need to experience everything and not just live in a rarified environment where they only meet their own kind. I think the normal as possible upbringing they received is standing to all the Queen’s grandchildren.
By Eliza on December 7th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
I agree with Trudie, Evelyn and Eliza. Especially for the monarch of a modern nation in modern times, a variety of contacts and experiences in the mainstream of modern life is essential for providing the “common touch” and an understanding and compassion for the lives of ordinary people. Princess Diana knew this and insisted on raising her two sons as she felt best, including in their lives many enriching experiences unheard of for the program of rearing Royals. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” goes the old saying, and as our dear Evelyn truly states, Prince William and Prince Harry are the proof that Princess Diana was wise to rear them as she did. In the Britain of today and tomorrow, as we have seen in the aftermath of the death of Princess Diana, it is not enough for the monarch to advise and consent. She or he must be seen to truly have their finger on the pulse of the nation, must be believed by the public to be acting in the nation’s best interests, must be understood by all to have compassion for the least among us. Princess Diana had those qualities of the common touch, of understanding and compassion in abundance and she knew how to inculcate these qualities in her sons. Britain will be the better for her wisdom and her foresight. Her sons will be a blessing to the Nation all their lives. I feel this very deeply, and it makes me very hopeful for the future.
By Gigi on December 7th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Add me to the list. I agree with Trudie, Evelyn, Eliza and Gigi. Having experiences in common with the masses in no way diminishes and only enhances one’s upbringing. It would be really sad if a 21st century future monarch was only able to view the world from atop his ivory tower, insulated from what constitutes real life for 99% of his kingdom. Now if McDonald’s had been everyday fare for the young princes, it would be another matter entirely…
By Melissa on December 7th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
I think Prince William will do well when he finally becomes a father.
I just read in The Sun that William took Kate Middleton ice skating at Somerset House last evening, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves! Obviously William has a great sense of fun and is able to laugh and enjoy himself. I’ve seen many photos of William with children laughing and having fun and playing games with them, I think he will do well. His early childhood and adolescence were very different from his father’s, I think those differences have shaped him into a man who knows how to have fun and be a friend.
He’s also very close to his little brother, they weren’t raised with the traditional “heir and spare” type rivalry. I read that Diana used to snuggle in bed next to both “her boys” and they would lie one on either side of “mummy” while she read to them. That would definitely give them a different perspective than the one Charles has.
By mapleleaf on December 7th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
John I’d love a table at the Ritz and a trek up Balmoral mountain myself!!! everyone else seems to have gotten the point but You!!! Being brought up with immense privilege is one thing but when you will someday rule knowledge of how the rest of the nation live and that is really is the majority is even more of a privilege. I myself had a very solid middlclass upbringing mixing music dance and the arts with soccer, fishing and of course McDonalds as a special treat.
By Trudie on December 7th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
Trudie, perhaps John has had a rough day and could use a “Happy Meal” from Mickey D’s.
By Arthur on December 7th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
I saw the photos of Prince William and Kate ice skating at Somerset House, and they looked very cute together. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. I think William will definitely make a fantastic father.
By mapleleaf on December 8th, 2007 at 5:32 am
mapleleaf, if you saw the photo in The Sun, that wasn’t a real photo of William & Kate. They just photo-shopped their faces onto other skaters’ bodies. The caption said something like, “This is what W&K may have looked like.” When I looked at it earlier today, they were asking for anyone with actual photos to contact them.
By Evelyn on December 8th, 2007 at 5:36 am
I think William will be a very good father. He may be a lot like his father, but he is not his father. (thank goodness)
Harry may well be a more hands-on dad, but that may only be due to the sheer weight of William’s responsibilities, not because he doesn’t want to be with his kids. If anything, he may well find a way around that so he can be with his kids. I do believe he will be very protective of his children (they both will) to keep them from the prying eyes of the press for as long as they can.
The photo above is adorable.
By On the Outside on December 8th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Evelyn I wasn’t speaking of the photoshopped picture, but the one taken outside at night. It shows William and Kate holding hands and laughing.
By mapleleaf on December 8th, 2007 at 5:39 pm