Princess Anne's wicked sense of humour has delighted royal fans once more after a video from an official engagement was reposted online. Anne, 75, marked the 35th anniversary of a London-based equine charity, where she was invited to cut the commemorative cake, last February. A clip from her appearance at Wormwood Scrubs Pony Centre showed the Princess Royal addressing gathered reporters before the cake-cutting ceremony as Anne issued a humorous instruction. 'I hope you all had a chance to see this cake because it really is stunning,' she began. 'The instructions are that you will eat it if I cut it. Otherwise, it's just legalised vandalism. So, enjoy the cake!'
Princess Anne’s Wit Delights Social Media
The crowd erupted with laughter that echoed on X/ Twitterafter the 'hilarious' clip was shared online. 'I adore her,' one person gushed, while another X user fondly described Anne as 'a brilliant woman and so like her mother'. 'She has a great sense of humour,' added another keen fan. 'Dry like her father, cheeky like her mother!' Anne, who is Vice Patron of the British Horse Society (BHS), toured the charity site with BHS President and renowned actor Martin Clunes, famously known for portraying Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin, alongside BHS chief executive James Hick.
Princess Anne Carries On With Duties Despite Family News
The former OIympian carried her own umbrella to stay dry as she toured the centre before meeting volunteers who helped provide riding and equine therapy for children with physical disabilities. The poignant visit came just three days after Anne's brother, King Charles, 77, publicly announced his cancer diagnosis. Putting on a brave face, the princess smiled as Sister Mary Joy Langdon, founder and chief executive of the Pony Centre, told her that the staff 'wish you and your family well at this time'. It reinforced Anne's status as the hardest working royal with an unwavering commitment to her duty.
The clip also cemented her standing as the funniest royal - especially after a video from this year's Sandringham festivities left fans in stitches. Footage showed Anne, walking beside her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, after attending Christmas church service at St Mary Magdalene on the King's Norfolk estate. When a member of the public called out to Anne to give her a bouquet, she looked back in surprise as fans noted her 'down-to-earth' attitude. Princess Anne could be heard asking the onlooker: 'Are you sure? I'm probably the last person standing.' After Anne accepted the bouquet of yellow roses, the woman replied: 'You're the first to me every year.'
A Light-Hearted Exchange Highlighting Royal Humour
She also explained she had 'picked' the flowers because Anne's mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, was fond of them. Anne then promptly responded by saying: 'You didn't pick these yourself, did you? I was going to say, your garden is doing better than mine!' In many ways, Anne's humorous nature is strongly reminiscent of the late Queen's wit, who made her own cake-cutting joke in 2021. When Her Majesty attended an evening reception for G7 leaders on June 11, 2021, the then 95-year-old monarch was tasked with cutting a large cake to mark the occasion. She humorously insisted on borrowing a ceremonial sword from Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho, the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, to do the task, which prompted laughter from both Kate Middleton and Camilla.
When an aide helpfully suggested she could use a standard knife to slice the cake, the Queen joked: 'I know there is. This is more unusual.' The Queen was on good form when she was invited to cut a cake during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations the following June - just three months before her tragic passing. As she plunged the blade in, Her Majesty made guests laugh when she joked: 'I think I might just put the knife in it... someone else can do the rest.' Throughout her 70-year reign, the Queen became well-known for her amusing one-liners which appear to have rubbed off on her only daughter.
Anne and the Queen were also said to have shared an incredibly close bond, with the Princess Royal later sharing how she felt 'fortunate' to have shared the last 24 hours of her 'dearest Mother's life' prior to her death on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral. According to Anne's husband Sir Timothy, the Princess Royal has always shared her beloved mother's quick wit and heartwarming ability to make royal engagements more entertaining. Speaking in 2020 on ITV documentary Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, Sir Tim said: The similarities with her (Princess Anne's) father are much talked about, but what is less spoken about is the similarities with her mother, the Queen.' 'The common theme is humour and fun,' he added.
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