Princess Anne wearing her St John Ambulance uniform for an official portrait in Buckingham Palace.

📸 Patrick Lichfield

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Philip also spent summer holidays with the Foufounises at Berk Plage, where he and his sisters would go to stay for up to three months at a time. The eldest Foufounis girl, Ria, was in a plaster up to her hips for four years as a result of a bad fall, and Helene later described how Philip would sit for long periods next to her bed talking to her, refusing to be lured away by the other children.

One day a spectacularly insensitive guest bought some toys for all the children except Ria, explaining to her that 'you can't play like the others'. The others were stunned by this, none more so than four-year-old Philip, whose eyes 'grew wider and bluer. He looked at Ria, who was trying very hard not to cry,then he ran out of the room and returned ten minutes later with his arms full of his own battered toys, and his new one, and he put them all on Ria's bed saying, "All this is yours!"''

'Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early Life' by Philip Eade (2011)

“Cluff had friends in high places and once spent a weekend with Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips as fellow guests. All could leave a note requesting alarm calls and breakfast, so Cluff wrote “7.30 and with a cup of tea”. Thirsty in the night, he went to the kitchen and noted that the princess took after her aunt Margaret more than her mother, the Queen. Her order read: “12 noon, gin and tonic”.

An extract from a Times Diary article about the new memoir of the former Guards officer and entrepreneur Algy Cluff

13 April 1927 Front cover of the Tatler featuring a portrait of Queen Mary holding her granddaughter Princess Elizabeth of York (later Queen Elizabeth II) shortly before her first birthday. The Princess was being cared for by her grandparents while the Duke and Duchess of York were on tour in Australia. King George and Queen Mary proved adoring grandparents to the Princess known as 'Lilibet' within the family. © Historia

The Citizen October 11th 1993

Tim would drink it 🤭

A fun fact! During the State Opening of Parliament a hostage from the Houses of Parliament is taken just before The Queen leaves for Parliament and is held at Buckingham Palace. This tradition, which dates back to the reign of Charles l, is a reminder that the Sovereign and Parliament did not always share an easy relationship: the 'hostage' guarantees The Queen's safe return to Buckingham Palace. Rest easy, though: the 'hostage', who is usually the Vice-Chamberlain of The Queen's Household and a government whip, is entertained with tea and biscuits while he or she watches The Queen deliver her speech on television.'

‘The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe’ by Angela Kelly (2019).

'I relayed this to Her Majesty, with whom I know felt quite comfortable to enjoy some casual chat, and told her how much I loved gazing at the stars. It turned out that The Queen shared this passion and we looked out of the window into the the darkness together. She pointed out the various constellations - the Plough, Ursa Major and Cassiopeia - and I mentiond that I had brought a telescope with me. Her Majesty suggested that as it was a very clear, cold night, I should wrap up, go outside, and stand in front of the Castle shortly before midnight for the best view. I pointed out that the police probably wouldn't apreciate me setting off all the alarmas in the middle of the night, so instead, I asked of I could take a car to drive up to the Glenshee, on of Highlands' highest peaks. The Queen thought I was crazy and was reluctant to let me drive there alone, so she asked one of her duty protection officers to escort me. [...] The next morning, I was full of excitement. I rushed up to Her Majesty and could not stop talking about how wonderful the experience had been.'

‘The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe’ by Angela Kelly (2019).

In 1943, while she was at the hospital recovering of some wounds she had during a bombing, a 4 year old Betty Hyde, recieved from Queen Mother Elizabeth of Great Britain, some bananas, a hard to get and rare fruit during war days.

Sixty four years later, in 2008, she gave to Queen Mums daughter, Queen Elizabeth II  two bananas, as a symbol of gratitude.

“Prince Philip was always ‘putting in something,’ not merely to amuse himself and his wife—though there is no need to put absolute faith in the story that before one public speech, when he thought the microphone was not yet switched on, he had said to her encouragingly, ‘Don’t look so sad, Sausage.’ When asked by the press afterwards whether it was true that he called the Queen ‘Little Sausage,’ he replied with a bland smile, ‘I don’t, but I well may.’”

The Queen: The Life of Elizabeth II by Elizabeth Longford

"I waited in The Queen's room for her to return and when she came in, and walked across the room, I said, 'Your Majesty, there's a funny-looking grey bird on your balcony.' Without a pause, The Queen looked outside and shouted, 'It's a kookaburra!' I went to open the cage doors and she said loudly, 'No! Don't do that! It will fly away!' and was behind me in a flash. I went to the bird, picked it up and, turning to Her Majesty while trying to keep a straight face, I solemnly told her it was dead. She looked horrified as I walked towards her with outstretched arms and as she took the bird from my hands, she realised I had been winding her up all along. It was really a stuffed toy. 'April Fool!' I said, with a mischievous grin on my face and she had only two words for me: 'You're sacked!' I was laughing uncontrollably as Her Majesty turend to His Royal Highness, and said 'Do you know what she just done to me? Angela has had me!' and I just couldn't stop giggling."

‘The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe’ by Angela Kelly (2019).

However, she [the Queen] is entirely forgiving of honest mistakes, such as that of an unfortunate first lady of Finland. Sylvi Kekkonen accompanied her husband, Urho, on his 1969 state visit to London as Finnish president. Unfortunately, she muddled up her medication, took a sleeping pill instead of her heart pill, and had to be gently propped upright by the Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne for the duration of the carriage procession to the palace. 'The Queen still loves telling that story,' says a former official.

‘Queen of Our Times: The Life of Queen Elizabeth ll’ by Robert Hardman (2022).

12 April 2024 Princess Anne & Zara Tindall: 75 years of History, Badminton Horse Trials © Badminton TV

British Royal Family - The Princess Royal made Alex Mcleish an Officer of the Order of the British Empire at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. The honour recognizes services to charity. (Photo by Jonathan Brady) | April 09, 2024