Princess Anne voiced concern over Coronation hat that 'blocked Harry's view'

20 January 2024 , 12:37

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Princess Anne voiced concerns over her hat's size (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)

At King Charles's coronation last May, Princess Anne's plumed feather hat was a main character of its own and became pretty infamous for the way it blocked her nephew Prince Harry's view in the Westminster Abbey ceremony.

However, a royal author has revealed that the Princess Royal actually voiced concerns about the possibility of exactly that happening to whoever would be sitting behind her well before the coronation itself, but was encouraged to keep it on for the duration of the ceremony nonetheless. At the time, there was speculation online about whether Harry's position - which came with a limited view - was purposeful, and a way of signifying he had been placed in the cheap seats.

The revelation that Anne had expressed concerns came in Charles III: New King. New Court. The Inside Story - a new book by royal author Robert Hardman.

Hardman explained that despite speculation online from "social media snipers" who jumped to conclusions that Harry was "deliberately placed behind his aunt's tall hat to obscure his view", that's not actually what happened. He added: "It is nonsense. Not only do the Lord Chamberlain's Office not think like that, but the Princess Royal has only switched to that seat following her request for a speedy exit."

He also wrote that the insight came from an interview with Princess Anne, and she had directly pointed out how large the hat was and that it could get in the way while the coronation ceremony was going on. The book states: "'The hat was an interesting question,' the Princess recalled later. 'I said: 'Are you sure you want me to keep the hat on? Because it's quite a decent-sized hat.' And the answer was yes. There you go. Not my choice.'"

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Princess Anne played a central role at the coronation of her brother, as Gold-Stick-In-Waiting. She followed directly behind the Gold State Coach in the Coronation Procession back to Buckingham Palace after the service at Westminster Abbey was complete, leading over 6000 members of the armed services in one of the largest processions London had seen for decades.

The position of Gold-Stick-In-Waiting dates back centuries and was originally the sovereign's bodyguard - and is also the Colonel of the Life Guards and the Blues and Royal, something Anne has been since 1998.

She said to a Canadian news outlet of the appointment: "I have a role as the Colonel of the Blues and Royals in the Household Cavalry regiment as Gold Stick [in Waiting]. And Gold Stick was the original close protection officer. So that is a role I was asked if I'd like to do for this coronation, so I said yes. Not least of all, it solves my dress problem."

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Emma Mackenzie