Princess Anne’s golden rule she breaks for her 6 grandchildren

When she’s not travelling for work, Princess Anne can relax with her two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, at the Gatcombe Park estate, where they all have homes within close proximity. 

This allows Anne to carry out grandmother duties with Zara and her husband Mike’s three kids, Mia, Lena and Lucas, and Peter and his new wife Harriet Sperling’s blended family, Savannah, Isla and Georgina.

Famed for her no-nonsense attitude, Anne softens her hard exterior when it comes to spending time with her grandchildren, according to Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine. 

Speaking of Anne’s strict rule on public engagements, she told HELLO!: “Anne has a very masculine energy but definitely has a soft side, like Prince Philip did, and she is very proud of Peter and Zara.

“She’s always refused to be photographed kissing babies in public, but she’s different with her own grandchildren and she obviously adores them.”

Proof of this exception was captured on camera back in 2016, when The Princess Royal planted an affectionate kiss on Mia’s cheek as they watched Zara play in a Jockeys vs Olympians charity polo match.

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Anne’s tough exterior at public engagements is in stark contrast to the likes of King Charles’ late ex-wife Princess Diana, who was known for her soft, caring approach to children, including her iconic hug with an HIV-positive child in Brazil in 1991. Prince William’s wife, Princess Kate, has also adopted this mothering approach to public engagement, regularly cooing over young babies.

Rare family comments

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However, at home, Zara and Peter have revealed that their mother has developed a very close bond with her grandkids. “She loves seeing them ride; she loves having them round for Sunday lunches and taking them for walks, doing all the things that we would do as kids. We quite like leaving them on Sundays. We’ll say: ‘We’ll pick them up later – bye,'” they said in an ITV documentary to mark her 70th birthday in 2020.

As well as horse riding, Anne shares her equestrian passions with her family by joining them at events such as the Festival of British Eventing and Whatley Manor Horse Trials, both hosted at her 730-acre estate, Gatcombe Park. 

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In the past, she has been pictured holding onto Mia’s hand or enjoying a drive, but Anne said that despite optics, she doesn’t see as much of her grandkids as she would like.

On the subject of sharing her conservation knowledge with future generations, the 75-year-old said: “I don’t see so much of them but making the point that they live in an area which they shouldn’t take for granted is important I think; both my children are aware of that.”

Cooking is on the agenda when they do get to spend precious time together at Anne’s private home with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. During her visit to The Naval Children’s Charity in 2025, the Princess was shown a children’s apron and joked: “Yes, I don’t think that’s going to fit me! It might fit my grandchildren – they all cook, actually.”