EXCLUSIVE: The Reason No-Nonsense Princess Anne Is Refusing to Help Prince Harry Heal His Rift With King Charles
Princess Anne is staying away from the drama surrounding Prince Harry.
Oct. 3 2025, Published 5:50 p.m. ET
Princess Anne has earned a reputation as the royal family's hardest-working member – but sources tell RadarOnline.com there is "no way" that will extend to helping Prince Harry heal his rift with King Charles and The Firm.
Anne, 75, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has long been regarded as the monarchy's most dependable figure. Last year, she completed 474 official engagements at home and abroad, more than any other royal, despite recovering from a concussion after a riding accident on her Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire.
The Monarchy's Most Dependable Workhorse
Princess Anne is the hardest-working royal but won’t mediate Harry’s feud.
But insiders say her no-nonsense style means she has little appetite for involving herself in family dramas – including the breakdown in relations between her brother, 76, and his youngest son Harry, 41.
A source close to the Princess Royal claimed: "Anne isn't inclined to get involved in Harry's issues. She feels it's not her role – he decided to step away from royal duties, and with that choice, she believes, he also gave up the backing that comes with the family."
Harry Ignored the Ideal Guide
'Anne sees Harry as having betrayed his father and brother,' one insider said.
Another insider said: "Had Harry sought guidance on life as the second-born, Anne would have been the ideal person to turn to. But since he's made plain he doesn't wish to embrace that role, she considers the issue finished."
Harry has admitted his relationship with Charles is strained. In his memoir Spare, he described feeling sidelined within the royal hierarchy.
Observers note that Anne faced the same circumstances as a younger sibling but chose to embrace the role. She became a key support to her mother during decades of service and played a central role in Charles' coronation as 'Gold-Stick-in-Waiting' – a position of honor symbolizing her loyalty to the sovereign.
Loyalty Over Family Feuds
Observers noted she thrived as a second-born, unlike Harry.
An insider claimed: "Anne would have been perfectly placed to guide Harry. She has proved that being the second child doesn't have to mean being sidelined – it can mean becoming the monarch's most reliable support. But I don't think she will step in now. For Anne, loyalty is everything, and she sees Harry as having betrayed his father, his brother, and the entire royal institution."
Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, 44, infamously stepped back from their senior roles in 2020 and have since settled in California. Their public criticisms of the monarchy, from the Oprah Winfrey interview to Spare, have widened the gulf with the royal family.
Anne Keeps Her Focus on Duty
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Experts say Anne embodies what Harry could have been as the 'spare.'
While Charles has made attempts to rebuild contact, William remains estranged, and Anne, sources say, sees little to be gained from intervening.
"Anne has always been about keeping her head down and focusing on her duties," one family associate said. "She doesn't view it as her responsibility to sort out other people's messes – particularly when those difficulties stem from their own decisions."
