Anne Faces ‘Unpredictable’ Health Update Amid Her ‘Dying’ Brother Charles’ ‘Incurable’ Cancer Diagnosis—Her Replacement Is on ‘Standby’
The focus on King Charles’ health due to his cancer diagnosis can sometimes distract from the fact that, since Queen Elizabeth was monarch for so long, her son ascended to the throne way later than anyone expected. That means that on top of the concerns about his illness, there are the regular concerns of his age. This is also true of his siblings. And considering Princess Anne is widely regarded as the hardest working royal, that’s a particular concern for her.
Now, reports from New Idea indicate that Princess Anne has a plan for when her health fails her: her daughter, Zara Tindall. The outlet reports that insiders haver said, “Anne’s health is at the point where it can be unpredictable, so it makes sense to have Zara on standby.”
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“Anne’s been leaning on Zara to help prepare for the Festival of Nine Lessons carol service in London this year, and the understanding is she’s going to be shadowing her mum’s duties in case she has to step in,” a source told New Idea.
But it’s not just about that, but about traditions. “But more than that, Anne wants Zara to be able to continue some of the traditions important to her, like organising this annual carol service at the Tower of London in her role as President of The Mission to Seafarers,” the source explained.
Zara and Peter Tindall, Anne’s kids, don’t have titles. Children in the royal family are only entitled to the title of Prince if their father is in the direct line of succession. Despite that, Queen Elizabeth extended the courtesy to Zara and Peter, but Princess Anne declined.
“I think it was probably easier for them, and I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles. So I think that was probably the right thing to do,” Princess Anne said to Vanity Fair about the matter in 2020.
All of this comes amid reports that the Princess Royal has been advising her brother, King Charles, about the importance of family in the wake of his cancer diagnosis. “The news that her beloved brother’s cancer is incurable has forced her to face a devastating reality – there’s a sense of urgency and time’s running out,” a source told Woman’s Day.
“As tough as it’s been, Anne and Charles have been having serious discussions about his final wishes, all of which she has every intention of keeping – and it’s Anne that’s urging the King to pursue one in particular that right now appears to be impossible – finding a way to end this out-of-control feud between his sons, even if it’s not in his lifetime.”
This after Rob Shuter’s Substack, reported that the King is “dying” and his declining health has forced Prince William to take on more royal duties. The columnist said that Charles is “seriously unwell but determined to carry on,” with a source adding, “He’s exhausted, but he won’t stop. “Every morning he insists on reading his red boxes. He believes his service to the country is his calling — and he’ll keep going as long as he can.”
