Princess Anne told her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence to ‘ignore’ the group of anti-monarchy protestors during the Commonwealth Day service, a lip reader has revealed.
On Monday, King Charles led the largest gathering of senior royals since the arrest of his disgraced younger brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, as the Royal Family marked the occasion at Westminster Abbey.
The event was attended by Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Princess Anne, 75, who was typically stoic when Sir Tim, 71, pointed out a small but noisy group of protestors waving banners that read ‘What Did You Know?’ and ‘Not My King’.
They were part of the Republic pressure group campaigning for the abolition of the monarchy, as members outside the Abbey questioned the King and senior royals about the scandal surrounding Andrew’s friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Princess Anne told Sir Tim ‘don’t listen to them, ignore them’ when they walked into the Abbey in London, according to forensic lip reader Nicola Hickling.
‘Oh listen to that, do you know what it is they’re playing?’ asked the Princess Royal as she walked past the band, no doubt in an effort to distract from the protesters’ shouts.
The no-nonsense Anne would likely have had the same advice for her brother, King Charles, when His Majesty seemingly expressed concerns about the protest.
‘It’s not good out there…it’s rather tense, isn’t it? It’s not good,’ he appeared to say, before greeting the rest of his family.
Princess Anne walking past a group of anti-monarchy protestors outside Westminster Abbey on Monday
Princess Anne told Sir Tim ‘don’t listen to them, ignore them’, as they arrived for the Commonwealth Day service in London, according to lip reader Nicola Hickling
Charles, 77, then ‘seemed to say something further to Kate and William, prompting the Prince to step slightly forward and respond: “We’re not happy”.’
During a brief exchange with his aunt, the future king, 43, also told Anne ‘I’ve had enough of hearing his name‘, but Nicola was unable to confirm who the Prince was referring to.
His ‘telling’ comments could be in connection with the ongoing fallout surrounding Andrew, after the 66-year-old was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in office two weeks ago.
Nicola said it was unclear what Anne said to her nephew to prompt this reaction as her back was to the camera.
However, during the ‘brief and subdued’ conversation, William also said: ‘It’s up for debate.’
Meanwhile, King Charles shared a tense moment with his son upon his arrival, saying ‘Oh finally’ whilst wearing an irritated expression, the lip reader claimed.
William responded with a quick greeting, kissing his father on both cheeks, but did not appear to say anything in return.
Anne later had a more light-hearted exchange with Kate, 44, when they were forced to deviate from royal protocol during the event.
The pair were both wearing stylish, if rather large, hats that made a formal kiss greeting rather difficult to pull off.
Footage taken ahead of the service at London’s Westminster Abbey showed how no-nonsense Anne, 75, improvised by blowing Kate a kiss from afar to avoid bumping hats.
Dressed in an all-green ensemble, Anne spotted Kate making her way over to the group and instead blew her an affectionate kiss to avoid any chance of a hat collision.
The Prince of Wales had a brief chat with his aunt, the Princess Royal, who wore an all-green ensemble
The Princess of Wales, who greeted Sir Tim with a kiss, proceeded to place a delicate hand on Anne’s arm before the pair erupted into laughter at their hilarious dilemma.
As the royals arrived at the prestigious event, William, 43, was also seen shaking hands and making light conversation with Sir Tim Lawerence, before greeting his aunt with a kiss on each cheek.
During the service, Kate dazzled in a cobalt Catherine Walker dress coat and five-strand pearl necklace that belonged to her husband’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
The collared gown, which accentuated her silhouette and featured a pleated skirt, was teamed with a sophisticated felt Sean Barrett hat, worn by the future Queen for the 2023 event as well.
Anne, meanwhile, opted for a forest green pencil skirt and jacket which was pinned with a rose coloured diamond and gold floral brooch – believed to have been an 18th birthday gift from the late Queen and Prince Philip.
The iconic brooch was also worn by the Princess Royal during her 1973 engagement photos with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
On Monday, large crowds had gathered to catch a glimpse of the royal party, who joined an 1,800-strong congregation celebrating the historic ‘family of nations’ formed in the breakdown of the British empire but now comprising 56 independent member countries, united by ‘shared values including a commitment to promoting democracy, human rights, the rule of law and equality for its 2.7 billion citizens’.
The royal party arrived to a fanfare inside the Abbey with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester arriving first, followed by the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and then William and Kate.
All were greeted by the Dean of Westminster and presented to the Chapter and members of the Royal Commonwealth Society.
They included the Commonwealth Secretary General, The Hon Shirley Botchwey, and Chair of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Janet Cooper.
Led by the King, the family then formed into a processional group ahead of the National Anthem.
The party walked to their seats behind the Commonwealth Mace Bearer during the first hymn ‘Praise To The Lord, The Almighty, The King Of Creation’.
In his annual Commonwealth Day message – which this year emphasises the theme of ‘collaboration’ – King Charles acknowledged deeply challenging times globally, but insisted it was also an opportunity for the Commonwealth to demonstrate its ‘enduring spirit’.
In his address, which was printed in the order of service, he said: ‘We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility.
‘Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed.
‘Ours is a remarkable association that spans every ocean and continent. Embracing an extraordinary diversity of culture, language and faith, our Commonwealth family is united by shared values of justice, democracy, opportunity, compassion and mutual respect.
King Charles and Queen Camilla attending the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey
The King and Queen joined the Prince and Princess of Wales at the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey
‘In a world that can feel increasingly fragmented, this voluntary union of free association remains rare and precious – a forum for open and honest discussion and debate to help improve the lives of the nearly three billion people who call our Member States home.’
He stressed that the organisation holds ‘untapped potential for prosperous trade between trusting partners’ – which some might consider a backhanded nod towards US President Donald Trump and his controversial trade tariffs.
He added: ‘With nearly two-thirds of our population under the age of thirty, we are a family defined by youth and possibility. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that they inherit not only hope and ambition, but also a world in which they can flourish.’
The King also used his message to highlight an environmental message, saying the inheritance of the Commonwealth ‘depends upon the health of our planet and on the restoration of the natural world on which we depend’.
He continued: ‘Across so many parts of our Commonwealth climate change is not an abstract or distant threat, but a lived reality. The stewardship of nature, the protection of oceans and forests, and the pursuit of prosperity secured in harmony with the natural world are duties we owe not only to one another, but to generations yet unborn.’
Highlighting this autumn’s biannual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, the King stressed that the organisation was very much the sum of its parts, saying: ‘We are reminded that the great gatherings of our nations are strengthened by the daily endeavours of their people. What distinguishes the Commonwealth is not only what our governments resolve together, but what our people do each day in countless acts of service, enterprise and creativity.
‘When leaders meet, they do so on behalf of millions whose quiet determination, resilience and generosity give true meaning to our shared endeavour.
‘Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good – grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that has a return on investment, enriched by culture, steadfast in its care for our planet, and united in friendship and in the service of its people.’
