The young royal experts think is the ‘next Princess Anne’
Princess Charlotte is being tipped by some royal commentators as a possible “next Princess Anne” because of her confident personality, strong presence, and unique position within the Wales family. As the younger sister of future King Prince George, Charlotte could one day play an important supporting role within the monarchy, much like Princess Anne has supported King Charles. While her future role is impossible to predict, the comparison has sparked fascinating discussion about the next generation of the royal family and whether Charlotte could eventually become one of its most dependable and hardworking members.
Princess Charlotte is once again being compared with her great-aunt, Princess Anne, after royal commentators highlighted similarities between the young princess and one of the monarchy’s most famously hardworking figures. The comparison has attracted attention because of Charlotte’s confident personality, her composed behavior during public appearances, and the unique position she could eventually occupy within the next generation of the royal family. One royal author, Tom Quinn, has previously suggested there is a “definite parallel” between Charlotte and Anne, particularly in the way Charlotte could potentially support her older brother, Prince George, in the future. (Showbiz Cheat Sheet)
Princess Anne has spent decades establishing herself as one of the monarchy’s most dependable members. She has become known for her strong work ethic, independence, straightforward personality, and dedication to royal duties. Rather than relying heavily on glamour or constant media attention, Anne has built her reputation through years of consistent public service.
That history is what makes the comparison with Charlotte so interesting.
Charlotte is still young, and there is obviously no way to know exactly what kind of royal she will become. However, commentators have pointed to her confidence and seemingly grounded personality as qualities that could eventually help her take on a substantial role within the monarchy.
Her position within the Wales family makes the comparison even more intriguing. Charlotte is the only daughter of Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, and she is growing up alongside her brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis.
George is expected to become King in the future, meaning that he will eventually face enormous responsibilities and expectations. Charlotte, meanwhile, may have the opportunity to establish a role that supports her brother without carrying the same pressure of being the future monarch.
This is similar to the relationship between King Charles and Princess Anne.
Charles was born into the knowledge that he would one day become King, while Anne knew from childhood that she would not inherit the throne. That difference helped shape their respective roles within the royal family. Anne was able to develop her own identity while becoming a reliable source of support for her older brother. Royal author Tom Quinn has suggested that a similar dynamic could eventually emerge between George and Charlotte. (Showbiz Cheat Sheet)
That does not mean Charlotte is destined to become another Princess Anne. Her future will ultimately depend on her own personality, interests, choices, and the circumstances facing the monarchy when she reaches adulthood.
But the similarities are certainly fascinating.
Charlotte has occasionally attracted attention for appearing confident and assertive during royal events. Her interactions with her brothers have also become a popular subject among royal watchers, particularly when she appears to demonstrate awareness of royal protocol or takes a confident role within the family.
Some observers interpret those moments as signs of a strong personality, while others simply see them as normal behavior from a young child growing up with two brothers.
Either way, Charlotte’s position is unique.
She is not the heir, but she is also not a distant member of the royal family. She is directly connected to the future King and could eventually become one of the most important members of the next generation.
That is where the “next Princess Anne” comparison becomes particularly powerful.
Anne has demonstrated that a royal does not need to be first in line to the throne to become enormously important. Her career has shown that supporting roles can be just as valuable as positions directly connected to succession.
If Charlotte eventually chooses to undertake full-time royal duties, she could potentially become a major representative of the monarchy, supporting charitable causes, attending official engagements, traveling overseas, and assisting the future King.
The monarchy of Charlotte’s adulthood, however, will almost certainly look different from the institution Anne joined.
Anne grew up in a period when royal life was dominated by newspapers, television, and formal public appearances. Charlotte is growing up in an age of social media, smartphones, instant video, and constant online commentary.
Every public appearance can be photographed and shared around the world almost immediately.
That environment could make Charlotte’s eventual role more challenging, but it could also make her more visible and influential.
The younger generation of royals will likely need to develop their own ways of communicating with the public. Charlotte could therefore inherit some of Anne’s qualities while creating an entirely different style of royal service.
Another fascinating element is the possibility that Charlotte could eventually receive the title Princess Royal.
The title is traditionally granted by the reigning monarch to the monarch’s eldest daughter and is currently held by Princess Anne. Because Charlotte is the only daughter of William and Catherine, royal watchers have speculated that she could one day hold the title, although that would depend on circumstances far in the future.
For now, there is no guarantee that Charlotte will receive the title, and it is important not to confuse speculation with an official royal plan.
What seems more certain is that her position within the family will remain important.
As George prepares for his future role, Charlotte could become one of the people closest to him. Their relationship may develop naturally over the years, but the possibility of a strong brother-sister partnership has already attracted considerable attention.
The comparison with Charles and Anne is therefore not simply about personality.
It is also about family structure.
Charles had a younger sister who became one of his most dependable supporters. George has a younger sister who could potentially occupy a similar position in the future.
Of course, Charlotte may choose a completely different path.
The younger generation of royals has more possibilities than previous generations, and Charlotte may eventually have interests that take her in a direction no one currently expects.
Her parents may also want to provide her with greater freedom and a more normal upbringing before she takes on serious public responsibilities.
That makes predictions about her future particularly uncertain.
Nevertheless, the qualities associated with Princess Anne provide an interesting model.
Anne is respected for being hardworking, independent, practical, and committed. She has rarely appeared interested in unnecessary drama, instead focusing on her responsibilities and continuing with her work.
If Charlotte eventually develops similar qualities, it is easy to understand why some royal observers believe she could become the next generation’s equivalent of Anne.
The comparison also suggests that Charlotte may not need to compete with George for attention.
Instead, her greatest strength could be her ability to complement him.
A future King needs reliable people around him, and a close family member who understands the pressures of royal life could potentially become an invaluable source of support.
This was one of the most important aspects of Anne’s relationship with Charles.
She has spent decades supporting the Crown while maintaining her own identity, and that balance has helped make her one of the monarchy’s most recognizable working royals.
Charlotte could eventually follow a similar model.
She may become a royal who is respected not because she constantly seeks the spotlight, but because she quietly carries out her responsibilities and remains dependable when important moments arise.
That possibility is particularly interesting because the modern monarchy has a relatively small number of senior working royals compared with previous generations.
As older members eventually step back, younger members may be expected to take on more responsibilities.
Charlotte could therefore become increasingly important as the monarchy moves into the era of George’s eventual reign.
But there is still a very long road ahead.
Charlotte has many years before she will need to make decisions about her future role. Her education, interests, friendships, career ambitions, and personal preferences will all shape the person she eventually becomes.
It would be unfair to place the full weight of royal expectations on her while she is still growing up.
The “next Princess Anne” label should therefore be viewed as an interesting prediction rather than a predetermined future.
What makes the story compelling is the possibility that a familiar royal pattern could appear again.
King Charles has a sister who became a strong and dependable supporter.
Prince George may one day have a sister who plays a similarly important role.
Whether Charlotte actually follows that path is impossible to know.
But if she does, she could become one of the most significant supporting figures of the next royal generation.
She could combine the traditional sense of duty associated with Princess Anne with a modern approach suited to the changing monarchy.
And that may ultimately be what makes the comparison so interesting.
Charlotte does not need to become exactly like Anne. She may develop her own personality, her own priorities, and her own way of serving the Crown.
But if she inherits Anne’s determination, confidence, independence, and strong sense of responsibility, she could eventually become the kind of royal who stands quietly beside the future King while carrying an important share of the monarchy’s responsibilities.
For now, the prediction remains just that—a prediction.
Charlotte is still growing up, and her future remains entirely open.
Yet the idea that she could one day become the “next Princess Anne” has captured the imagination of royal watchers because it connects two generations of the family in a remarkably similar way: a future King with a younger sister who could become one of his strongest supporters.
If history does repeat itself, Princess Charlotte may eventually discover that her most important royal role is not necessarily to stand at the center of the throne—but to stand beside the person who will one day sit on it.