King Charles’ New Bodyguard Reminds Him of His Late Mother in Many Ways
King Charles III succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth II upon her death on Sept. 8, 2022. Since that day, he has received unwavering support from the other members of the royal family. And now the monarch is expressing his gratitude for one person who has always shown strong loyalty to the monarchy.
Here’s more on that and why King Charles’ new bodyguard reminds him of his mother.
Who King Charles appointed as his new bodyguard
For the king’s speech at the State Opening of Parliament in the U.K. on Nov. 7, Charles appointed his sibling, Princess Anne, as his bodyguard.
This isn’t the first time Anne took on the Gold-Stick-in-Waiting role in which she is entrusted with the king’s personal safety. She served as her brother’s bodyguard when she rode on horseback during the procession to Buckingham Palace the day of his coronation. The role also means that if the king falls ill or finds himself abroad, the Princess Royal is able to step in and take his place.
Someone who used to work for the royal family weighed in the king’s choice to appoint Anne as his personal bodyguard.
Grant Harrold was King Charles’ butler from 2004 to 2011. He discussed Anne’s new role as well as Charles’ relationship with his sister and how close they always were.
Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie the monarch’s former employee said: “Princess Anne and the king have always had a close relationship. She lives within 10-15 minutes of Charles. The king is based at Highgrove while Anne is at Gatcombe. It’s a very short distance. They’ve been neighbors for many, many years — about 40 years — they had a close upbringing together. I think the two of them are closer than they are to the other brothers. They’ve been through a lot together, especially in the early years.
“Anne has obviously been a Counsellor of State, which is who stands in for the king if he’s overseas or unwell — it’s quite an important role and he’s made it possible for Anne to stand in. Becoming one of the bodyguards is a longstanding tradition going back to Henry VIII — it’s a very significant role. Anne would very much come to Charles’ aid without any question, but it’s more of a symbolic role, more than anything, and it’s a significant role because it shows how much Anne means to Charles.”
Princess Anne reminds the king of their late mother
Harrold also said that Princess Anne reminds Charles of their mother in many ways.
“There’s parts of Princess Anne that remind the king of his mother and vice versa, which is quite common in siblings. When your parents are no longer around, you rely on the support of the others. Anne was second in line to the throne many, many years ago and I think what the king is doing is showing the family and his country, the Commonwealth, that his sister is a really important part of his household.
“She will take this role very seriously, and I think it shows how much the king is changing the monarchy and making it his own.”
