Princess Anne made her first public appearance today following the Palace's dramatic announcement that her younger brother has lost his princely status and must vacate his Windsor home.
The Princess Royal, 75, carried out scheduled engagements at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, maintaining her characteristic professionalism despite the family turmoil.
The visit occurred 24 hours after Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew would no longer use his prince title and must surrender his lease on Royal Lodge, where he has resided for two decades.
During the Captain's Team Run event, Anne displayed her usual dedication to royal duties, smiling whilst meeting rugby players.
Princess Anne makes first appearance since Andrew’s dramatic royal downfall
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Her appearance underscores the stark contrast between the monarchy's most industrious member and her scandal-plagued sibling, who now faces life as plain Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
Thursday evening's Palace announcement revealed that formal procedures have commenced to strip Andrew of his style, titles and honours, with royal warrants being dispatched to the Lord Chancellor.
The statement declared that "censures are deemed necessary" despite Andrew's continued denial of allegations against him, whilst expressing sympathy for abuse victims and survivors.
Sources indicate the monarch initiated this process independently, without governmental or familial pressure, following careful consideration of significant challenges.
Princess Anne, the trooper that she is, continued on with royal duties
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Andrew must now surrender his lease on the Grade II-listed Windsor estate, though technically he served notice himself rather than being formally evicted, suggesting acceptance of the decision.
The King's actions received full backing from Prince William and other royals, according to Palace insiders who emphasised the careful planning behind these measures.
Royal commentator Richard Kay claimed that both Anne and Edward harbour concerns about their brother's mental state amid the mounting pressure, with his reputation now "in the gutter".
The siblings believe there exists a duty of care towards Andrew, who remains ahead of Anne in succession due to male-preference primogeniture laws abolished only in 2013.
Princess Anne meeting the players during the Captain's Team Run at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
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Recent months have shown the siblings maintaining cordial relations, with Anne and Andrew conversing at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month, whilst William notably kept his distance.
Despite her reported concerns, Anne exemplifies the antithesis of Andrew's approach to royalty, having declined titles for her children and avoiding ostentatious displays.
The scandals precipitating Andrew's downfall include his documented association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, about whom he allegedly misrepresented the extent of their relationship.
Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir, released this month following her death at 41, contains explosive allegations describing Andrew as "entitled" and regarding sex as his "birthright".
A lorry driver joked about delivering ‘leaving drinks’ outside Royal Lodge for Andrew
| PAAndrew has always maintained his innocence and denies any wrongdoing.
The former prince paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in February 2022.
He currently faces a private prosecution alleging sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office.
His wife, Sarah, has also lost her duchess title, becoming simply Sarah Ferguson.