As Elizabeth’s eldest children, Charles and Anne were engrained in the public eye.
They were born less than two years apart and have always maintained a close relationship.
As youngsters, the pair bonded over common interests like travel and gardening.
“We had great fun trying to grow tomatoes rather unsuccessfully and things like that.”
Thanks to this unique set of circumstances, Charles and Anne had vastly different childhood experiences.
Of course, no ascension is complete without a glitzy coronation ceremony.
On June 2, 1953, guests packed the halls of Westminster Abbey to witnessQueen Elizabeth’s historic crowning.
One of the attendees was her young son and new heir apparent, then-Prince Charles.
However, notably absent was the queen’s daughter, Princess Anne.
At just 2 years old, Anne was deemed too young to attend the coronation ceremony.
During the coronation, Charles appeared visibly bored.
In his defense, it didn’t appear to be a very kid-friendly affair.
Despite Anne’s absence from the ceremony, the young princess did make an appearance later in the day.
The curly-haired tot was front-and-center during the balcony reception following Elizabeth’s coronation ceremony.
Upon her death in 2022, Elizabeth was one of the world’s most prominent figures.
But like all the greats, her story involved sacrifices.
Serving the crown required Elizabeth to forfeit time with her children, King Charles III and Princess Anne.
The queen counted on her husband, Prince Philip, to take on the majority of child-rearing duties.
On the other hand, Anne’s relationship with the queen was anything but distant.
They also bonded over their enjoyment of horses and equestrian sports.
In 2002, Anne publicly defended Elizabeth’s parenting style.
“It just beggars belief.”
Both children had a relationship with their dad, but it wasn’t always a tender one.
Philip was a hands-on father who enjoyed family activities like sailing and camping.
However, he reportedly struggled to form an emotional bond with his children.
Philip was said to have been stern and insensitive toward the young royals.
Despite his hard exterior, Philip bonded with Anne over horses.
Both were accomplished equestrians, and Philip enthusiastically supported Anne’s riding career.
Some royal experts speculate that Anne was Philip’s favorite child.
On the other hand, Charles had a stormy relationship with his father.
“And his son is very sensitive.
It hasn’t been easy for either of them.”
As a child, Charles was expected to embody a polite, stoic persona.
Meanwhile, Anne got away with being less polished.
Some experts suggest that Charles felt weighed down by the knowledge of his impending kinghood.
According to family friend Eileen Parker, Anne ran circles around her older brother.
“When [Anne] got really worked up, she would start throwing things at him.
She was very strong-willed, a real menace.”
Case in point:Anne is lower in the line of succession than you might think.
At birth, Anne was third in the lineup.
When Anne’s younger brothers were born, they surpassed her in the line of succession.
Subsequently, the princess was bumped even further down the line by her brothers' children and grandchildren.
On the flip side, Charles' place in the succession line has always been firm.
In 2024, the Princess Royal is 17th in line for the throne.
However, the Act doesn’t apply retroactively, meaning that Anne will never become queen.
Some royal watchers believe that Anne’s distance from the crown is a major loss for England.
After discovering her passion for horseback riding, the young royal decided to run with it.
Anne entered her first riding competition at age 11.
In the following years, she became an equestrian superstar.
The royal went on to win numerous awards, including a gold medal at the European Eventing Championships.
In 1976, Anne competed in the Olympic Games, making her the first royal to ever do so.
For Charles, however, following his passion was never an option.
From an early age, he knew his future was inextricably tied to the monarchy.
In 1969, the then-prince opened up toTimeabout what it felt like to have his fate preordained.
“First I thought of being the proverbial engine driver or something.
Then I wanted to grow up to be a sailor,” the monarch told Time.
“When I started shooting, I thought how marvelous it would be to be a big-game hunter.
I went from one thing to the other until I realized I was rather stuck.”
Charles' boozy adventure was captured by a journalist and published in tabloids across the world.
Like her brother, Princess Anne has a volatile history with the media.
At one point, she was even dubbed “Her Royal Rudeness.”
Meanwhile, Charles has been weathering bad press since childhood.
Anne was a student at Benenden School, a prominent all-girls institution in England.
As for Charles, he attended Gordonstoun, a boarding school in northern Scotland.
Unlike Anne, he struggled to fit in and was bullied mercilessly by his peers.
In 1964, the prince wrote a letter describing the torment from his “horrid” classmates.
“I still wish I could come home.
It’s such a hole this place!”
(viaThe Guardian).
Before Charles' time, successors to the crown were strictly homeschooled.
Thus, his exodus to boarding school represented a major shift in royal protocol.
At the time, the school was known for being harsh and authoritarian.
Their educational strategy involved teaching students responsibility and self-discipline by exposing them to physical discomfort.
A typical day at the school involved early morning runs and mandatory cold showers.
Students were forced to wear shorts year-round even in biting cold temperatures.
With those details in mind, some might argue that Princess Anne dodged a bullet by not attending Gordonstoun.
Nowadays, Gordonstoun has changed their policy and girls are welcome on campus.
Contrary to their uncle, both Zara and Peter have said that they enjoyed their time at Gordonstoun.
For starters, Anne was a dynamo at sports.
Her favorite activities were sailing and of course, horseback riding.
I don’t ever remember not riding."
As a child, Charles was encouraged to be athletic, but it wasn’t his passion.
Instead, Charles gravitated to the arts.
The royal enjoyed drawing, painting, pottery, and music.
He also had a flare for drama.
Charles graduated with a Bachelor of the Arts, thus becoming the first college-educated member of the royal family.
Princess Anne, on the other hand, didn’t have the same academic gusto as her older brother.
Thus, at age 18, Anne officially became a working royal.
