Princess Anne rejects 'slimmed down' monarchy

Princess Anne has said slimming down the British monarchy is not a good idea in an interview with Canadian public broadcaster CBC ahead of her brother's coronation this weekend.

King Charles III's only sister, who is often referred to as the hardest-working royal and who undertook 214 public engagements last year, explained that the family is already stretched thin.

"I think the 'slimmed down' (idea) was said in a day when there were a few more people around. It doesn't sound like a good idea from where I'm standing, I would say. I'm not quite sure what else we can do," the 72-year-old said when asked about proposals floated to modernize the monarchy.

She added that she does not expect any major changes to the functioning of the institution under King Charles.

"Well, you know what you're getting because he's been practicing for a bit, and I don't think he'll change," she said, in the interview broadcast late Monday

"You know, he is committed to his own level of service, and that will remain true."

The royal family, she said, would support Charles in his role as King, as they did their mother Queen Elizabeth II before her death at age 96 in September 2022.

Charles's coronation, which will be attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is scheduled for Saturday.

Several events to mark the beginning of his reign have been scheduled in Canada, including Indigenous music performances, the release of a new stamp and a 21-gun salute fired from Parliament Hill.

Canadians, however, are conflicted, with 54 percent, according to a recent Ipsos poll, believing Canada should end its formal ties to the monarchy.

Eight in ten approved of Queen Elizabeth, but only 56 percent are confident her son Charles will do a good job as king.

Pitching its benefits to Canadians, Princess Anne said: "I would just underline that the monarchy provides with the Constitution a degree of long term stability. This is actually quite hard to come by any other way."

© 2023 AFP