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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

Princess Anne’s daughter can't choose just one word to describe her mother

Last week, ITV aired a special documentary about Princess Anne in celebration of her upcoming 70th birthday on August 15.

Anne: The Princess Royal At 70 provided an in-depth look a the Queen’s daughter’s life, covering everything from her work (she famously completes nearly 500 engagements each year) to how she’s coping with the coronavirus lockdown.

The documentary also shared footage from interviews conducted with Princess Anne, as well as her husband and children.

Princess Anne in 2016 (Getty Images)

In a previously unreleased clip, interviewer Robert Hardman asked Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, and daughter, Zara Tindall, to describe their mother in one word.

“I wish you’d told us this at the beginning, then we could have thought about it all the way through,” Tindall responded.

Peter and Zara celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002 (Getty Images)

“If you’d read your notes, you’d have known this question was coming,” Phillips teased his sister in typical older brother fashion.

After Tindall shot back that Phillips didn’t seem to have an answer prepared either, Phillips shared his thoughts. “I don’t know whether this is the right word,” he began, before stating his choice. “Tenacious, I think, is a pretty good word to sum her up.”

Princess Anne awards Zara with a silver medal during the 2012 Olympics (Getty Images)

Having had a moment to think, the Queen’s granddaughter decided that one word wouldn’t do it. “I don’t think you can sum her up in one word,” she said, to which her brother agreed. “It’s a bit stingy,” she added.

After Hardman relented and offered Tindall three words, she decided on “professional, caring, honest."

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