Frugal Princess Anne's thrifty hotel request that saved her £40

Princess Anne's thrifty hotel request has been unearthed and we really love that the Princess Royal is such a bargain hunter!

In 2012, the Princess Royal visited the Manor House Hotel in Oban, Scotland. While staying in this property the Princess was originally assigned a room that was £225 for dinner, bed and breakfast and came with a sea view. However, the Princess requested a cheaper bedroom without a sea view - and saved herself £40! Instead, the Princess was placed into a less expensive room that had a view of the entrance to the hotel, which is probably rather different to her sprawling country estate at Gatcombe Park.

The Daily Mail reported this story when it took place over ten years ago and discovered why the Princess was trying to pinch pennies and save some cash when it came to her bedroom for the night.

A spokesman for the hotel explained that the Princess didn't see the point in having a stunning view, as she wouldn't be able to appreciate it. "She did not want a sea view because she would be arriving at night and leaving early," said the spokesperson. 

The spokesperson also revealed that despite their brief stay, the Princess was very interested in learning about the history of the hotel. "She and her husband stayed one night and had dinner. She was very interested in the hotel and its history. It was a private visit and had been booked in advance. She did not sign the visitors’ book but seemed to enjoy her stay," they said.

A spokesman for Buckingham Palace added a comment that the Princess was visiting the hotel privately. This suggests that it wouldn't have been funded by the sovereign grant and instead was paid out of her own pocket - perhaps why the Princess wanted to save a bit of cash. "It was an entirely private visit. She had no official engagements that day," said Buckingham Palace.

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The Princess is known for being rather thrifty and this is even present in her fashion choices. The Princess rarely throws clothes away and earlier this year Princess Anne showcased her thrifty style as she re-wore a jazzy yellow and navy plaid blazer from her 90s wardrobe! The Princess showed that there's really nothing wrong with wearing a piece for 30 years + and made a great case for investing in quality pieces and re-wearing them as a vintage style decades later.