Princess Anne won’t receive prestigious title she was once dubbed ‘good fit’ for after royal announcement

Princess Anne hasn’t received a prestigious title that she was once dubbed a ‘good fit’ for after a recent royal announcement.  

• The Princess Royal was once expected by some to be in line to take on the role of Captain-General Royal Marines from her nephew Prince Harry.
• Now King Charles has been confirmed as taking on this role in a move that has been described as an immense “honor” for the corps. 
•  This royal news comes as Camilla's unimpressed reaction to Princess Charlotte and Prince George's bickering at Queen's funeral was revealed.  

Following many months of speculation after Prince Harry lost his military titles and patronages, King Charles’ new title as Captain-General Royal Marines has been announced, succeeding his youngest son in this major role. This significant role previously belonged to the Duke of Sussex and before him, the late Duke of Edinburgh. The exciting news was confirmed on the 358th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Marines Corps on October 28.   

Though King Charles’ prestigious new position might surprise some, as Princess Anne was previously widely thought to be in contention to take on this role. Back in 2020, The Times reported that the Princess Royal, who has been Patron of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity for many years, was in line to succeed her nephew as Captain-General Royal Marines. 

Had she become Captain-General as some expected, Princess Anne’s new role would have seen her become the first woman to hold this iconic position. The publication went on to claim that the late Prince Philip was reportedly “keen” for his only daughter to receive this major role, following in his footsteps. 

According to The Times, a senior Royal Marines source expressed their belief last year that the Princess Royal would be a “good fit” as Captain-General.

“Princess Anne has already done a lot with us over the years, she’s really well connected to the navy and, as a consequence, has a soft spot for the Royal Marines,” they alleged. “We are very comfortable with her, especially given her outstanding sporting background. A good fit.”

Speaking to the publication following the recent announcement that His Majesty would be succeeding his youngest son in this role, the source supposedly claimed that they had “no idea” why Princess Anne didn’t receive the position. However, they also expressed just how much of an “honor” it was that the King is now Captain-General of the Royal Marine corps. 

King Charles trained and served alongside the Royal Marines during his naval career and historically the role of Captain-General has often been held by monarchs, including His Majesty’s grandfather King George VI and great-grandfather King George V.  

In a special personal message to the Royal Marines as the news was confirmed, the King described it as the “greatest possible pleasure” to assume the position.

“It is the greatest possible pleasure to assume the role of your Captain General. I am exceptionally proud to follow in the footsteps of so many members of my family over the last three and a half centuries, all of whom held the role with a deep sense of admiration,” he declared. 

King Charles continued, “The Royal Marines have a distinguished and unparalleled history, both on land and at sea. I draw immense inspiration from your courage, determination, self-discipline and a remarkable capacity to endure in the most extreme environments.

“I feel greatly honoured to become part of the Corps Family and very much look forward to meeting many of you in the near future. In the meantime, this comes with my heartfelt and special wishes for a very happy 358th birthday.”