Princess Anne inherited many qualities from her late father, Prince Philip. The only daughter of Philip and the late Queen Elizabeth II was so similar to her father in temperament that palace staff and royal commentators would sometimes jokingly refer to her as his "favourite son."
Their shared passion for equestrian pursuits was another defining feature of their relationship. Referring to his daughter's enthusiasm for all things equestrian, he once delivered a characteristically mischievous assessment of her interests.
Anne was quick to challenge her father's sweeping verdict, responding with a witty correction that was every bit as direct as his original remark. "That's a slight exaggeration - I do also like dogs, which eat meat, not hay," she replied with her trademark sharp wit and pragmatic sense of humor.
She once joked regarding public perception: "When I appear in public, people expect me to neigh, grind my teeth, paw the ground, and swish my tail, none of which is easy." Beyond her love for animals and dry humor, Princess Anne has always maintained a deeply practical approach to her royal duties and public interactions.
Anne explained in the 2018 documentary Queen of the World that, in the past, members of the Royal Family traditionally avoided shaking hands with members of the public. The reasoning, she said, was that since it was impossible to greet everyone in this way, it was better not to begin the practice at all.
"I mean, we never shook hands," she elaborated, discussing how protocols have evolved over the decades across successive generations. "The theory was that you couldn't shake hands with everybody, so don't start.
So I kind of stick with that, but I notice others don't," she added. "And it seems to me that it's become a shaking hands exercise, rather than a walkabout," she concluded, highlighting her preference for traditional engagement.