Hardest-working royal Princess Anne’s blunt response to retirement plans

She performed the task as CWGC president, a role that had been carried out by the Duke of Kent, 89, since 1970 with Anne taking over in 2023 due to his advancing years.

The Princess added: “I’m very lucky to take on from the Duke of Kent the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, but he’s been doing that for a very long time, he did it very well and has covered the globe in support of them.

“And I’m perfectly certain he was reluctant to give that up, but in the end, he felt physically that he couldn’t travel as much, and he couldn’t be as efficient in supporting – and I was lucky enough to be asked.

“On the one hand, you go for as long as you can, but you have to accept there are some things you can’t do anymore, and he did that, and I’m the beneficiary of that which has allowed me to take that on.”