**Princess Anne: The Royal Who Most Embodied Prince Philip’s Admired Qualities**
*Published Dec. 19, 2025, 6:52 p.m. ET | RadarOnline.com*
RadarOnline.com can reveal that Princess Anne is widely regarded as the royal who most embodied the qualities the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, deeply admired. Fresh claims suggest that Philip regarded his only daughter as “more of a man” than his sons Charles and Andrew.
This revelation comes as Anne celebrates 33 years of marriage to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 70. The couple wed on December 12, 1992, at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral.
### The Son He Always Wanted
Prince Philip, who passed away at age 99 in April 2021, personally drove Anne to the church for her second wedding—a gesture many viewed as a testament to their unique closeness.
Royal author Tom Quinn writes in his book *Gilded Youth* that palace staff often joked, “Anne was the son Philip always wanted.” Quinn describes their relationship as one rooted in shared temperament and mutual respect. Philip admired Anne’s fearlessness, discipline, and her ability to resist royal “fuss.”
Anne is said to have mirrored her father’s brusque manner and sharp humor completely. One former palace insider revealed that Philip privately believed Anne was “more of a man than Charles and certainly Andrew,” respecting her resilience and work ethic above all else.
Another source added, “Philip valued action over introspection. In Anne, he saw decisiveness and grit, qualities he felt were lacking in his sons.”
### Action Over Academic Theory
Anne’s pragmatic approach to life also appealed to the Duke of Edinburgh. While King Charles III, now 77, attended Cambridge University, Anne took a different path. She earned three A-levels in English, History, and Politics at Benenden School before deciding to forgo university entirely.
Quinn recalls Anne joking that higher education “was completely overrated.” In the documentary *Anne: The Princess Royal at 70*, she explained:
> “So many of my contemporaries, when asked why they were going to university, would say, ‘Well basically because that’s what you do.’ I remember thinking, really, that doesn’t sound like a very good reason… so I thought I would skip that.”
Instead, Anne became a full-time working royal at just 18. Philip, an avid sportsman, was especially proud of her equestrian achievements, including her individual gold medal at the 1971 Burghley three-day event.
### A Steady Partner in Sir Tim
Anne’s bond with her father deepened during the breakdown of her first marriage to Mark Phillips, which ended in 1992. Sir Timothy Laurence entered her life in 1986 as the Queen’s equerry.
Their marriage has quietly endured at Gatcombe Park, with Sir Tim becoming an increasingly visible support in recent years, even appearing alongside Anne on the Buckingham Palace balcony for major royal milestones.
A recent Christmas card featured Anne and Sir Tim smiling together in a carriage on Sark, bearing the message:
> “With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year from Anne and Tim.”
### Contrast with Her Scandal-Plagued Brothers
A source commented, “These resurfaced claims about Philip’s admiration for Anne as ‘more of a man’ than her brothers are yet another blow to them after a horrific year.”
The royal family faced a difficult 2025, including reports that King Charles was forced to further distance himself from Andrew Windsor amid the ongoing fallout from his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Our source added, “Anne would have been a lot harsher on Andrew a lot earlier if she were Queen—she is truly no-nonsense. Philip saw that strength in her, and it’s why she remains the ‘absolute brick’ of the firm today.”
https://radaronline.com/p/princess-anne-the-heir-prince-philip-always-wanted-not-charles-andrew/