Princess Anne Is Britain’s No-Nonsense Royal—and Loved for It
A kind of verbal meme has been circulating among friends of Princess Anne in the Cotswolds in recent days, after it was dramatically revealed that she had been whisked off to hospital with concussion—having been either kicked or butted in the head by one of her horses.
Imagining that a doctor or royal flunky had dared enter her hospital room and suggest the Princess Royal ease up on her equestrian pursuits, the affectionate joke consists of imitations of Anne sitting up in bed and delivering her response: “Not bloody likely!” A variation on the theme has her telling the cheeky blighter to, “Naff off!”
Both immortal phrases recall, to her devotees—especially fellow equestrians in her super-posh, horsey Cotswold set who regard her as a figurehead—what they consider to be her finest qualities.