King Charles’s Former Butler Says This Royal Is the “Next Generation’s Princess Anne”
Grant Harrold praised one member of the Firm as "the perfect royal."
Unlike Queen Elizabeth, King Charles has a slimmer pool of family members to support him in carrying out official duties, but there’s one royal who can always be counted on. The King’s former butler at Highgrove House, Grant Harrold, recently told GB News that Duchess Sophie has become the “perfect royal,” just like Princess Anne.
Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Harrold said the Duchess of Edinburgh “is known as a trustworthy and hardworking member of the Royal Family” thanks to her tireless dedication to causes such as preventable blindness and sexual assault in conflict zones. “She is the next generation's Princess Anne," he shared. "They share many of the same qualities."
"Like Princess Anne, Sophie will always be a member of the family that The King trusts," Harrold added. "The duchess is taking on the exact role that Princess Anne has played for decades. They are incredibly similar in the sense that they just get on with it."
Duchess Sophie is pictured at the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Memorial Day on October 1.
Duchess Sophie and Princess Anne are pictured at Royal Ascot 2026.
Harrold noted that he met Sophie for the first time in 1999, the same year she married Prince Edward, and “her relationship with the Royal Family was incredibly strong."
"She has always clearly been a favorite, and they all enjoy spending time with her,” he shared. Duchess Sophie was extremely close to her mother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, and Harrold noted that she has the same "poker face" as the late Queen.
As for Sophie's nephew, Prince William, Harrold said she'll continue to be a strong support for him and his wife, Princess Kate. “I have no doubt she will become one of the future King’s closest allies," he said, adding that Sophie "will be a matriarch for the Royal Family, and a vital asset to future King William.”
