Princess Anne has long been known for her practical approach to
royal engagements, and a recent appearance in Singapore has
revealed one of her simplest, yet most effective, habits: she
always carries her own pen.
The Princess Royal’s precaution came to light during a visit to
the Rolls-Royce headquarters at the Seletar campus, where she was
invited to sign the visitors’ book. Staff pointed out that the
Prince and Princess of Wales had added their signatures during a
tour of the site in 2012.
Anne, well aware of the pitfalls of temperamental fountain pens,
reached for the gold pen she keeps in her handbag – a measure
designed to head off the sort of mishaps that have plagued her
brother, the King.
The King’s first pen troubles came within hours of his reign
beginning when he almost collided with an ink pot while signing
accession documents. Days later, as he coped with his own grief
while undertaking a gruelling tour of the UK, he ended up famously
airing his frustration over a leaky pen in September 2022 when
signing a document at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
His Majesty was heard to say “I can’t bear this bloody
thing” before signing. To make things even more frustrating,
he realized he signed with the wrong date.
Just a month later, The King handed a pen to his wife, Queen
Camilla, as they signed a visitor’s book at a council meeting in
Dunfermline, Scotland where he said “These things are so
temperamental.”
Although the brand of the problematic pen was never publicly
confirmed, the King has since renewed the royal warrant for Parker
Pen Company. The firm, known internationally for its fountain pens,
also manufactures more dependable ballpoint models – an option Anne
appears to favour.
The pen-related episode formed part of a two-day programme in
Singapore, where the Princess Royal also toured aviation
facilities. At one point, she climbed into the cockpit of an Airbus
A350 flight simulator, fastening her seatbelt and sharing a laugh
with the captain during a light-hearted safety briefing.
Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, was given a more
dynamic experience, testing a separate simulator suspended above
the ground.
Anne’s understated solution – a simple pen tucked into her
handbag – appears to spare her the vexations her brother has
endured, and highlights yet another example of the Princess Royal’s
quiet efficiency during public duties.
