Princess Anne attends milestone charity event amid memoir claims

Princess Anne has attended a special event marking 50 years of Farms for City Children, with Buckingham Palace sharing new pictures from her visit.

On September 24, the Palace released photographs showing the Princess Royal smiling and interacting with children and teachers at Nethercott House. Her appearance came amid renewed attention surrounding comments about Anne in Earl Spencer’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.

Farms for City Children was founded by author Sir Michael Morpurgo and his wife, Lady Clare Morpurgo. For five decades, the charity has given children from urban communities the opportunity to experience life on working farms.

The organisation has welcomed more than 108,000 children and young people to its farms since it was founded. Its residential programmes allow children to spend a week living and learning in a working farm environment.

The charity particularly supports children from cities, including those who may experience inequality or have limited access to rural experiences.

During her latest visit, Anne met children and teachers from John Donne Primary School at Nethercott House. The pupils took part in activities including grooming farm animals and tending to produce.

The Princess Royal also spent time with the group as they explored the different activities offered by the charity. Her visit highlighted the organisation’s focus on connecting young people with farming, nature and practical learning.

Buckingham Palace’s latest update focused on Anne’s royal engagement and the charity’s anniversary. However, her appearance also attracted attention because of an anecdote about her included in Earl Spencer’s memoir.

Earl Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana, recalled an awkward conversation he had with Anne before Diana’s wedding to then-Prince Charles.

According to Spencer’s account, he attended a formal meal at Buckingham Palace ahead of the wedding and discovered that he had been seated next to Anne.

Spencer said he attempted to start a conversation by asking Anne how the christening of her daughter, Zara, had gone that day.

He recalled expecting Anne to respond warmly to the subject because it concerned her daughter. Instead, Spencer said she looked at him in a way he found intimidating before asking how a christening was supposed to go.

Spencer later described the exchange as an uncomfortable moment and said the conversation made him “feel small.”

The anecdote has resurfaced alongside coverage of Anne’s latest public appearance. However, the incident is presented from Spencer’s perspective, and the memoir does not provide Anne’s account of the conversation.

Meanwhile, Anne has continued her public duties and support for charitable organisations. The Princess Royal regularly attends engagements connected with children, education, farming, health and community initiatives.

Her latest visit to Farms for City Children marked the charity’s 50th anniversary and drew attention to its long-running work with young people.

Over the past five decades, thousands of children have taken part in the charity’s residential farm experiences. The programmes combine education and outdoor activities, giving children the chance to work with animals, learn about farming and spend time in a rural environment.

While Spencer’s recollection has renewed interest in an interaction from decades ago, Anne’s latest engagement remained focused on the charity and its work with children.

The photographs shared by Buckingham Palace showed the Princess Royal meeting pupils and teachers as the organisation celebrated 50 years of providing children with hands-on experiences on working farms.