Princess Anne, the aunt of Prince Harry, is going to become the new Captain-General of the Royal Marines. She will be stepping up as the first woman to hold this high position since Prince Harry is giving up his military associations.
As a senior royal who served the military, Prince Harry was the Captain-General of the Royal Marines after Prince Philip retired in 2017. The Duke of Sussex inherited the title from his grandfather but it will soon be turned over to Princess Anne when Prince Harry officially becomes a private citizen in the spring of 2020.
Queen Elizabeth announced that Prince Harry will lose all of his military associations as a result of his stepping back from royal life. According to Sunday Times, Princess Anne's appointment will be formally announced in the coming weeks.
It is believed, however, that Prince Harry will make a formal turnover and a farewell engagement with his military family upon his return from Canada in March. Queen Elizabeth asked Prince Harry and Meghan to return to London for Commonwealth Day on March 9. Princess Anne is also expected at this military turnover.
Prince Philip held on the Captain-General title for 64 long years. The report further stated that Princess Anne was his personal choice to replace Prince Harry. The Duke of Edinburgh shares a close bond with the Princess Royal. According to sources close to the family, Princess Anne has similar traits as her father, which is why they get along so well.
Princess Anne is deemed a worthy successor of the honor and title as Captain-General of the Royal Marines. She has a great reputation of being the hardest working member of the royal family and is, in fact, linked to over 65 military organizations, per Daily Mail.
The Princess Royal does not have a navy or military career but she has been given several honorary roles in the British Armed Forces. Thus, Princess Anne may sometimes wear military uniforms at certain royal engagements since is an honorary admiral.
Meanwhile, in another blow to the royal family, Princess Anne's son and Queen Elizabeth's first grandchild, Peter Phillips, announced his separation from his wife of 12 years, Autumn Phillips. Sources said, however, that the Princess Royal is fully supportive of her son and daughter-in-law's decision to co-parent of their two children amid their new life apart. Another source said that the family is "naturally sad" over the separation but their support also goes out the ex-couple and their two girls, Savannah and Isla.
