Princess Anne's surprising secret to staying Britain's hardest-working royal

### Princess Anne’s secret to staying sharp may be simpler than you think

Princess Anne's work ethic is often linked to the example set by her late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

But there is another detail that may help explain how the Princess Royal keeps up her demanding routine that she does not drink alcohol.

Anne, 76, is teetotal and has long avoided alcoholic drinks at royal engagements, choosing to stay away from the Champagne and cocktails that often accompany formal receptions and charity events.

Her former private secretary, Captain Sir Nicholas Wright RN, confirmed the Princess’s approach in ITV’s documentary Anne: The Princess Royal at 70.

“I’m very jealous, the Princess doesn’t drink [alcohol] at all,” he said.

It is a particularly notable choice given the sheer volume of work Anne takes on. 

The Princess Royal regularly attends several engagements in a week, travelling across Britain and overseas to support the hundreds of organisations and causes with which she is associated.

Her decision also sets her apart from some members of her family.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was known to enjoy an occasional drink, including a cocktail made with gin and Dubonnet that she was reported to favour. 

Anne has consistently chosen to abstain, even when attending events where alcohol is readily available.

She is not the only royal to take that approach. Her younger brother Andrew has also spoken publicly about being teetotal, saying in a 2005 interview that he had stopped drinking as a teenager after deciding alcohol had “poisoned” his taste buds.

Prince Harry, for example, told Oprah Winfrey in 2021 that he had turned to drinking and drugs during a difficult period in his life because he wanted to escape how he was feeling.

“I was willing to drink, I was willing to take drugs,” Harry said, describing himself at the time as being “all over the place mentally.”