Why Anne’s hassle-free NYC trip is a master class in modern royalty, says royal expert

Princess Anne’s no-frills trip to New York City, for which she flew on a commercial plane and carried her own bags, is a classic example of how her hard work trumps her public image, a royal expert has claimed.

After the Princess Royal, 72, was pictured with her own bags on Tuesday’s arrival at John F Kennedy Airport, commentator Richard Fitzwilliam said her “low-key” approach to performing her duties typified her hard-working style.

During her whirlwind tour of the city, Anne performed four royal engagements in one day and even made it onto the Staten Island ferry. According to Mr Fitzwilliam, her dedication to hard work is one of the reasons she is such a popular member of the royal family.

Often referred to as the ‘hardest working queen’, the Princess Royal was pictured with her own bags as she strolled through John F Kennedy Airport ahead of a busy day

He told FEMAIL: “If royalty is seen as just another branch of celebrity, the institution is in trouble.

“However, it remains true that there is a symbiotic relationship between royals and the press, as the charities they are associated with often require publicity and the cachet that comes with royal patronage.

“The exception to this is Princess Anne, whose low-key approach has made her one of the most beloved royals for many years, despite her extremely hard work.

“One example was her trip to New York this week where, on her return from several engagements, she was spotted carrying two of her own bags and catching a commercial flight.”

When Anne arrived at the airport, she wore a sleek black outfit with black tailored pants and a dark blazer.

Meanwhile, she wrapped herself in a thick turtleneck against the chilly New York weather.

The mother-of-two added a pop of color to her outfit with a white and black bandana that she wore around her neck.

The low-key queen carried a number of her own bags for the outing, including a handbag and a large green backpack-style bag.

After arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport on Tuesday, the Princess Royal was greeted by His Majesty’s Consul General for New York, Mrs Emma Wade-Smith, and was later the guest of honor at a gala dinner for the English Speaking Union at the Cosmopolitan Club.

When Princess Royal arrived at the airport, she wore a sleek black outfit with black tailored trousers and a dark blazer

Before dinner, Anne, Honorary Chair of the Campaign for Illuminating Future Generations, also took a ride on the Staten Island Ferry to visit the National Lighthouse Museum and then attended a reception at the View at the Battery.

The Princess Royal then visited the residence of His Majesty’s Consul General for New York to present her honors before whizzing off to the Gordonstoun American Foundation’s gala dinner at the Racquet and Tennis Club on Park Avenue, which she attended in her role as patron of the campaign for Gordonstoun.

Mr Fitzwilliam said: ‘[The Princess Royal’s] Dedication to her job is evident in the number of engagements she undertakes annually.

“In 2021 she has performed 387, two more than Charles and more than any other royal. Her style is down to earth and she began working for Save the Children in 1970, the same year as Charles gave his first speech on the environment, his campaign is far better known and much discussed.

“She is not picky and just gets the job done with a minimum of publicity but a maximum of commitment. Her decision not to bestow royal titles on her children was also undoubtedly correct. It’s her way and she’s earned universal respect for it.”

Anne’s trip to New York made her the first senior royal to visit the US since Harry and Meghan moved to California in 2020.