The clip round the ear that kept the balcony’s young royals in order
IT IS the highlight of the royal-watching year, as the full Royal family appears on the Buckingham Palace balcony complete with their lively, rarely seen children.
But while they may appear to be on best behaviour in front of the cameras, it does not always come naturally, it has emerged.
Peter Phillips, the Princess Royal’s son, has disclosed how the young members of the Royal family were once given a “clip round the ear” and strict instructions not to “pick their nose or yawn” before the big occasion.
His sister, Zara Tindall, described how the full-family event was about “having as much fun as possible” with their cousins.
Recent years have seen Mr Phillips’s children Isla and Savannah taking a starring role on the balcony, larking around with Prince George.
In 2018, Savannah kept crowds amused by covering the young future king’s mouth with her hand as the national anthem was played. In an ITV documentary about the Princess Royal ahead of her 70th birthday, her family give their personal insights into life as a member of Britain’s most famous family.
Mrs Tindall said: “For me, family occasions were all about hanging out with our cousins and just having as much fun as possible.”
Her brother added: “You then get a clip round the ear and say right, behave yourself, you know, we’re going out on the balcony. Don’t pick your nose and, you know, don’t yawn.”
The programme also gives an insight into the Princess’s own childhood and her school days, which saw her escape her protection officer to have fish and chips with friends.
Detailing how she asked to go to school instead of continuing with a governess, the first princess to do so, she said she felt she was treated as just “one of the girls”.
Sandra de Laszlo, one of her school friends, told the programme: “We were given encouragement to be as natural as possible with the Princess. There was a really lovely security officer and we did lead him a bit of a dance. It was rather fun to break out of school and go to the fish-and-chip shop and try to escape this loyal detective. We did that a few times.
“She was a very normal teenager.
She was sensible and fun.”
On the topic of social media, the Princess said: “With online technology … being in touch is one thing but it’s not quite the same.
“I mean, I know what Twitter is – but I wouldn’t go anywhere near it if you paid me, frankly.”
The full interviews will be broadcast in Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, on ITV at 9pm on Wednesday.