‘I CAN’T DO THIS!’

Self-doubt and mounting pressure have him leaning on the Princess Royal

It should be a time of celebration for King Charles. After all, he turns 74 this week and he’s deep in preparation for his historic coronation after an agonisingly long wait in the wings to become the monarch.

Instead, Woman’s Day understands that the new sovereign is spending his birthday week reconsidering his future, confiding his fears that he is ultimately “not good enough” for the role to his sister Princess Anne.

As his closest sibling in age, Anne, 72, has long been Charles’ tightest friend, from playing tricks on their nannies together as youngsters, to confiding in each other during their painful divorces.

This close relationship, say sources, has continued well into grandparenthood and beyond – and Anne remains Charles’ go-to for support, advice and even a pep talk when needed.

Palace sources maintain Charles has had a rough few weeks and has been paying attention to the relentless chatter that he is perhaps not the perfect fit as King. Last week, he and his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort even had eggs thrown at them during a walkabout in York.

What’s more, there are growing fears that Netflix drama The Crown is inadvertently undoing years of rehabilitation to his image after the Princess Diana years. An insider adds, “Then there’s Prince Harry’s impending book, right down to him inheriting the throne at a time where Britain hasn’t looked this economically bleak in years. He’s been very gloomy indeed.”

The source adds that even Camilla, 75, hasn’t been able to turn around his pessimistic outlook, instead sending him “off to talk to Anne”.

We’re told, “It only took a few minutes of Charles moaning that maybe Diana was right – that Prince William should be king instead of him and maybe he should stand aside – for Anne to tell him in no uncertain terms to pull himself together.”

Thankfully for Charles, Anne can be relied upon to tell him how it is, no matter what. Another palace insider reveals that the princess told her brother his bad mood cannot possibly instil confidence in anyone – not from the footman nor the Prime Minister.

“Anne has been tasked with reminding him that, after being the understudy to their mother’s magnificent reign, there has been no one more prepared to be king than him and William deserves a few more years of learning the ropes before Charles even thinks of giving up.”

‘Anne has told him to pull himself together’