Princess Anne has long been known for her practical approach to royal engagements, and a recent appearance in Singapore has revealed one of her simplest, yet most effective, habits: she always carries her own pen.
The Princess Royal’s precaution came to light during a visit to the Rolls-Royce headquarters at the Seletar campus, where she was invited to sign the visitors’ book. Staff pointed out that the Prince and Princess of Wales had added their signatures during a tour of the site in 2012.
Anne, well aware of the pitfalls of temperamental fountain pens, reached for the gold pen she keeps in her handbag – a measure designed to head off the sort of mishaps that have plagued her brother, the King.
The King’s first pen troubles came within hours of his reign beginning when he almost collided with an ink pot while signing accession documents. Days later, as he coped with his own grief while undertaking a gruelling tour of the UK, he ended up famously airing his frustration over a leaky pen in September 2022 when signing a document at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland.
His Majesty was heard to say “I can’t bear this bloody thing” before signing. To make things even more frustrating, he realized he signed with the wrong date.
Just a month later, The King handed a pen to his wife, Queen Camilla, as they signed a visitor’s book at a council meeting in Dunfermline, Scotland where he said “These things are so temperamental.”
Although the brand of the problematic pen was never publicly confirmed, the King has since renewed the royal warrant for Parker Pen Company. The firm, known internationally for its fountain pens, also manufactures more dependable ballpoint models – an option Anne appears to favour.
The pen-related episode formed part of a two-day programme in Singapore, where the Princess Royal also toured aviation facilities. At one point, she climbed into the cockpit of an Airbus A350 flight simulator, fastening her seatbelt and sharing a laugh with the captain during a light-hearted safety briefing.
Her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, was given a more dynamic experience, testing a separate simulator suspended above the ground.
Anne’s understated solution – a simple pen tucked into her handbag – appears to spare her the vexations her brother has endured, and highlights yet another example of the Princess Royal’s quiet efficiency during public duties.
