The rumour mill was hard at work in 2022, suggesting Princess Anne, Prince Harry’s aunt, wore a hat topped with a tall feather to block Harry from being seen, and it turns out, it was just that, a rumour.

Author Robert Hardman addresses the situation in his forthcoming book, entitled The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, writing, “This is nonsense.”

He adds: “Not only do the Lord Chamberlain’s Office not think like that, but the Princess Royal had only switched to that seat after her request for a speedy exit.”

Hardman spoke to Anne about the coronation, with her saying, “The hat was an interesting question.’”

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In 2022, Anne spoke to CB News, saying, “I have a role as the Colonel of the Blues and Royals in the Household Cavalry regiment as Gold Stick [in Waiting]. And Gold Stick was the original close protection officer. So that is a role I was asked if I’d like to do for this coronation, so I said yes. Not least of all, it solves my dress problem,” reports Town and Country.

Anne addressed the decision, saying to Hardman, “‘I said: ‘Are you sure you want me to keep the hat on? Because it’s quite a decent-sized hat.’ And the answer was yes. There you go. Not my choice,’” writes Hardman in his book.