Princess Anne apologised after an awkward Christmas Day encounter in 2000, when a comment she made to an excited royal fan caused upset, according to royal photographer Arthur Edwards' new memoir.
The Princess Royal, known for her dry humour, was walking from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church for the traditional Christmas service when she met Mrs Halfpenny, a fan who had travelled from Leicester to see the royals.
Flower bouquet moment
Edwards, in his memoir Cup of Tea, Arthur?, recalls the 75-year-old fan arriving with a "home-made flower bouquet" intended for Anne's grandmother, the Queen Mother. However, "the Princess Royal took the flowers instead".
When Mrs Halfpenny told Anne she had spent hours making the flowers, Edwards wrote that Anne told her bluntly, "What a ridiculous thing to do". The photographer said the "testy reply" upset Mrs Halfpenny, who had been waiting for hours and had spent around three hours putting the flower basket together.
Apology and aftermath
Anne later apologised for her remark, Edwards noted. Buckingham Palace also issued a statement about the encounter.
A spokesperson said: "The Princess Royal meets thousands of people every year and it is clear that today there has been a misunderstanding of some kind."
According to Edwards, the following year Anne reportedly "accepted every bunch of flowers with a smile and said, 'I don't want to upset anybody'".
