The Princess Royal has been in the business long enough to know who can hack the pressures of royal life.

The Princess Royal had some words of advice for the royal (Image: Getty)

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their royal duties in 2020, most of the world was shocked. However, one royal may have already predicted this.

Princess Anne is said to have known that the Duchess of Sussex wasn’t going to last very long as a member of the Royal Family and predicted she would have a “short shelf life”.

One royal expert told of how the Princess Royal, who typically undertakes more public engagements than any other royal, boasting more than 200 in the past year, treats her royalty like a job.

Royal commentator Neil Sean suggests that Princess Anne foresaw Meghan’s struggle to adapt to royal life when she advised her to treat her role as a “job” rather than a celebrity status.

But despite the advice, Meghan is said to have taken it the wrong way and didn’t warm to the princess who later made the prediction about the Duchess’s longevity as a royal.

In a discussion on his YouTube channel, Neil revealed: “This senior royal takes no nonsense, much like her father the late Duke of Edinburgh. Apparently, when Meghan Markle joined the Royal Family, she sought out Princess Anne. According to a very good source, Princess Anne gave very sage advice to the new royal.

“Princess Anne reiterated this mantra, she pointed out that it wasn’t a working monarchy, it was a job, you turn up on time, you do your research, and do the duty. It’s all about the project at hand.

“She also pointed out that whatever charities you are involved in, you needed to get involved and get immersed.”

Princess Anne is one of the most hardworking royals (Image: Getty)

Neil suspects Meghan didn’t quite embrace this ethos, noting that during her time as patron of the National Theatre, she “did not get too involved”. In stark contrast, the Princess Royal has been unwaveringly dedicated to her royal duties and has often been front and centre at key events.

When the nation gathered for the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla in May 2023, Princess Anne was honoured with the role of “official bodyguard” in appreciation of her many years of dedicated service.

During the momentous occasion, she was prominent in the ceremonial procession, bearing the title of “Gold-Stick-in-Waiting”, historically assigned to a trusted protector of the monarch.