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    1. Culture
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    3. Royal News

    Princess Anne has warned the younger royals to ‘go back to basics’ and ‘not try to reinvent the wheel’

    Here’s everything you need to know…

    Jenny Proudfoot's avatar
    By Jenny Proudfoot
    Published 16 April 2020 In Features

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    (Image credit: Chris Jackson)
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    Here’s everything you need to know…

    The past couple of years been tumultuous for the royal family, with the Fab Four surrounded by constant speculation. From fallouts and feuds to secret Hollywood film deals, these four are all anyone can talk about.

    Yes, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reached A-list celebrity status, and with that came the dreaded rumour mill and an awful lot of backlash.

    Princess Anne, often referred to as the hardest working royal, gave some advice to younger royals this week - and from telling them to ‘go back to basics’ to ‘not try to reinvent the wheel’, she doesn’t sugarcoat it.

    Getty Images

    ‘It’s not just about, Can I get a tick in the box for doing this? No, it’s about serving,’ the 69-year-old royal explained in a rare interview with Vanity Fair. ‘It comes from an example from both my parents’ way of working and where they saw their role being.’

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    Princess Anne then went on to voice her fears for the younger generation of royals, wary of their hasty changes.

    ‘I don’t think this younger generation probably understands what I was doing in the past and it’s often true, isn’t it?’ she continued. ‘You don’t necessarily look at the previous generation and say, “Oh, you did that?” Or, “You went there?” Nowadays, they’re much more looking for, “Oh let’s do it a new way.”’

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    Offering her warning, Princess Anne announced: ‘Please do not reinvent that particular wheel. We’ve been there, done that. Some of these things don’t work. You may need to go back to basics.’

    Well, that’s that.

    Jenny Proudfoot
    Jenny Proudfoot
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    Contributing Features Editor

    Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

    In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.

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