Princess Anne once again demonstrated her trademark wit when asked a question about her brother during a public engagement, as the controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten Windsor continues.

The 75-year-old Princess Royal, well-known for her sharp humor and dry comebacks, had a perfectly timed response that left those around her laughing.

The Andrew Mountbatten Windsor Controversy

In recent weeks, King Charles officially stripped his brother, formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York, of his royal titles and residence. The move followed renewed public pressure and lingering criticism tied to Andrew’s past association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and assault allegations made by Virginia Giuffre, which Andrew has consistently denied.

A brief statement released by Buckingham Palace on October 30 confirmed that the disgraced royal would now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. It also noted that a formal notice regarding his lease at the Royal Lodge had “now been served.”

Anne’s Sharp Response During Her Australia Visit

While the fallout from Andrew’s scandal continues, Princess Anne has been on a royal tour of Australia, attending a garden party celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Signal Corps.

There, she met hundreds of servicemen and women, including James Thorpe, president of the Royal Australian Regiment Association (RARA). During their conversation, Thorpe mentioned that he had previously met her “brother.”

Without missing a beat, Anne quipped: “Which one? I have three,” earning laughter from those nearby.

Some guests reportedly tensed, fearing Thorpe might be referring to Andrew and inadvertently bringing up an awkward topic. But the veteran quickly clarified, saying, “Ah, that’s the main one, Ma’am,” referring to King Charles.

When a 10 News reporter later joked to Thorpe that Anne was “probably relieved it was the older brother,” he laughed nervously and replied, “I can’t say that, so…”

A Busy Schedule Ahead

Princess Anne, the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has three brothers — King Charles, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

Following her engagements in Australia, the Princess Royal and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, will travel to Singapore for a two-day visit marking 60 years of diplomatic ties between Singapore and the UK. The trip will include meetings with the country’s president and prime minister, as well as a visit to the Kranji War Memorial.

Prince William Also Dodges a Tricky Question

Interestingly, Anne isn’t the only royal to navigate a sensitive family topic recently. During his trip to Brazil last week, Prince William also managed to deflect a difficult question with grace.

While speaking with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, the journalist asked: “Given the fact there’s been a lot of change in your own family recently, you yourself have talked about this change. Just talk about that a little bit. Where do you see the change? What do you think needs to happen?”

William avoided delving into family matters and instead shifted the focus to his environmental initiative, replying: “I think the Earthshot Prize is a classic example of change. Rather than talk about it, we’re doing it. That’s where I want it to be. These people in here are the true action heroes of our time, and change will come by backing them, not by what I do.”