Joy Billington, a Washington journalist from 1967 to 1981, met the royals during their trip to see President Nixon in Washington DC in 1970. In an interview in the 2002 Channel 4 documentary ‘The Real Princess Anne’, she explained Anne never hid her feelings and was therefore more honest than Charles. However, this did mean she often stood with a sulky look on her face, and did not endear herself to the American press at all.

Ms Billington said: “She was very bad-tempered, very sulky.

“She really didn’t want to be there, that was the impression one had.”

She added, laughing: “She’s never hidden her feelings. She was more honest than Charles.

“Maybe she found coming to Washington a tedious bore and would rather be with horses in the country.”

The US reporter was referring to Anne’s love of equestrianism and her eventing career, which was getting started around this time.

Anne ended up winning the European Eventing Championships in 1971.

However, she had decided to take on full-time royal duties as well, which meant going on these diplomatic trips to other countries on occasion.

Ms Billington recalled one interaction between Anne and well-known reporter Helen Thomas that highlighted Anne’s attitude.

She said: “Helen THomas, very respected journalist, said: ‘Princess Anne, what do you think of the Washington monument?’

“And instead of saying ‘very tall’ – she could have answered in two simple words – she said ‘I don’t give interviews’.

According to the documentary, the reaction towards Anne from the American press was “instant”.

They apparently saw her as a princess who did not like people and who had a haughty attitude.

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By contrast, Charles was friendly and amenable towards reporters and photographers while on their royal tour, meaning he avoided similar criticisms.

According to royal biographer Kitty Kelley, Anne’s behaviour “made Charles look good” by comparison.

She said: “He smiled for the photographers, she swatted them like flies.”

The Channel 4 documentary suggested that Anne did not like “playing second fiddle” to her brother and much preferred trips alone.

For example, when she was made President of Save the Children, she embarked on a solo tour of Africa.

Blue Peter filmed her during this and she came across much better than she had on royal tours with Charles.

The documentary claimed she came across as “unstuffy, energetic and game for a challenge”.

It added that Anne had a “free spirit” that meant she had never been very good at doing what she was told.

However, this is probably because Anne knew it was unlikely she would ever have to wear the crown, whereas Charles has been burdened with the knowledge that he will one day be king.

This pattern seemed to have repeated itself with Charles’ sons William and Harry – the Duke of Sussex used to get into trouble a fair bit when he was younger, whereas William could not because he knew he would one day be the monarch.

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