According to royal expert, Ingrid Seward, Charles and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh struggled to relate to each other as his father and Princess Anne had more in common. Writing in her book, My Husband and I: The Inside Story of 70 Years of the Royal Marriage, Ms Seward wrote how Anne and Philip related over their love of sports and the outdoors. In her book, Ms Seward claimed Philip encouraged Anne to take up riding and when Philip would take them camping, it was Anne who “derived the greatest pleasure” from the trip.

Speaking of Charles’ relationship with Philip, Ms Seward wrote: “The contrast was reflected in their relationships with their parents.

“Charles gravitated to his mother, who provided to his mother, who provided him a sympathetic ear; Anne was close to Philip.

“Charles sometimes gave the impressions of being terrified of his father.

“Philip had little understanding of his son’s fears and inhibitions and was inclined to laugh at them.”

Ms Seward revealed that although Philip would often do the same to Anne, the Princess would often “brave his ridicule”.

As well as Philip, in their infancy, Anne and Charles often would often argue.

In the same book, Ms Seward claimed that Anne was a very dominant child in her early years.

Speaking of one moment when Anne returned from a riding lesson, Ms Seward wrote that following a brief argument with her brother, Anne proceeded to hit him with her riding crop.

She added: “Anne had just returned from a riding lesson and set about her brother with her riding crop.

“Charles burst into tears as the Queen opened the door.

“In exasperation, she shouted: ‘Why can’t you behave yourselves!’”

The pair, however, have become much closer in their adult years.

A signal of their closeness came after a show of affection during Wednesday’s Ascot where he was pictured talking to Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall.

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