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Princess Anne, Queen Margrethe and more royal grandmothers doting on their grandchildren in 10 sweet photos

Queen Camilla is among the royal grandmothers to take on babysitting duties


Royal grandmothers - Princess Anne, Queen Margrethe and Princess Beatrix
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
On 11 April 2024
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Queens and Queen Consorts may be some of the most photographed women around the world, as they carry out their royal duties.

But first and foremost, some are mothers and grandmothers, and over the years, we've been able to view some insight into some of the royal ladies' relationships with their grandchildren.

From family portraits and photoshoots to more candid moments, these royal grandmothers dote on their grandkids.

And many like Queen Camilla and the Princess Royal have spoken about babysitting duties behind closed doors.

Read on to see some of the sweetest photographs.

Camilla with twin grandsons Gus and Louis© Alamy

Queen Camilla

The then Duchess of Cornwall joyfully greets her twin grandsons, Gus and Louis Lopes, during a visit to Marlborough in 2012. Gus and Louis were chosen to be the Queen's page boys at the coronation in May 2023, along with their cousin, Freddy Parker Bowles – son of Tom Parker Bowles.

When she learned that her daughter Laura Lopes was expecting twins, Camilla told The Daily Mail: "Obviously I am being called on for more and more babysitting duties but it's wonderful. Laura was rather thrown when she was told she was having twins, but we have never had them in the family before and I for one can't wait."

Camilla also has two granddaughters, Eliza Lopes, who was a bridesmaid at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, and Lola Parker Bowles.

Princess Anne with granddaughters, Isla, Mia and Savannah in 2019© Getty

Princess Anne

The Princess Royal is a hands-on grandmother to her Mike and Zara Tindall's children, Mia, Lena and Lucas, and Peter Phillips' daughters, Savannah and Isla.

Over the years, Anne has been seen enjoying the Festival of British Eventing and horse shows with her young grandchildren.

Like thousands of other children, the youngsters were homeschooled during the pandemic, with the Princess Royal revealing she had offered to help out in a 2020 ITV documentary to mark her 70th birthday.

Princess Anne's grandchildren were homeschooled like millions of other children during the first national lockdown last year, and she revealed during the documentary that she had offered to help with their education.

“I've offered to try and do some outdoor learning but so far it hasn't been taken up on," she said.

She revealed that, as a child, she would pick things and have to identify them by touching them and admitted that she doesn't think that many people did that type of learning anymore.

The Princess said: "I thought it might be a good idea if we started doing that again" before laughing and adding: "I haven't seen hide nor hair of them at that suggestion!"

Prince Christian kisses Queen Margrethe© Getty

Queen Margrethe and Prince Christian

Before her abdication in January 2024, the Danish queen hosted a lavish white-tie gala to mark her grandson Crown Prince Christian's 18th birthday last October. The future king can be seen kissing his grandmother's cheek.

Queen Margrethe greets Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai© Getty

Queen Margrethe with Count Nikolai and Count Felix

Despite stripping four of her eight grandchildren of their royal titles in 2022 in order to slim down the monarchy, Queen Margrethe has remained close to Prince Joachim's sons, Count Nikolai and Count Felix (pictured here), and Joachim's children with second wife, Princess Marie – Count Henrik and Countess Athena.

Princess Beatrix with her granddaughters Princess Catharina-Amalia (R), Princess Alexia (L) and Princess Ariane© Getty

Princess Beatrix

The former Dutch queen, who abdicated in 2013, shares a close bond with her three granddaughters – Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane.

The princesses are pictured with their grandmother on their winter break in Lech, Austria in 2015.

Future queen Catharina-Amalia also accompanied Princess Beatrix at a Buckingham Palace reception ahead of King Charles's coronation in May 2023.

Beatrix also has five more grandchildren from her younger sons, the late Prince Friso of Orange-Nassau and Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands.

Queen Silvia holds Princess Estelle© Getty

Queen Silvia

The Swedish queen enjoys a cuddle with her eldest grandchild, Princess Estelle, at King Carl XVI Gustaf's 40th jubilee in 2013.

She is also grandmother to Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's son, Prince Oscar, as well as Princess Madeleine's three children – Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne – and Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's sons – Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel and Prince Julian.

Queen Sonja links arms with granddaughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra in 2018© Getty

Queen Sonja

Norway's future queen, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, has a touching relationship with her grandmother, Queen Sonja.

The pair are often pictured linking arms during royal engagements and on her granddaughter's 18th birthday in 2022, Queen Sonja shared some sweet advice: "You have everything you need to make wise choices and create a life that will be rewarding for you, for your loved ones, and for those for whom you one day will be Queen.

"I hope you will always have a space of your own where you feel entirely free, where you will find replenishment, rest and inspiration – as I have found throughout my life, both in nature, especially in the mountains, and in art. Everyone needs a space like that."

Queen Sofia with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia © Getty

Queen Sofia

The former queen of Spain dotes on her granddaughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, and often joins her son, King Felipe and his wife, Queen Letizia on their summer break in Palma de Mallorca.

Princess Caroline of Hanover with her grandson Sasha Casiraghi © Getty

Princess Caroline

The Monaco royal sweetly embraces her grandson, Sasha Casiraghi, as Prince Albert marked his tenth year on the throne in 2015. 

Princess Caroline has four children and seven grandchildren. 

Queen Paola and King Albert II pose with their grandchildren in 2004© Getty

Queen Paola

The former Belgian king and queen are pictured at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels in 2004 with eight of their grandchildren from their children – King Philippe, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent.

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