Ferry Princess: Anne Schleps To Staten Island

NEW YORK CITY — Cinderella may have a fairy godmother but Staten Island has a Ferry Princess.

Princess Anne, daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth, took a ride this week on the Staten Island Ferry during a recent visit to New York City, according to the Transportation department.

“We were pleased to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Anne to the #StatenIslandFerry today,” the department tweeted.

The journey came about a month after the death of her mother — mourned across the world and in a small tea shop in Manhattan's West Village — on Sept. 8.

Upon Elizabeth's death, Princess Anne became president of the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth.

New Yorkers who saw the Transportation department's tweet delighted in the unexpected visit from a royal less likely to make headlines.

"I had no idea Princess Anne was there," one fan wrote. "Very humble, she does her duty without any fuss."

Royal family fans seemed overwhelmed that the Princess accomplished a feat achieved by about 75,000 Staten Island commuters every day.

Others had questions. Asked David James, "Did she run round and join the line for the return ferry?"

(A hypothetical answer was supplied by Bob McTamaney: "I bet she's thinking "God I hope this is a Round Trip.")

Another — referencing the surprising purchase made by two Saturday Night Live stars — asked, "Will she take the Jost/Davidson ferry, too??"