Anthony Brown is a central supporting character in the Candy Candy narrative, serving as the first true romantic love for the protagonist, Candy. Born on September 30, 1897, Anthony is the only child of Vincent Brown, a distinguished French naval officer, and Rosemary Ardley Brown. After his mother died when he was very young, his grief-stricken father, unable to cope, left Anthony in the care of his maternal great-aunt, Elroy, at the Ardley family estate. This upbringing placed him in close daily contact with his cousins, Alistair and Archibald Cornwell, who became like brothers to him.

In terms of appearance, Anthony is depicted as a tall, slender young man with fair skin, clear blue eyes, and blond hair. He is often seen wearing the traditional Scottish gala attire of the Ardley family, a detail that initially connects him in Candy's mind to a mysterious boy she met in her childhood, known as the Prince of the Hill. This physical resemblance to her first platonic love is what first draws Candy's attention to him.

Anthony's personality is a blend of aristocratic grace and profound sensitivity. He is known for being kind, gentlemanly, and exceptionally mature for his age. Having lost his mother, he carries a deep sense of loneliness, which he channels into a passion for cultivating roses, an activity that makes him feel close to her memory. He is a romantic at heart, deeply in tune with nature, and appreciates both the beauty of a sunrise and the quiet fall of flower petals. Despite his wealth and status, he lacks prejudice and is described as a rebel without a cause, possessing a firm and strong-willed character that allows him to defy his great-aunt's rigid expectations. He despises cowardice, envy, and malice, and lives with intensity and positivity.

Anthony's role in the story is to be Candy's great source of happiness and her first experience with tragic loss. When he first meets Candy, she is crying at the gate of his rose garden, and he comforts her with the same words used by the Prince of the Hill: she is prettier when she smiles than when she cries. He is immediately captivated by her spirit, and through his relationship with her, he discovers independence and the courage to stand up for his convictions. He falls deeply in love with her, even naming one of his specially cultivated roses after her, calling it the Sweet Candy rose. His love is protective and genuine; he actively works to keep her from being sent away by the Leagan family and petitions for her adoption into the Ardley family.

The key relationships in his life are defined by family and love. He shares a close, brotherly bond with his cousins Archie and Stear, who also care deeply for Candy. His relationship with his great-aunt Elroy is strained by her formal and controlling nature, a dynamic he learns to challenge with Candy's encouragement. His most significant relationship is, of course, with Candy White. She brings joy and purpose back into his life, and he, in turn, offers her a future filled with love and security, a stark contrast to the mistreatment she suffers at the hands of the Leagan family, particularly Eliza, who is herself secretly in love with Anthony.

Anthony's character development is tragically cut short. He evolves from a lonely, melancholic boy into a confident young man who is sure of his feelings and his future. He becomes determined to live life on his own terms, with Candy by his side. However, during a fox hunt held in Candy's honor after she is allowed to stay with the Ardleys, his horse steps into a trap. Anthony loses control of the animal and falls, suffering a fatal spinal injury and dying instantly in front of a devastated Candy. His death is a pivotal moment that leaves a permanent scar on Candy's heart and gives her a lifelong phobia of horses. His notable abilities include his skill as a caring gardener, able to cultivate beautiful roses, and his competence as a horseback rider, though it is ultimately this activity that leads to his demise.