- Princess Royal: Queen Anne's daughter celebrates her 74th birthday
She is renowned for her diligence, wit, and above all, her great love for horses: Princess Anne, the younger sister of King Charles III, turns 74 on August 15.
The only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II. lives in the shadow of her older brother. Yet, this seems to hardly bother her. On the contrary, her two children, Peter Phillips (46) and Zara Tindall (43), do not have royal titles at her wish, believing it will make their lives easier.
Maintaining normality is also her great wish as a teenager: As the first princess in the British royal family, she is not only educated by private tutors but also attends a secondary school.
As a rider, she participates in the Olympic Games.
Her great love has always been horses. In the eventing discipline, she competes in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. She wins gold and silver medals at European championships. As President of the British Olympic Association and a member of the Olympic Committee, she is also present at this year's Games in Paris.
Her passion for riding also brings her several concussions. In 1976, when her horse fails at a jump during a competition, she falls and is briefly trapped under the animal. She loses consciousness and is taken to the hospital. This is not her only riding accident. Just this year, she is trampled by a horse and ends up in the clinic again.
Boxer stops kidnapping attempt with two punches
An attempted kidnapping in 1974 on London's grand street, The Mall, is even more hair-raising. The luxury limousine carrying the then 23-year-old Anne and her then husband, the 25-year-old officer Mark Phillips, is forced to stop by another car.
An armed man gets out. He targets Princess Anne, intending to kidnap her to demand several million in ransom. He shoots down four men who get in his way.
Only a former boxer, who happens to pass by, manages to subdue the mentally unstable man with two punches.
Anne divorces Phillips in the early 90s and marries naval officer Timothy Laurence.
She accompanies her mother on her final journey
She shares not only her love for horses with her mother but also a close bond. This is particularly evident during the Queen's death in September 2022. Anne is the only one of the four children of the monarch present at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands during her final hours.
As the RAF flies the coffin draped in the royal standard to London, Anne accompanies her mother on her final journey, exuding the same gravity that always characterized Queen Elizabeth II.
Anne also has a humorous side. Like her father, the late Prince Philip, she has a penchant for witty remarks. A few years ago, she said about exercises she regularly participates in as an honorary officer of the military, "Perfect for Trafalgar Square, solves all your problems!" The square in the center of London is notorious for its traffic congestion.
Retreating may not be an option
Since 1987, Anne has held the title of Princess Royal. However, her significance within the royal family has increased, especially in recent years: This is due to the deaths of her parents, the voluntary withdrawal of Prince Harry (39) and Duchess Meghan (43) from the immediate circle of the royal family, as well as her brother Andrew (64), who has fallen from grace due to his involvement in a scandal.
Anne is in demand as never before. Hardly a day passes without her visiting a company, hosting a dinner for the employees of a charity organization, or opening a new sports facility.
"I think people have realized that she is the member of the Royal Family who works the hardest, given the number of commitments she undertakes," says constitutional expert Craig Prescott of the Royal Holloway University of London in an interview with dpa. That Anne, at 74, might consider slowing down is something he cannot imagine. "I don't believe she has any plans to step back," says Prescott.
Princess Anne, being the sister of King Charles III, often supports him in royal engagements. During the Olympic Games, King Charles III and Princess Anne both show their love for sports, with Princess Anne's passion particularly evident in her equestrian events.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including attempted kidnappings and riding accidents, Princess Anne's love for horses and dedication to her royal duties, as the Princess Royal, remains unwavering, much like her brother, King Charles III.
