Anne, Princess Royal

Anne, Princess Royal
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Name	Anne, Princess Royal
Caption	The Princess Royal in 2023
Spouse	Mark Phillips (m. 1973; div. 1992), Sir Timothy Laurence (m. 1992)
Issue	Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall
House	House of Windsor
Father	Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Mother	Elizabeth II
Birth date	15 August 1950
Birth place	Clarence House, London, England

Anne, Princess Royal. Anne, Princess Royal is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. A dedicated working member of the British royal family, she is known for her extensive charitable work, equestrian career, and no-nonsense public persona. She was given the title Princess Royal by her mother in 1987, a style traditionally bestowed upon the monarch's eldest daughter.

Early life and education

Princess Anne was born at Clarence House during the reign of her grandfather, King George VI. Her early childhood was spent between the royal residences of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. She was educated initially at Buckingham Palace by a governess, before attending Benenden School in Kent, becoming the first female member of the House of Windsor to be educated at a public school. She left school in 1968 and soon began undertaking official engagements, accompanying her parents on a state visit to Austria that same year. Her early public life was marked by a growing involvement with the Save the Children charity, an organization she would later lead.

Marriage and family

In 1973, she married Captain Mark Phillips, a fellow Olympic equestrian, in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey televised to an international audience. The couple had two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, who do not hold royal titles. The marriage faced public scrutiny and ended in divorce in 1992. Later that same year, she married Commander (now Vice Admiral) Sir Timothy Laurence, a former equerry to Queen Elizabeth II, in a private ceremony at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral Castle. Her children have pursued independent careers, with Zara Tindall following in her mother's footsteps as a champion equestrian, winning a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

Royal duties and public work

The Princess Royal is one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, consistently undertaking the highest number of official engagements annually. She serves as patron or president of over 300 organizations, with a longstanding focus on Save the Children, of which she was President from 1970 to 2017. Her work spans diverse areas including science, industry, and disability sports, notably through her patronage of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the British Olympic Association. She has also undertaken numerous overseas tours on behalf of the British government, including visits to Mozambique, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, often focusing on humanitarian and development issues.

Military affiliations and honours

Princess Anne holds numerous senior military appointments across the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force, reflecting a lifelong connection to the armed forces. She holds the rank of Admiral, General, and Air Chief Marshal, and serves as Colonel-in-Chief of regiments including the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Royal Logistic Corps. Her honours include being a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter and a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. In recognition of her public service, she has been awarded the Order of the Thistle and the Order of St John. Internationally, she has received honours from countries including Japan, Chile, and Namibia.

Personal interests and activities

An accomplished equestrian, Princess Anne is a former European Eventing Champion and was the first British royal to compete in the Olympic Games, participating in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. She served as President of the Fédération Équestre Internationale from 1986 to 1994. Beyond sports, she has a keen interest in agriculture, serving as Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh and supporting the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth. She is also an avid sailor and has participated in the Tall Ships' Races. Her practical character and dedication have earned her significant public respect, often demonstrated during her work with the WRVS and the Carers Trust.

Titles, styles, and arms

At birth, she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Edinburgh. Upon her mother's accession, she became Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne. She was created Princess Royal by letters patent in 1987. Her personal coat of arms is the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, differenced with a three-point label, the centre point bearing a red cross and the outer points each bearing a red heart, a tribute to her father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. As the Princess Royal, she uses the Coronet of a child of the Sovereign as her heraldic coronet.