Princess Anne, A-Z of fascinating facts about the hard-working royal, received from Saga Magazine, 2025 08 14
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Colin Howard
Aug 14, 2025, 7:12:05 AMAug 14
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Greetings,
I found this article fascinating, I've always admired her, how about you?
As the Princess Royal turns 75 on 15 August this year, here's everything you
need to know about this underrated jewel in the family crown.
By Kate Randall | Published - 13 Aug 2025
Drama and the royal family seem to go together like a horse and carriage -
hardly a day goes by without one member of the clan making controversial
headlines. But like most families, there is always a quiet one in the
background just getting on with things - in The Firm's case, that's Princess
Anne.
Having inherited the stoic and dutiful traits of her late mother, Queen
Elizabeth, Anne is a royal workhorse who helps whip the rest into shape with
her no-nonsense attitude. While she's dutiful, though, she's also no
pushover and definitely doesn't suffer fools gladly.
Fascinating facts - an A-Z of Princess Anne
So, as Anne celebrates her 75th birthday this month, here's an A-Z of facts
about the most reliable royal.
A is for Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise
The first and only daughter of the then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip
was born at Clarence House on 15th August 1950, a little sister for
two-year-old Prince Charles.
At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne (behind her
mother and older brother), moving to second after her grandfather's death in
1952. She is now 18th in line.
B is for Boats
Anne is a keen sailor and has her own boat, a Rustler 44 yacht, named
Ballochbuie, which she purchased for a rumoured £500,000 in 2012. Along with
her husband Sir Tim Laurence, they sail her in Scotland twice a year, as
that's all their schedules will allow.
"We decided a long time ago to do it in blocks," she said, "And therefore it
was worth keeping the boat somewhere it was nice to sail."
C is for Criminal conviction
In 2002, she became the first member of the royal family to be convicted of
a criminal offence after pleading guilty to a charge under the Dangerous
Dogs Act.
Her three-year-old English bull terrier, Dotty, bit two children as they
walked in Windsor Great Park. Anne was fined £500 for the attack and ordered
to pay £250 in compensation and £148 in costs.
D is for Divorce
Anne's divorce from her first husband Captain Mark Phillips in 1992 ended
more than 18 years of marriage.
It was one of the contributing factors to the Queen's infamous "annus
horribilis" speech, along with the separations of Prince Andrew and Sarah
Ferguson and Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
E is for Edinburgh
The Princess Royal is a regular visitor to the city's Murrayfield Stadium
and has been the Patron of Scottish Rugby since 1986 and rarely misses a
match.
"I do think rugby offers a variety of talents in one team," Anne has said.
"You have to look out for each other and that's a different sort of
responsibility within a team structure."
While she may not be breaking any boundaries when it comes to her dress
sense, Anne always looks smart and stylish and regularly re-wears her
clothes.
In 2020 she was praised by then-Vogue editor Edward Enninful. "Princess Anne
is a true style icon and was all about sustainable fashion before the rest
of us really knew what that meant," he said.
"She is timeless in her style and she wears a tailored suit better than
anyone else I can think of."
G is for Grandmother
As well as her Princess Royal title, another title Anne is proud to have is
that of grandma. She has five grandchildren - Savannah and Isla from son
Peter as well as daughter Zara's three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas - and
she loves to be as hands-on as possible.
"We quite like leaving them on Sundays," Zara has joked. "We'll say, 'We'll
pick them up later, bye'.''
H is for Hardworking
Anne is quite often referred to as "the hardest working royal". She
certainly undertakes the most official duties in a year, completing 217 in
2024. And she has no plans to slow down.
When asked if she will be retiring, she replied: "I don't think there's a
retirement programme on this particular life. It really isn't written in."
I is for Injuries
Anne is no stranger to accidents. In 2024 she was hospitalised for five days
after a "serious accident" at her Gloucestershire home - she later admitted
that she "had no memory" of the incident.
Earlier this year she suffered a bruised leg after an incident at the same
estate.
J is for James
Her youngest nephew is James, the Earl of Wessex, son of Prince Edward and
Sophie. She is also Auntie to their daughter Lady Louise andrew's girls
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie as well as Princes William and Harry.
However, when William was born in 1982, Anne - who was already a mum-of-two
by then - wasn't impressed by the furore surrounding the birth. Asked if she
thought too much fuss was being made about the arrival of Prince Charle's
heir, she bluntly said, "Yes".
K is for Kidnapping
In 1974, Anne was the target of a kidnapping plot while returning to
Buckingham Palace alongside then-husband Mark Phillips. A man named Ian Ball
intercepted their car on Pall Mall and began firing a gun.
Anne's personal police officer, her chauffeur and a nearby journalist were
all hit. A passing pedestrian, former boxer Ron Russell, punched Ball and
helped get Anne to safety.
Another officer was shot before the police were able to subdue and arrest
Ball.
L is for Laurence
After her marriage to Mark Phillips, Anne married Timothy Laurence in 1992.
The couple met in the 1980s while Laurence was working for The Queen.
They married in a private ceremony near Balmoral in Scotland as the Church
of England at the time did not allow divorced people to re-marry in its
churches while their former spouse was still alive.
Anne and the Queen shared a close bond
M is for Military Ranks
As well as her royal titles, Anne holds several military positions including
the rank of a general in the British Army and Air Chief Marshal of the Royal
Air Force.
In the Royal Navy, she is now an admiral following her time as a vice
admiral, rear admiral and chief commandant of the Women's Royal Naval
Service.
N is for Nobel Peace Prize
In 1990, Anne was nominated for the prestigious accolade by President
Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia for her work as president of Save The Children, a
role she'd had for 20 years.
"She loves people," Kaunda said at the time. "She has extended that love to
working for helpless children in many parts of the world. That is love in
action."
O is for Olympics
She became the first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympics,
taking part as a member of the Great British equestrian team at Montreal
1976. Riding her mother's horse, Goodwill, she placed 24th overall.
Anne became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 1988 and
accepted the Olympic flame ahead of the London Games in 2012, where daughter
Zara won a silver equestrian medal.
P is for Peter
Anne's son Peter was born at the Lindo Wing of London's St Mary's hospital
on 15 November 1977. Peter was the first grandchild for Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip and his daughter Savannah became their first great-grandchild
in 2010.
He went on to have another daughter, Isla, with Canadian wife Autumn, before
they split in 2019. Peter is now dating NHS nurse Harriet Sperling.
Q is for Queen
As the only daughter of the late monarch, Anne was very close to her mother
and was with her when she passed away in Balmoral on 8 September 2022.
Speaking about her final moments, an emotional Anne said in a statement, "I
was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother's life. It has
been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys.
"Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been
both humbling and uplifting."
R is for Races
With her equestrian background, Anne is often seen cheering on the horses at
prestigious race meetings and is a regular at Royal Ascot every June.
When she's not watching the racing, Anne shows off her riding skills every
year at the Trooping of the Colour, most recently riding alongside Prince
William in honour of the King's Birthday.
Zara has followed in her mother's equestrian footsteps
S is for Sandringham
In keeping with tradition Anne joins the rest of the 'The Firm' at their
Norfolk estate for the royal Christmas celebrations. The family all attend
church on Christmas morning, greeting the waiting members of public as they
walk to the service.
Anne isn't always impressed, though - one year, after being given a flower
bouquet by a fan who said they had been up all night, she light-heartedly
replied, "You must be mad".
T is for Titles
To try and provide her two children with 'normal' childhoods, Anne refused
the HRH titles for both Peter and Zara - she believed it would give them
more freedom to pursue the personal and professional opportunities that came
their way.
"I think it was probably easier for them and I think most people would argue
that there are downsides to having titles," Anne has said. "So, I think that
was probably the right thing to do."
U is for University
Anne didn't go on to higher education, choosing instead to become a
full-time royal after finishing school. In 1981, however, she was made
Chancellor of the University of London.
She is the 10th person to hold that title and her role involves representing
the university at a wide range of engagements every year.
V is for Victory
Aged just 21, Princess Anne was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in
1971 after winning the individual title at the European Eventing
Championship at Burghley earlier that year.
Her daughter Zara also won the same BBC accolade 35 years later, after her
victory in the eventing world championships in 2006.
W is for Wedding
Anne was the first of the late Queen's children to marry when she wed
Captain Mark Phillips on 14 November 1973 - brother Charles' 25th birthday -
at Westminster Abbey. The televised ceremony was watched by an estimated
global audience of 500 million and the UK was given an extra bank holiday to
celebrate.
Anne wore a Tudor-style dress by Maureen Baker, while Mark wore the full
dress uniform of his regiment, the Queen's Dragoon Guards.
X is for X-rated
While she's famed for her stiff upper lip, those who know the Princess Royal
say she has a great sense of humour.
Her son-in-law Mike Tindall found this out at wife Zara's 30th birthday
party. While executing the squatting dance move known as a "sl*t drop" in
front of Anne, the very tight trousers that Tindall was wearing ripped,
revealing a pair of boxer shorts that had the words "nibble my nuts" written
on them. According to Tindall, it prompted the following deadpan response
from Anne: "I'd rather not'.
Y is for Young Anne
Taking on of the role of Anne can be quite a daunting task for any actress
and that was certainly true for Erin Doherty, who portrayed a young Anne in
series three and four of The Crown. She excelled, though, with the show's
creator Peter Morgan saying that her performance was so good that he had to
feature more of Anne.
"Erin's portrayal means that everybody has fallen in love with her," he
said. "Searches about Anne on Google went through the roof. She's now one of
the most popular royals."
Z is for Zara
Anne's daughter was born on 15 May 1981 at the same hospital as her brother
Peter had been. Her name was due to a suggestion from her Uncle Charles.
"The baby made a rather sudden and positive arrival and my brother thought
Zara [a Greek name meaning 'bright as the dawn'] was an appropriate name,"
Anne explained later.
Written by: Kate Randall
Kate Randall is Saga Magazine's Digital News Editor. Kate has more than 20
years experience in print and digital journalism and specialises in news,
entertainment and lifestyle.
In her spare time, she loves trying out the latest exercise trends and
fitting in as many holidays as she can.
Colin Howard, Southern England.
I found this article fascinating, I've always admired her, how about you?
As the Princess Royal turns 75 on 15 August this year, here's everything you
need to know about this underrated jewel in the family crown.
By Kate Randall | Published - 13 Aug 2025
Drama and the royal family seem to go together like a horse and carriage -
hardly a day goes by without one member of the clan making controversial
headlines. But like most families, there is always a quiet one in the
background just getting on with things - in The Firm's case, that's Princess
Anne.
Having inherited the stoic and dutiful traits of her late mother, Queen
Elizabeth, Anne is a royal workhorse who helps whip the rest into shape with
her no-nonsense attitude. While she's dutiful, though, she's also no
pushover and definitely doesn't suffer fools gladly.
Fascinating facts - an A-Z of Princess Anne
So, as Anne celebrates her 75th birthday this month, here's an A-Z of facts
about the most reliable royal.
A is for Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise
The first and only daughter of the then-Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip
was born at Clarence House on 15th August 1950, a little sister for
two-year-old Prince Charles.
At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne (behind her
mother and older brother), moving to second after her grandfather's death in
1952. She is now 18th in line.
B is for Boats
Anne is a keen sailor and has her own boat, a Rustler 44 yacht, named
Ballochbuie, which she purchased for a rumoured £500,000 in 2012. Along with
her husband Sir Tim Laurence, they sail her in Scotland twice a year, as
that's all their schedules will allow.
"We decided a long time ago to do it in blocks," she said, "And therefore it
was worth keeping the boat somewhere it was nice to sail."
C is for Criminal conviction
In 2002, she became the first member of the royal family to be convicted of
a criminal offence after pleading guilty to a charge under the Dangerous
Dogs Act.
Her three-year-old English bull terrier, Dotty, bit two children as they
walked in Windsor Great Park. Anne was fined £500 for the attack and ordered
to pay £250 in compensation and £148 in costs.
D is for Divorce
Anne's divorce from her first husband Captain Mark Phillips in 1992 ended
more than 18 years of marriage.
It was one of the contributing factors to the Queen's infamous "annus
horribilis" speech, along with the separations of Prince Andrew and Sarah
Ferguson and Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
E is for Edinburgh
The Princess Royal is a regular visitor to the city's Murrayfield Stadium
and has been the Patron of Scottish Rugby since 1986 and rarely misses a
match.
"I do think rugby offers a variety of talents in one team," Anne has said.
"You have to look out for each other and that's a different sort of
responsibility within a team structure."
While she may not be breaking any boundaries when it comes to her dress
sense, Anne always looks smart and stylish and regularly re-wears her
clothes.
In 2020 she was praised by then-Vogue editor Edward Enninful. "Princess Anne
is a true style icon and was all about sustainable fashion before the rest
of us really knew what that meant," he said.
"She is timeless in her style and she wears a tailored suit better than
anyone else I can think of."
G is for Grandmother
As well as her Princess Royal title, another title Anne is proud to have is
that of grandma. She has five grandchildren - Savannah and Isla from son
Peter as well as daughter Zara's three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas - and
she loves to be as hands-on as possible.
"We quite like leaving them on Sundays," Zara has joked. "We'll say, 'We'll
pick them up later, bye'.''
H is for Hardworking
Anne is quite often referred to as "the hardest working royal". She
certainly undertakes the most official duties in a year, completing 217 in
2024. And she has no plans to slow down.
When asked if she will be retiring, she replied: "I don't think there's a
retirement programme on this particular life. It really isn't written in."
I is for Injuries
Anne is no stranger to accidents. In 2024 she was hospitalised for five days
after a "serious accident" at her Gloucestershire home - she later admitted
that she "had no memory" of the incident.
Earlier this year she suffered a bruised leg after an incident at the same
estate.
J is for James
Her youngest nephew is James, the Earl of Wessex, son of Prince Edward and
Sophie. She is also Auntie to their daughter Lady Louise andrew's girls
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie as well as Princes William and Harry.
However, when William was born in 1982, Anne - who was already a mum-of-two
by then - wasn't impressed by the furore surrounding the birth. Asked if she
thought too much fuss was being made about the arrival of Prince Charle's
heir, she bluntly said, "Yes".
K is for Kidnapping
In 1974, Anne was the target of a kidnapping plot while returning to
Buckingham Palace alongside then-husband Mark Phillips. A man named Ian Ball
intercepted their car on Pall Mall and began firing a gun.
Anne's personal police officer, her chauffeur and a nearby journalist were
all hit. A passing pedestrian, former boxer Ron Russell, punched Ball and
helped get Anne to safety.
Another officer was shot before the police were able to subdue and arrest
Ball.
L is for Laurence
After her marriage to Mark Phillips, Anne married Timothy Laurence in 1992.
The couple met in the 1980s while Laurence was working for The Queen.
They married in a private ceremony near Balmoral in Scotland as the Church
of England at the time did not allow divorced people to re-marry in its
churches while their former spouse was still alive.
Anne and the Queen shared a close bond
M is for Military Ranks
As well as her royal titles, Anne holds several military positions including
the rank of a general in the British Army and Air Chief Marshal of the Royal
Air Force.
In the Royal Navy, she is now an admiral following her time as a vice
admiral, rear admiral and chief commandant of the Women's Royal Naval
Service.
N is for Nobel Peace Prize
In 1990, Anne was nominated for the prestigious accolade by President
Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia for her work as president of Save The Children, a
role she'd had for 20 years.
"She loves people," Kaunda said at the time. "She has extended that love to
working for helpless children in many parts of the world. That is love in
action."
O is for Olympics
She became the first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympics,
taking part as a member of the Great British equestrian team at Montreal
1976. Riding her mother's horse, Goodwill, she placed 24th overall.
Anne became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 1988 and
accepted the Olympic flame ahead of the London Games in 2012, where daughter
Zara won a silver equestrian medal.
P is for Peter
Anne's son Peter was born at the Lindo Wing of London's St Mary's hospital
on 15 November 1977. Peter was the first grandchild for Queen Elizabeth and
Prince Philip and his daughter Savannah became their first great-grandchild
in 2010.
He went on to have another daughter, Isla, with Canadian wife Autumn, before
they split in 2019. Peter is now dating NHS nurse Harriet Sperling.
Q is for Queen
As the only daughter of the late monarch, Anne was very close to her mother
and was with her when she passed away in Balmoral on 8 September 2022.
Speaking about her final moments, an emotional Anne said in a statement, "I
was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother's life. It has
been an honour and a privilege to accompany her on her final journeys.
"Witnessing the love and respect shown by so many on these journeys has been
both humbling and uplifting."
R is for Races
With her equestrian background, Anne is often seen cheering on the horses at
prestigious race meetings and is a regular at Royal Ascot every June.
When she's not watching the racing, Anne shows off her riding skills every
year at the Trooping of the Colour, most recently riding alongside Prince
William in honour of the King's Birthday.
Zara has followed in her mother's equestrian footsteps
S is for Sandringham
In keeping with tradition Anne joins the rest of the 'The Firm' at their
Norfolk estate for the royal Christmas celebrations. The family all attend
church on Christmas morning, greeting the waiting members of public as they
walk to the service.
Anne isn't always impressed, though - one year, after being given a flower
bouquet by a fan who said they had been up all night, she light-heartedly
replied, "You must be mad".
T is for Titles
To try and provide her two children with 'normal' childhoods, Anne refused
the HRH titles for both Peter and Zara - she believed it would give them
more freedom to pursue the personal and professional opportunities that came
their way.
"I think it was probably easier for them and I think most people would argue
that there are downsides to having titles," Anne has said. "So, I think that
was probably the right thing to do."
U is for University
Anne didn't go on to higher education, choosing instead to become a
full-time royal after finishing school. In 1981, however, she was made
Chancellor of the University of London.
She is the 10th person to hold that title and her role involves representing
the university at a wide range of engagements every year.
V is for Victory
Aged just 21, Princess Anne was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in
1971 after winning the individual title at the European Eventing
Championship at Burghley earlier that year.
Her daughter Zara also won the same BBC accolade 35 years later, after her
victory in the eventing world championships in 2006.
W is for Wedding
Anne was the first of the late Queen's children to marry when she wed
Captain Mark Phillips on 14 November 1973 - brother Charles' 25th birthday -
at Westminster Abbey. The televised ceremony was watched by an estimated
global audience of 500 million and the UK was given an extra bank holiday to
celebrate.
Anne wore a Tudor-style dress by Maureen Baker, while Mark wore the full
dress uniform of his regiment, the Queen's Dragoon Guards.
X is for X-rated
While she's famed for her stiff upper lip, those who know the Princess Royal
say she has a great sense of humour.
Her son-in-law Mike Tindall found this out at wife Zara's 30th birthday
party. While executing the squatting dance move known as a "sl*t drop" in
front of Anne, the very tight trousers that Tindall was wearing ripped,
revealing a pair of boxer shorts that had the words "nibble my nuts" written
on them. According to Tindall, it prompted the following deadpan response
from Anne: "I'd rather not'.
Y is for Young Anne
Taking on of the role of Anne can be quite a daunting task for any actress
and that was certainly true for Erin Doherty, who portrayed a young Anne in
series three and four of The Crown. She excelled, though, with the show's
creator Peter Morgan saying that her performance was so good that he had to
feature more of Anne.
"Erin's portrayal means that everybody has fallen in love with her," he
said. "Searches about Anne on Google went through the roof. She's now one of
the most popular royals."
Z is for Zara
Anne's daughter was born on 15 May 1981 at the same hospital as her brother
Peter had been. Her name was due to a suggestion from her Uncle Charles.
"The baby made a rather sudden and positive arrival and my brother thought
Zara [a Greek name meaning 'bright as the dawn'] was an appropriate name,"
Anne explained later.
Written by: Kate Randall
Kate Randall is Saga Magazine's Digital News Editor. Kate has more than 20
years experience in print and digital journalism and specialises in news,
entertainment and lifestyle.
In her spare time, she loves trying out the latest exercise trends and
fitting in as many holidays as she can.
Colin Howard, Southern England.
Rita Bayliss
Aug 16, 2025, 3:22:44 PMAug 16
to avip...@googlegroups.com
I have always had great respect for Princess Anne for her 'no fuss'
attitude and work ethic.
Rita
attitude and work ethic.
Rita
meg....@sylvameg.co.uk
Aug 22, 2025, 9:38:48 AMAug 22
to 'Rita Bayliss' via AVIP
Thanks for this article Colin some of the facts were known to me but there were some interesting facts I didn't know about. Best wishes Meg
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ano...@ntlworld.com
Sep 7, 2025, 12:14:30 PM (13 days ago) Sep 7
to avip...@googlegroups.com
Thanks Colin for this, I found it most interesting, even though I'm not much of a royalist these days.
One thing they didn't mention was Princess Anne's appearance on A Question Of Sport, in I think 1989. She was on Emelyn Hughes' team and at one point, Emelyn said something jokingly and she hit him with her handbag. Does anyone remember that one?
Paul.
One thing they didn't mention was Princess Anne's appearance on A Question Of Sport, in I think 1989. She was on Emelyn Hughes' team and at one point, Emelyn said something jokingly and she hit him with her handbag. Does anyone remember that one?
Paul.
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