Anne, the Princess Royal | Biography & Facts (2024)

Anne, the Princess Royal (born August 15, 1950, London, England) is a British royal, the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, duke of Edinburgh. For the eight years between her mother’s accession in 1952 and the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, she was second—to her older brother, Prince Charles—in the line of succession to the British throne.

Anne was born in London’s Clarence House, the residence of her mother, who was then still Princess Elizabeth. She was educated at Benenden School. Young Anne took a keen interest in horsemanship and later reached the highest level of equestrian competition. She especially favoured the three-day event, a test of overall ability in which male and female riders compete against each other, both as individuals and on teams. She won the individual European championship in 1971 and was also a member of the winning British team. She sat out the Munich 1972 Olympic Games, largely because of troubles with her horse, but was a member of the British three-day eventing team at the Montreal 1976 Olympics.

A shared interest in equestrian sport brought Anne together with her first husband, Capt. Mark Phillips, an army officer whom she married on November 14, 1973, in Westminster Abbey. Phillips had been her teammate at the 1971 European championships and was a member of the three-day eventing team that won the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics. Phillips was a commoner and never took a title of nobility, with the result that his and Anne’s two children were called simply Peter and Zara Phillips. Peter was born on November 15, 1977, and Zara on May 15, 1981. Anne obtained a divorce from Phillips in April 1992, and in December of the same year she married Comdr. Timothy Laurence, a naval officer and former aide to Queen Elizabeth.

In March 1974 Anne was nearly kidnapped when a mentally disturbed gunman attacked the car in which she was riding, wounding her bodyguard and the chauffeur. In June 1987 Anne was created the princess royal, a title traditionally carried by the British monarch’s oldest daughter and held for life. The previous princess royal was her great-aunt Mary, who died in 1965. Mary was the daughter of King George V.

Anne has lent her support to various charities, most notably as president of Save the Children UK since 1970. She is involved with numerous other causes, including those that support caregivers. Anne often ranks among the hardest-working members of the royal family. In 2022 she undertook the most royal engagements, 214.