About The Princess Royal
The Princess Royal started undertaking public work at the age of 18, when her first engagement was the opening of an educational and training centre in Shropshire in 1969. Since then, she has established significant and ongoing relationships with a number of charities and organisations across the Commonwealth and has one of the busiest working schedules of any member of the Royal Family.
Her Royal Highness has been President of Save the Children UK since 1970, and it was the first major charity with which she became closely associated. It has given her great insight into the needs of children worldwide and an understanding of the issues affecting developing countries. In her work for the organisation, The Princess has visited Save the Children projects in many countries, including China, Cambodia, Botswana, Madagascar and The Philippines.
Her Royal Highness is involved with over 300 charities, organisations and military regiments in the UK and overseas, and she devotes a large part of her working life to official engagements and visits.
The Princess has been closely involved with the creation of several charities, notably The Princess Royal's Trust for Carers (now Carers Trust), Transaid and Riders for Health. The Carers’ Trust provides support for the millions of individuals in the UK who are responsible for caring for someone. Transaid and Riders for Health both try to overcome some of the difficulties caused by poor transportation links in developing countries.
Her Royal Highness also carries out a very wide range of official duties and visits in the United Kingdom in support of regional authorities and local institutions.
Having competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British equestrian team, The Princess Royal is able to bring insight and experience to her role a British member of the International Olympic Committee. Her Royal Highness took part in London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and was a member of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games. In 2016 The Princess visited Rio to meet Team GB in her role as President of the British Olympic Association.
Biography
The Princess Royal was born on 15 August 1950 in London. She is the only daughter and second child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. She was known as Princess Anne until she was given the title of The Princess Royal by The Queen in June 1987.
She was educated at Buckingham Palace and in 1963 joined Benenden School in Kent where she completed her education.
The Princess Royal began public engagements in 1969 when she was 18 years old.
She married Captain Mark Phillips in Westminster Abbey on 14 November 1973, their marriage was later dissolved in April 1992. They had two children, Peter Mark Phillips born on 15 November 1977 and Zara Phillips born on 15 May 1981.
The Princess Royal married Commander Timothy Laurence, now Admiral Laurence, on 12 December 1992.
She has five grandchildren: Savannah Phillips born in December 2010, Isla Phillips born in March 2012, Mia Tindall born in January 2014, Lena Tindall born in June 2018 and Lucas Tindall born in March 2021.
Horsemanship
The Princess Royal is an expert horsewoman. Throughout her life she has regularly taken part in the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley. In 1971 she won the individual European Three-Day Event at Burghley and was nominated Sportswoman of the Year. She was also voted the BBC's Sports Personality in 1971.
The Princess Royal competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British Three-Day Event team.
Her Royal Highness is President of the British Olympic Association and a Member of the International Olympic Committee. The Princess took part in London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and visited Team GB in Rio ahead of the 2016 games.
Her daughter Zara has followed her mother into a successful riding career. She won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics and was presented with her medal by The Princess Royal.
Supporting The Monarch
The Princess Royal supports The King in his role as Head of State by representing His Majesty at events in the UK and abroad, as well as attending state and ceremonial occasions alongside other members of the Royal Family.
As a working member of the Royal Family, The Princess Royal attends a number of ceremonial events each year which are led by The King, such as Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph. These events are often national occasions for celebration or reflection, and are moments when the Royal Family come together to show support for Her Majesty, or to provide a central focus for national pride or commemoration.
In 2025, The Princess Royal attended commemorations marking the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Bailiwick in Guernsey and Sark on behalf of The King. During the visit, The Princess visited Little Sark– becoming the first Member of the Royal Family to do so.
The Princess acts as an ambassador for the UK, representing its culture and interests overseas. Her Royal Highness carries out up to three overseas tours each year for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in addition to her overseas visits in support of her charity work. These often involve receptions with the local business community and meetings with politicians and local dignitaries.
Her Royal Highness has also represented the UK representative at key international events. In January 2024, Her Royal Highness visited Sri Lanka to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between the nation and the United Kingdom.
In 1990, Her Royal Highness became the first member of the Royal Family to make an official visit to the then USSR, as a guest of the Soviet government. In June 2024, The Princess Royal joined The King and other Members of the Royal Family in marking the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy, France.
The Princess Royal regularly holds Investitures on behalf of The King throughout the year. At these ceremonies, she presents medals to those who have been awarded honours in the New Year’s Honours List or The King’s Birthday Honours List. The Princess Royal also meets guests from all walks of life – from community volunteers to members of the Armed Forces – at the Garden Parties which are held each year at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Lady Masters' Association
The Association is for female Masters or equivalent of London Livery Companies or Guilds and is open to females who have served as Sheriff. Its objectives are social and charitable and aims to promote women as role models for future generations and assist younger females in the Livery.
Region: UK (England)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Patron
Learning and Work Institute (formerly National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE))
Promotion of adult learning. Supports organisers, teachers and learners.
Region: UK-wide
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Patron
Leuchie Forever Fund
Provide holidays for people with long term, degenerative conditions significantly improving their quality of life. Also helps carers by giving them the chance of a break from their caring role - Leuchie is a lifeline to some people living in the most challenging and distressing of circumstances
Region: UK (Scotland)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Royal Patron
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
Postgraduate centre of education and research, devoted primarily to tropical health.
Region: UK (England)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Patron
Lloyd's of London
Insurance market providing specialist insurance services to businesses worldwide.
Region: International
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Honorary Member
Loch Lomond Golf Club
Golf Club in Scotland.
Region: UK (Scotland)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Honorary Member
London International Youth Science Forum
Website: https://www.liysf.org.uk
To empower young people from all backgrounds to pursue their potential in science and engineering. They hold a two week residential event at Imperial College London which is attended by young people from around the world, most of whom are prize winners of national and international science competitions, with the highest calibre of international speakers.
Region: International
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Royal Patron
London Scottish Football Club
One of the oldest Scottish rugby clubs
Region: UK-wide
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Royal Patron
Longhope Lifeboat Museum Trust
Historic lifeboat shed located on the Pentland Firth in Orkney.
Region: UK (Scotland)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Patron
Lord Lyon Society
The Society is an independent charity registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator. The
purpose of the Society is:
1. To promote Scottish heraldry, genealogy and related arts, heritage and culture.
2. To advance heraldic, genealogical and Scottish heritage through education and
engagement with young people.
3. To aid and support the protection and preservation of the records, archives and
collections of the Court and Office of the Lord Lyon.
4. To aid and support the digitisation of those records and to make them accessible to the
public at no cost.
5. To support and promote the contribution by the Scottish diaspora, especially within the
Commonwealth, to heraldic, genealogical and cultural education.
"The Society has recently been established as a Scottish Charity to support the work of the Court of the Lord Lyon. In particular, the Society intends to widen access to the wealth of records held by the Court of the Lord Lyon and to make the work of the Lord Lyon more widely known.
I am aware that Her Royal Highness was Patron of the 27 Heraldic Congress which was held in St Andrews in 2006, and it is very much hoped that she would consider accepting the Patronage of this new Society and the work that it will do to promote wider knowledge of the unique history of Scottish heraldry."
Region: UK (Scotland)
Members of the Royal Family:
The Princess Royal, Patron
