(Image: @RoyalFamily/Twitter)
Cover Image: @RoyalFamily/Twitter

One of the most hardworking royals in the British monarchy turns 70 today. We look back at Anne, Princess Royal's best moments.

Anne, Princess Royal may not make the headlines as often as her brothers Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, but she is an indispensable member of the royal family, often lauded for her quick wit and no-nonsense approach to her royal duties. Born Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise on Aug 15, 1950, the Princess is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and currently 14th in line to the throne.

While she is known to be low-key, the senior royal will be celebrating her 70th birthday today, which is a pretty important milestone. Plans were reportedly made to mark the occasion with a party at the palace at first, but have since been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead, Anne will be enjoying a quiet birthday sailing around the west coast of Scotland with her husband, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.

But celebrations are still in order for her big day, with a documentary entitled Anne: The Princess Royal at 70 by ITV airing in July, which gave viewers a peek into the hardworking royal's personal life and interactions with her family. The Buckingham Palace also began paying a week-long tribute to the Princess, with a series of Instagram posts and stories that look back on her illustrious years. We pick out our favourite moments and fun facts of Princess Anne below.

See also: Princess Beatrice's Wedding Tiara Is A Royal Family Heirloom Dating Back To Queen Victoria

1. Anne was born at Clarence House in 1950, where Charles now resides

2. Growing up, the second-born royal shared a close-knit relationship with her brother Charles

3. Anne rocks her natural curls in this official royal portrait from the 1950s

4. Anne was too young to attend Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953, but appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony after the ceremony

5. Anne's love for horses started from a young age

6. The 1st Buckingham Palace Company of Girl Guides was reformed for Anne in 1959, when she was nine

7. At 13, the Princess went to Benenden School where she competed for the boarding school in equestrian competitions

8. Anne's first solo engagement was a visit to the Children's Shelter in Edinburgh in May, 1969

9. In the '70s and '80s, Anne continued to support the Queen, becoming associated with her first patronages such as Save The Children

10. In 1976, she became the first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympic Games

11. Anne was photographed at Frogmore House for her 21st birthday

12. Anne announced her engagement to Mark Phillips in 1973, five years after they first met at a party for equestrians

13. The couple wedded on Nov 14, 1973 at Westminster Abbey. Mark was offered an earldom upon the marriage, but declined.

14. Their first son, Peter Phillips was born in 1977

15. Younger daughter Zara Phillips was born in 1981

16. In 1983, Anne became president of the British Olympic Association

17. The Princess Royal made her debut as a flat race jockey in the Farriers Invitation Private Sweepstakes in 1985

18. Anne's landmark birthday portrait in 1990, shot by John Swannell

19. Anne and Mark announced their intention to separate in 1989, finalising their divorce in 1992

20. She then married her present husband, Timothy Laurence on Dec 12, 1992

21. Anne became the Patron of Save the Children UK in 2016, after serving as the charity's president from 1970

22. Throughout the years, Anne's love for horses continue. Parts of her royal residence at Gatcombe Park are open to host events such as horse trails.

23. The Princess Royal is best known for her long-held title of "most hardworking royal" (pipped by Charles in 2019), but has also been identified as the "most charitable royal"

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