Princess Anne's Biography

Princess Anne was born on 15 August 1950.

The Princess Royal married Lieutenant (later Captain) Mark Phillips on 14 November 1973. They had two children: Peter Mark Andrew Phillips, who was born on 15 November 1977, and Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, who was born on 15 May 1981.

The BBC has an account of how the Princess Royal foiled an attempt to abduct her in 1974.

Princess Anne's marriage to Mark Phillips was dissolved in April 1992 and on 12 December 1992 she married Commander Timothy Laurence of the Royal Navy.

According to Compton Miller's 'Who's Really Who', Princess Anne's brothers nicknamed Mark Phillips 'Fog' because they thought him thick and wet.

The Princess Royal is an excellent horsewoman. In September 1971 she won the individual European Three-Day Event at Burghley, and was voted the BBC's Sports Personality of 1971.

In 1973, Princess Anne was a member of the British team in the European Three-Day Event Championships in the Soviet Union. Two years later, in the same event in Germany, she won silver medals as an individual and as a team member.

The Princess Royal also competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British Three-Day Event team.

Amongst the Princess's many charity commitments is her long-standing presidency of The Save the Children Fund.

Princess Anne became the first member of the royal family to have a criminal record when her bull terrier, Dotty, bit two children in Windsor Great Park.

On the eve of her 60th birthday in 2010, Princess Anne, asked whether she was planning to drop down a gear, replied:

"Look around at the members of my family who are considerably older than me and tell me whether you think they have set an example which suggests that I might - unlikely."

On 29 December 2010, Princess Anne had a granddaughter born to her son Peter Phillips and his wife, Autumn.

The news came only weeks after Princess Anne's daughter Zara Phillips had announced her engagement to Mike Tindall.

In August 2020, to coincide with her 70th birthday, Princess Anne was promoted by the Army and Royal Air Force to general and air chief marshal in line with the rank she already held in the Royal Navy.