Royal Profile: The Princess Anne, Princess Royal

Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise Mountbatten-Windsor  was born 15 August 1950, at the Clarence House, the second child and only daughter of Princess Elizabeth of York, The Duchess of Endinburgh and her husband, Phillip, The Duke of Endinburgh. She has one elder brother, Prince Charles of Wales and two younger brothers, Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.

She was baptised Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise Mountbatten-Windsor at Buckingham Palace on 21 October 1950. Her godparents were: 

1. The Queen--later Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother (her maternal grandmother) (where Elizabeth likely comes from)
2. The Hereditary Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (her paternal aunt) (Princess Margarita)
3. Princess Alice of Greece and Denmark (her paternal grandmother) (where Alice comes from likely)
4. The Earl Mountbatten of Burma (her paternal granduncle) (Louis)
5. The Hon. and Rev. Andrew Elphinstone (her mother's cousin, her 1st cousin once removed)

She began her education in a small private class held at Buckingham Palace, where The Queen had moved with her family shortly after her accession. In 1962 Her Royal Highness made a private educational visit to France, and the following year she joined Benenden School, a boarding school in Kent.

Like her mother and aunt had, a Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company including the Holy Trinity Brompton Brownie pack, was reformed in May 1959, specifically so that, like her mother, Anne could socialise with girls her own age. The Princess Royal was active until 1963, when she went to boarding school. She remained under private tutelage until she was enrolled at Benenden School in 1963, leaving five years later with six O-Levels and two A-Levels.

The Queen's daughter has been a bridesmaid on several occasions. One notable time was during her mother's cousin, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent's wedding when she was 11 years old.

She has several godchildren, including:

• Philip, Hereditary Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (1970) (Who is her second cousin, I think. His mother was one of her godmothers) 
• Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (1973) (distant cousins)
• Alice McVittie (1976) (her parents were friends of Princess Anne's)
• Amy Andrews (??)(her parents were friends of Princess Anne's)
• Prince Peter of Yugoslavia (1980) 
• Lucy Margot Therese Cameron (1980) (distant cousins)
• Lady Eloise Anne Elizabeth Anson (1981) (distant cousins)
• Kelly Louise Doreen Knatchbull (1988)(Distant cousins)
• Harry Wallace (??)(parents are some of HRH The Princess Royal's oldest friends, his mother was/is one of Anne's Ladies-in-Waiting)

Princess Anne has been styled various ways throughout her life. At birth, until she was almost a year and a half, she was known as Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Endinburgh, as her parents were the Duke and Duchess of Endinburgh. When her mother acceded the throne in Februrary of 1952, she became known as Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne. When the Princess married Capt. Mark Phillips in 1973, she became known as Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne, Mrs. Mark Phillips. When her mother chose to grant her the style The Princess Royal in June 1987, she became known as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Mrs. Mark Phillips. Upon her divorce and remarriage in  1992, she became known as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Mrs. Timothy Laurence. 

Her first official boyfriend was Andrew Parker-Bowels, who would later become the husband to her elder brother's mistress and later his second wife, Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall. The engagement of The Princess Royal to Lieutenant (later Captain) Mark Phillips of The Queen's Dragoon Guards was announced on 29 May 1973, and they were married in Westminster Abbey on 14 November 1973. Her only attendants were her cousin, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (who was 13 at the time) and her brother, Prince Edward, who was only 9 years old at the time. The two had a relatively happy life, approximately three years after they were married, Princess Anne gave birth to her eldest child, Peter. Daughter Zara would follow 4 and a half years later, in May 1981. In 1989, it was announced after several years of their relationship being on the rocks, that the Princess and her Lieutenant would be separating. They were divorced in April 1992, and the Princess would remarry in December of that same year. Her second marriage was to  Timothy Laurence. 

Four months after her first marriage, an unsuccessful attempt was made to abduct The Princess, as she and Captain Phillips were being driven along the Mall on their way back to Buckingham Palace after a charity film show. The Princess was unhurt, but her personal protection officer was shot and wounded during the incident and he was awarded the George Cross for his bravery.

The Princess Royal faced court charges in March 2001, when she pleaded guilty to driving at 150 km/h (93 mph) on a dual carriageway, while on her way to Hartpury College in Gloucestershire. She was fined £400 by Cheltenham Magistrate's Court, and had five points added to her driving licence. The following year, she was convicted of an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, after she pleaded guilty to the charge that her dog, Dotty, attacked two boys while she and her husband were taking the dog for a walk in Windsor Great Park. The Princess was fined £500 by Berkshire Magistrates' Court and ordered to give Dotty more training.

Princess Anne's personal interests vary. She is easily the busiest working British Royal. The Princess Royal has a wide range of public roles, and a very busy working schedule. The Princess began to undertake public engagements alone when she was 18 and had left school. She first flew her personal standard in 1969 when she opened an educational and training centre in Shropshire. Her first State Visit was in May the same year, when she accompanied The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to Austria.

From a young age riding was The Princess's great passion, and she soon proved herself an expert horsewoman. She regularly took part in the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley and the Badminton Horse Trials. In September 1971 she won the individual European Three-Day Event at Burghley, and was nominated Sportswoman of the Year by the Sports Writers' Association, the Daily Express newspaper and World Sport (the journal of the British Olympic Association). She was also voted the BBC's Sports Personality of 1971. In 1973 Her Royal Highness was a member of the British team in the European Three-Day Event Championships at Kiev in the Soviet Union. Two years later, in the same contest in Germany, she won silver medals as an individual competitor and as a team member. The Princess also competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British Three-Day Event team. This led in 1983 to her becoming President of the British Olympic Association for five years. In 1986 Her Royal Highness succeeded her father as President of the International Equestrian Federation (IEF), a post which she has since relinquished. In 1988 The Princess became one of the two UK members of the International Olympic Committee. Her Royal Highness has been an enthusiastic supporter of the British Olympic teams at successive games since 1983, including the games in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. The Princess's interest in horses has resulted in her close involvement with many equine and veterinary charitable organisations, most well-known of which is her presidency of Riding for the Disabled, a position she has held since 1969. The Princess has written a book about her love of horses and equestrian career, Riding Through My Life.

The Princess has recieved numerous honors, both by her mother and internationally. Some of these honors include:

• Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953)
• Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria (1969)
• Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland (SVR SR) (1969)
• Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (1971) (Japan)
• Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange (1972)
• Grand Cross of the Order of the Oak Crown (1972)
• Order of the Yugoslav Flag with Sash, 1st Class (1972-1991)
• Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) (1974)
• Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977)
• Canadian Forces Decoration (1982)
• Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (1994)
• Order of the Thistle (2001)
• Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (2002)
• Commemorative Medal for the Centennial of Saskatchewan (2005)
• Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)