Anne, Princess Royal

Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950) is a member of the British royal family.

She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of King Charles III.

Anne was born at Clarence House on 15 August 1950 at 11:50 a.m. during the reign of her maternal grandfather, King George VI.

She was the second child and only daughter of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (later Queen Elizabeth II), and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

A 21-gun salute in Hyde Park signaled the birth.

Anne was baptised in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace on 21 October 1950, by the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett.

At the time of her birth, she was third in the line of succession to the British throne, behind her mother and older brother, Charles (later King Charles III).

She rose to second in 1952 after her grandfather's death and her mother's accession; she is currently 17th in line.

A governess, Catherine Peebles, was appointed to look after Anne and her brothers, Charles, Andrew, and Edward.

Peebles was responsible for Anne's early education at Buckingham Palace.

Given her young age at the time, Anne did not attend her mother's coronation in June 1953.

A Girl Guides company, the 1st Buckingham Palace Company to include the Holy Trinity Brompton Brownie pack, was re-formed in May 1959, specifically so that, as her mother and aunt had done as children, Anne could socialise with girls her own age.

The company was active until 1963, when Anne went to boarding school.

Anne enrolled at Benenden School in 1963.

In 1968, she left school with six GCE O-Levels and two A-Levels.

She began to undertake royal engagements in 1969, at the age of 18.

In 1970, Anne briefly had a relationship with Andrew Parker Bowles, who later married Camilla Shand.

Camilla later became the second wife and queen consort of Anne's eldest brother, Charles III.

Anne was also briefly linked to Olympic equestrian Richard Meade.

She became a respected equestrian, winning one gold medal in 1971 and two silver medals in 1975 at the European Eventing Championships.

In spring 1971, Princess Anne finished fourth at the Rushall Horse Trials.

At age 21, Anne won the individual title at the European Eventing Championship with her home-bred horse Doublet and was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1971.

She also rode winners in horse racing, competing in the Grand Military Steeplechase at Sandown Park Racecourse and the Diamond Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Anne married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973; they separated in 1989 and divorced in 1992.

They have two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, and five grandchildren.

She finished fourth at the Badminton Horse Trials in 1974 and sixth in 1979, having participated five times in the competition between 1971 and 1979.

For more than five years, Anne also competed with the British eventing team, winning a silver medal in both individual and team disciplines in the 1975 European Eventing Championship.

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

The following year, she participated in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal as a member of the British team, riding the Queen's horse, Goodwill, in Eventing.

Anne suffered a concussion halfway through the course but remounted and finished the event; she has stated she cannot remember making the rest of the jumps.

The British team had to pull out of the competition after two horses were injured.

In 1985, she rode in a charity horse race at the Epsom Derby, finishing fourth.

Anne was born 3rd in the line of succession to the British throne and is now 17th, and has been, since 1987, Princess Royal, a title held for life.

Born at Clarence House, Anne was educated at Benenden School and began undertaking royal duties upon reaching adulthood.

In 1988, the Princess Royal became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Anne performs official duties and engagements on behalf of the monarch.

She is patron or president of over 300 organisations, including WISE, Riders for Health, and Carers Trust.

Her work in charities centres on sports, sciences, people with disabilities, and health in developing countries.

She has been associated with Save the Children for over fifty years and has visited a number of its projects.

Within months of her divorce in 1992, Anne married Commander (later Vice Admiral) Sir Timothy Laurence, whom she had met while he served as her mother's equerry between 1986 and 1989.