There’s a royal who has quietly racked up more official engagements than anyone in the family, competed in the Olympics, and yet remains the least gossipy of the lot. Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, has built a reputation as the working royal who actually works—and she’s been at it longer than most.
Born: 15 August 1950 ·
Parents: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip ·
Children: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall ·
Title: Princess Royal ·
Olympics: 1976 Montreal
Quick snapshot
- Princess Anne was born on 15 August 1950 at Clarence House (The Royal Family (official monarchy website))
- She is the Princess Royal, a title held for life (The Royal Family (official monarchy website))
- She has two children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall (Westminster Abbey (historic coronation site))
- Any specific medical diagnosis for Princess Anne has not been publicly disclosed
- The full nature of her relationship with Princess Diana remains subject to speculation
- Details of infidelity in Charles and Diana’s marriage are not fully confirmed by primary sources
- 1950: Born at Clarence House (The Royal Family (official monarchy website))
- 1971: Won European Eventing Championship (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher))
- 1976: Competed in Montreal Olympics (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher))
- 1992: Divorced Mark Phillips; married Timothy Laurence (Westminster Abbey (historic coronation site))
- Princess Anne continues her royal duties, carrying out over 500 engagements annually (EBSCO Research Starters (academic biography database))
- She remains president of Save the Children UK, a role she has held since 1970 (EBSCO Research Starters (academic biography database))
Six key facts about Princess Anne at a glance:
| Born | 15 August 1950 |
| Parents | Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip |
| Children | Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall |
| Title | Princess Royal |
| Olympic Participation | 1976 Montreal |
| Line of Succession | 17th |
What has Princess Anne been diagnosed with?
Princess Anne’s health history
Princess Anne has never publicly disclosed any specific medical diagnosis. She has maintained a largely private health profile, with no official statements from Buckingham Palace about any ongoing condition. The royal.uk biography notes only her general well-being as a working royal (The Royal Family (official monarchy website)).
Public statements on medical conditions
At 74, Princess Anne continues to carry out a heavy schedule of engagements—over 500 per year according to palace records (The Royal Family (75 facts at 75)). No public statement has ever confirmed a diagnosis of any illness. The Palace’s standard position is that the royal family’s medical details are private unless the individual chooses to share them.
For a public figure who logged more official engagements than any other working royal in 2023, the absence of any medical disclosure suggests either excellent health or a fiercely guarded privacy—probably both.
The implication: Princess Anne’s health remains a private matter, reinforcing her reputation for duty over disclosure.
Does Camilla outrank Princess Anne?
The question turns on two different royal titles and the hierarchy of the British monarchy.
| Aspect | Queen Camilla | Princess Anne (Princess Royal) |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Queen Consort | Princess Royal |
| Rank in order of precedence | Highest-ranking female royal after the monarch | Second-highest-ranking female royal |
| Source of rank | Marriage to King Charles III | Birth as daughter of the monarch, plus royal title grant |
The pattern: two women, one throne. Camilla, as Queen Consort, outranks Princess Anne, who holds the Princess Royal title. The royal.uk order of precedence confirms Camilla sits directly after the King (The Royal Family (official precedence)).
Why this matters: Though Anne is higher in the line of succession (17th compared to Camilla’s non-blood position), rank in daily court protocol is determined by title and marriage, not birth order. Camilla is the Queen; Anne is the Princess Royal.
Princess Anne was born a princess; Camilla married into the role. Yet at formal state occasions, the woman who spent 50 years working for the crown walks behind the woman who joined the family later. That’s the monarchy’s logic of precedence over birth.
The catch: Royal precedence, not lineage, dictates the order—a system that puts marriage above birthright.
Who was the love of Princess Anne’s life?
Princess Anne’s marriages
- Captain Mark Phillips (1973–1992): The couple married at Westminster Abbey on 14 November 1973 (Westminster Abbey (historic coronation site)). They had two children before divorcing in 1992.
- Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence (1992–present): Married in a private ceremony at Crathie Kirk, Balmoral later in 1992.
The question of a “love of her life” is speculative—Anne has never publicly named a single great romance. Her marriages suggest a pattern: both husbands were military officers outside the royal peerage, indicating a preference for private life away from court spotlight.
What this means: Anne’s personal life remains intentionally low-key, reinforcing her image as the royal who values substance over spectacle.
Did Princess Anne like Diana?
Relationship between Princess Anne and Diana
Princess Anne and Diana had a cordial but not close relationship, according to multiple biographies. They were seen together at royal events—Christmas at Sandringham, Trooping the Colour—but there were no known public conflicts. A Town & Country feature notes they “got along fine” without being close friends (Town & Country (editorial lifestyle magazine)).
Rumors of tension
Rumors of friction appear rooted in Anne’s famously no-nonsense personality clashing with Diana’s emotional public approach. Royal insider sources reportedly describe their dynamic as “professional but not warm” (Royal Insider (royal commentary site)). No primary-confirmed incident exists of a feud.
The pattern: The two royal women maintained a professional distance, with Anne’s stoic temperament contrasting Diana’s more open style—a difference that never escalated into open conflict.
What did Queen say when Diana died?
Queen Elizabeth’s statement on Diana’s death
On 5 September 1997, five days after Diana’s death in a Paris car crash, Queen Elizabeth II addressed the nation live. She said: “She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh” (BBC News (public broadcaster)).
Who was unfaithful first, Charles or Diana?
The question of who strayed first in Charles and Diana’s marriage remains debated. Biographers point to Charles’s earlier relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, while Diana’s own interviews suggested she felt betrayed. No definitive timeline has been confirmed by primary sources.
Which royal refused to bow at Diana’s funeral?
Princess Anne did not bow at Diana’s funeral—but that was protocol, not protest. As a senior royal and the Princess Royal, her head was uncovered but she did not curtsy; the tradition for a royal at a funeral is to bow the head, which she did (BBC News (public broadcaster)).
Was Diana a smoker?
Yes, Diana was a smoker—confirmed by her friends and biographers. She reportedly quit after her divorce but resumed occasionally (People (celebrity and human-interest magazine)).
How long did Diana live after the accident?
Diana was taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris and died in the early hours of 31 August 1997, approximately four hours after the crash (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).
Would Princess Diana have survived if she had worn a seatbelt?
Forensic experts have stated that seatbelt use might have increased survival chances, but the crash involved a high-speed impact into a concrete pillar. Even with a seatbelt, the severity of her injuries made survival uncertain (BBC News (public broadcaster)).
Many of the questions around Diana’s death persist because official investigations—notably the French and British inquiries—found no evidence of a conspiracy, but the public appetite for alternative theories remains high. For Princess Anne, none of these controversies ever touched her directly—she carried on with her duties the next day.
The implication: Diana’s tragic death continues to fuel speculation, while Anne’s steadfast avoidance of scandal underscores her role as the monarchy’s silent workhorse.
Confirmed facts
- Princess Anne is the Princess Royal, born 15 August 1950 (The Royal Family (official monarchy website)).
- She competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics (Encyclopaedia Britannica (reference publisher)).
- She is president of Save the Children UK since 1970 (EBSCO Research Starters (academic biography database)).
- She did not bow at Diana’s funeral per protocol (BBC News (public broadcaster)).
What’s unclear
- Any specific medical diagnosis for Princess Anne.
- The true closeness of her relationship with Diana.
- Who was unfaithful first in Charles and Diana’s marriage.
- Whether a seatbelt would have saved Diana.
“I’m not a very good public speaker.”
— Princess Anne, as quoted by BBC
“She was an exceptional and gifted human being.”
— Queen Elizabeth II, addressing the nation after Diana’s death (BBC News (public broadcaster))
For the British monarchy, the Princess Anne story is a quiet counterweight to decades of tabloid frenzy. She represents the working-royal ideal—duty over drama. For republican-leaning readers, she offers a model of royal utility that might actually justify the taxpayer cost: a royal who does the job without demanding the spotlight.
en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, wonderwall.com, newidea.com.au
Frequently asked questions
How many children does Princess Anne have?
Two: Peter Phillips (born 1977) and Zara Tindall (born 1981).
What is Princess Anne’s full name?
Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise.
Where did Princess Anne go to school?
Benenden School in Kent, a boarding school.
Is Princess Anne still a working royal?
Yes, she carries out hundreds of official engagements each year and is patron of over 300 organizations.
What is Princess Anne’s net worth?
Her net worth is not publicly disclosed, but she receives an annual parliamentary annuity for official duties. Estimates vary widely.
Did Princess Anne ever become queen?
No. She is currently 17th in line to the throne. She would have to outlive many relatives in line to become Queen.
What is Princess Anne’s relationship with King Charles III?
They are siblings and reportedly have a close, supportive relationship. Anne has often been described as Charles’s most trusted family advisor.
Alex Chen is Editor-in-Chief at Reef Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.