Royal birthday wishes are in order for Princess Anne, who turns 75 today (Friday 15 August). The Royal Family has marked the milestone birthday with a number of gestures in the run up to the day, including a new official portrait of The Princess Royal.
The photograph was taken at Princess Anne’s private home, Gatcombe Park, by photographer John Swannell. It was shared on the Royal Family’s official social media channels, alongside a suite of other celebratory content which has been shared throughout The Princess’ birthday week.
One of the most moving inclusions in the content was a compilation of black and white footage from the British Film Institute archives. It shows Princess Anne as a baby and little girl with her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, her father, Prince Philip, and her brother, The King.
In the clips, a curly-haired Princess Anne runs around the garden with her brother and their dog, and also chats to a sailor during a visit to a Naval ship with her mother. The Princess’ early love of horses is clear, as she sits alongside her dad to watch dressage, and is seen climbing under a fence so she can pat horses in a field, before leading one through the gates by its reins.
In fact, Princess Anne grew up to be an expert equestrian and rode horses competitively. In the 1970s, she won the individual European Three-Day event at Burghley, competed in Montreal Olympic Games, and won BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
Last month, The Royal Mint announced that there would be a special commemorative coin made in Princess Anne’s honour, featuring an official portrait of her (also taken by John Swannell) and her coat of arms. It is the first coin featuring the Princess Royal and has been created especially to mark her 75th birthday.
Princess Anne has been a working royal since the age of 18, when she completed her first official engagement – opening an educational and training centre in Shropshire. In 1987 she was given the title The Princess Royal by her mother, Queen Elizabeth II, which is traditionally held by the monarch’s eldest daughter and will remain her title for life.