Buckingham Palace shares Princess Anne's royal firsts

The Buckingham Palace marks Princess Anne's birthday with tribute to her royal firsts

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Buckingham Palace shares Princess Anne’s royal firsts
Buckingham Palace shares Princess Anne’s royal firsts

Buckingham Palace has shared several firsts of Princess Anne as it prepares to celebrate her 75th birthday on August 15.

In an Instagram post titled The Princess Royal Edition, the royal family on Wednesday highlighted notable milestones from Anne’s life, accompanied by photographs from various stages of her public service.

Born Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice at Clarence House on August 15, 1950, VJ Day, she joined the first Buckingham Palace Company of Brownies and Guides in 1959, a tradition originally started for her mother, then Princess Elizabeth.

According to the royal family, Anne was the first British royal to compete in the Olympic Games, riding with the British equestrian team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 by Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda for her two decades as president of Save the Children. In 1994, she became a Royal Knight of the Order of the Garter, by her own request.

The Princess Royal was also the first royal to appear on a television quiz show, competing on the BBC’s A Question of Sport. 

She holds an HGV license, has driven a double-decker bus and a police car, and serves as Colonel-in-Chief of more than 20 regiments.

Anne supports more than 399 charities and organizations and has completed 562 overseas visits, covering every continent. 

She has been patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since 1986 and is known for her trademark Team GB sunglasses, worn at events such as the London 2012 Olympics.