5 Reasons to Love Princess Anne — The Only Daughter of Queen Elizabeth II

Princess Anne is widely considered one of the most hard-working members of the royal family, and it’s easy to see why.

Anne, 73, is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who also shared three boys: King Charles III, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

While The Princess Royal has always taken her royal duties seriously, she’s been getting a lot of attention lately as she’s stepped up following Charles’ cancer diagnosis. Anne is one of the few royals eligible to stand in for Charles along with Queen Camilla, Prince William and Edward, per BBC.

Following Charles’ diagnosis, both Camilla and William took a brief break from their respective engagements. The Prince of Wales, for his part, took some time off as his wife, Princess Kate Middleton, recovered from abdominal surgery.

Princess Anne Through the Years

However, Anne was quick to step up to the plate for her big brother. One day after announcing his condition, Anne filled in for Charles, 75, by making an appearance at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle and has conducted several investitures on the monarch’s behalf since. In addition to filling in for her brother, Anne also has several regular outings scheduled for the next few months, per the Royal Diary, more than any other member of the family.

Keep scrolling to see why Anne is the royal family’s rock star:

She Puts in the Work for Charity

According to Buckingham Palace, Anne is one of the busiest members of the royal family. The Princess Royal handled a whopping 457 public engagements in 2023, more than any other royal — including Charles.

“[Anne] just gets on with it, often carrying out multiple engagements in one day,” Queen Elizabeth’s former press spokesman Dickie Arbiter told The Telegraph in December 2023.

He added, “Anne is a tremendous support to the King. He bounces ideas off her. For an aging monarchy they are doing pretty well.”

Since starting her duties as a senior royal at age 18, Anne has been involved with over 300 charities, organizations and military regiments in the U.K. and overseas.

She’s been the President of Save the Children U.K. since 1970. In addition to helping run the philanthropic endeavor, Anne has visited many Save the Children projects in many countries, including China, Cambodia, Botswana, Madagascar and The Philippines. Anne has also created her own organizations including The Princess Royal’s Trust for Carers (Carers Trust), Transaid and Riders for Health.

Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Family Tree

She’s an Olympian

Anne was a member of the British equestrian team and the group made it to the 1976 Olympics in Montreal. She was the first royal to compete in the games. However, Anne did not take home any medals.

Her love of the Olympics didn’t end following her competition days. Anne continues to work alongside the event as a member of the International Olympic Committee.

She Avoided Being Kidnapped

In 1974, Anne was nearly kidnapped but was able to escape the situation due to her quick thinking. She and then-husband Mark Phillips (with whom she shares son Peter Phillips and daughter Zara Tindall) were returning home after attending a charity film screening. While they were being driven home, a man reportedly holding two guns charged the vehicle. The attacker subsequently injured her bodyguard and chauffeur but Anne fought back.

“I was scrupulously polite because I thought it was silly to be too rude at that stage,” Anne recalled during a 1980 interview with British talk show host Michael Parkinson. “The back of my dress split and that was his most dangerous moment.”

Anne was also assisted by a good samaritan, Ronald Russell, who was passing by. Russell punched the attacker and tackled him to the ground. He was awarded the George Medal by Elizabeth for his brave efforts.

Inside Queen Elizabeth II's Relationship With Daughter Princess Anne: Pics

She Made History at Her Mother’s Funeral

Anne became the first female member of the royal family to stand guard at Elizabeth’s casket during the Vigil of the Princes. She represented the Navy with her uniform as she stood alongside her brothers during the vigil. She is the only woman in the royal family who has worn her uniform for state occasions.

Her Signature Sunnies

For Anne, her accessory of choice is her sunglasses. Since the 70s, she’s rocked her signature sporty shades, which happen to be from Adidas. Anne has donned the frames at several events over the years including a January trip to Sri Lanka.