As Princess Anne celebrates her 76th birthday, revisit her earliest years in the spotlight via the best throwback photos.As Princess Anne celebrates her 76th birthday, revisit her earliest years in the spotlight via the best throwback photos.
Princess Anne has spent a remarkable three-quarters of a century in the spotlight. The only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, she’s been famous since birth—her portraits as an angelic toddler were splashed across front pages, and she began accompanying her parents on royal duties almost as soon as she could walk. Then came international tours, for which she inherited her mother’s love of bold colors, patterns, and eye-catching hats—a lime green coat in Turkey, paisley in Thailand, geometric prints in Germany. She eventually made her name as a champion equestrian, even competing at the Olympics; famously survived an attempted kidnapping; and has carried out over 20,000 public engagements across her countless years of service. Even more remarkably, she’s still working today.
Following her 76th birthday, we look back on her earliest years in the public eye.
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Photo: Getty Images 1/241950
Queen Elizabeth II holds a newborn Princess Anne.
1951
Princess Anne as a baby, with her parents and older brother, Charles.
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Photo: Getty Images 3/241951
Giggling on her mother’s lap, besides Charles, during a portrait session.
1953
On the balcony of Buckingham Palace, with Princess Mary, the Queen Mother, and a saluting Charles.
1954
Adorable in an official portrait, taken on the day before her fourth birthday.
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Photo: Getty Images 6/241955
At the Ascot week polo tournament in Windsor Great Park with her mother.
1957
Twinning with her mother at Windsor, aged six.
1959
With Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle, aged eight.
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Photo: Getty Images 9/241959
In her Brownies uniform at Buckingham Palace.
1959
Boating with her mother, aged nine, at Windsor.
1960
A family portrait at Balmoral, with her parents and brothers, Charles and Andrew.
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Photo: Getty Images 12/241961
Now 11, and with the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, and Queen Elizabeth II at the Braemar Highland Games Gathering in Scotland.
1969
Suddenly all grown up at 18, aboard the yacht Britannia.
1969
In princess mode for a state visit to Austria with her mother.
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Photo: Getty Images 15/241969
In canary yellow for an agricultural show in Bath.
1969
In a jaunty hat, on the way to Ascot.
1971
Sequins for a show at the London Palladium.
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Photo: Getty Images 18/241971
A 21-year-old Princess Anne in a bright green ensemble during a tour of Turkey with her mother.
1972
Watching the equestrian events at the Olympics in Munich.
1972
Another family portrait, this time with young Prince Edward in tow, at Buckingham Palace, to mark Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s 25th wedding anniversary.
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Photo: Getty Images 21/241972
In a paisley dress and matching hat while in Bangkok, with her parents, and Queen Sirikit of Thailand.
1973
A baby blue coat and pillbox hat for the Queen’s birthday parade.
1973
On a royal engagement in Berlin in a patterned frock and hat.
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Photo: Getty Images 24/241973
Styling out her sprained wrist, a horse riding injury, with a silk scarf in Kyiv.
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