At birth, Anne was third in line to the throne, following her mother and older brother Charles, who now serves as King of the United Kingdom.

When her grandfather passed away in 1952 and her mother ascended to the throne, Anne moved up to second in line. Today, she is 17th in the line of succession.

Anne began her education at Benenden School in 1963, graduating in 1968 with six GCE O-levels and two A-levels.

At 18, she embarked on royal duties, marking the beginning of her public life.

Anne’s charity work has been equally impressive. Since 1971, she has been involved with the Riding for the Disabled Association, where she has served as president since 1985. Her philanthropic work extends to more than 200 organizations, including Save the Children. In 1990, Anne was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize due to her dedication to humanitarian causes.

One of the most harrowing moments of Anne’s life occurred on March 20, 1974, when she was the target of a kidnapping attempt. The attacker, Ian Ball, opened fire on her security team, injuring several people. Anne remained remarkably calm and composed throughout the ordeal, refusing to leave her vehicle, despite the assailant’s demands.

In her personal life, Princess Anne’s first marriage was to fellow equestrian Mark Phillips, with whom she had two children, Peter and Zara. The couple divorced in 1992. Later that year, Anne married Timothy Lawrence, a Royal Navy officer, in a private ceremony. Despite personal challenges, Anne’s commitment to her royal duties never wavered.

Her tireless work ethic earned her the title of one of the most active royals in 2017, when she carried out more engagements than any other member of the royal family.