Life seems pretty easy when you’re a member of the Royal Family. For example, you’re rich and famous from the day you are born, and that certainly makes for a smooth life!
However, royals must also be mindful of the fact that the public is constantly scrutinizing their every move. All it takes is a single-unguarded moment or sudden faux pas for a royal to get ridiculed in the tabloid papers. For this reason, royals like Princess Anne try to very tightly control how they appear in the eyes of the public.
It’s impossible to fully control your image, though, and there are plenty of pictures of Princess Anne over the years. Which of these photos did she never want the world to see? Keep reading to find out!
1950: meet baby Anne
While Princess Anne is now an elder stateswoman of the Royal Family, that wasn’t always the case. Here, we see her in her mother’s arms shortly after she was born!
1952: everything changes
1952 was a very big year for Princess Anne. That was when her mother took the thrones, changing their lives from that moment forward.
1958: walking the dog
Most children, even royal ones, like to believe they are very different from their parents. But Anne has many of the same traits as her famous mother, including a love of the corgi dog breed.
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1966: sweet sixteen
Over the years, Princess Anne hasn’t had as much time in the spotlight as her brother, King Charles. But as this photo of Anne on her sixteenth birthday proves, she could have been the center of attention whenever she wanted to.
1969: look who’s coming to state dinner
This photo comes from the time Queen Elizabeth brought Anne to a special state dinner in Vienna. It looks like a fun time, but events like this are a reminder that even when Anne is partying with others, she must always be “on” to represent her famous family, especially when traveling abroad.
1974: the darkest chapter of Princess Anne’s life
While royals usually live pampered lives, they are never fully insulated from danger. And this photo captures Anne’s very real fear after she managed to survive a kidnapping attempt!
1976: start horsing around
Princess Anne has so many talents that we often forget that she is a skilled athlete. And in this photo, we see her professionally competing during the Montreal Olympics.
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1977: becoming a mother
We all know that 1977 was a very big year because that’s when Star Wars first came out. But other major events happened as well, including Anne giving birth to her first child, Peter.
1981: giving birth to a daughter
In 1981, Anne gave birth to her daughter Zara. And like her mother, Zara would be destined for a life that is quite different from that of most royals.
1981: the bad old days
This photo captures Anne with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. While he is the father of Anne’s children, the relationship eventually fell apart, making photos like this quite bittersweet.
1987: a brand new title
In 1987, Anne gained the official title “Princess Royal.” It’s the highest honorary title female royals can get and, as you can tell from her expression, she was really thrilled to receive it.
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1992: second time’s the charm
Things didn’t work out with Princess Anne and her first husband. But after their split was official, she was free to marry Timothy Laurence in 1992.
2005: something blue
You’ve probably heard the old phrase that weddings involve “something old, something new” and “something borrowed, something blue.” And at King Charles’ wedding to Camilla, Anne showed us how she had “something blue” covered with her eye-catching attire, and it’s tough not to assume she got her love of colorful clothing directly from Queen Elizabeth.
2007: stepping up her duties
Over time, Princess Anne had to take care of more royal duties as her mother and father started getting older. And in this intimidating picture, we can see her visiting a fire station in Chile as part of her official duties. Really, who wants to be on the business end of her scary stare?
2022: end of an era
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth passed away. Her passing shook the entire Royal Family, and Anne became the first female member of the family to complete “Vigil of the Princes” ritual in which they symbolically guard the body. And her naval uniform serves as a not-so-subtle reminder of Anne’s previous service to her country. Ultimately, only time will tell how well Charles does or does not live up to the example set by his mother when it comes to serving as the world’s most famous monarch.
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