The China Mail - Britain's Princess Anne turns 75 with typically minimal fuss

Queen Elizabeth II's only daughter is reportedly set to mark the occasion privately, sailing around the Western Isles of Scotland with her husband Tim Laurence, a retired Royal Navy officer.

In June, however, she hosted around 200 representatives of more than 100 charities she supports at a special Buckingham Palace forum, "to mark her forthcoming 75th birthday", according to the palace.

Known for her plain-speaking, Anne is reported to have once described herself as "not everyone's idea of a fairy-tale princess".

Compared to other royals, notably the late Diana, princess of Wales, Anne is restrained and discreet in public, although that has slipped occasionally such as when she got into trouble at the age of 19 for complaining about the "bloody wind" on a visit to Australia.

"You learn the hard way," she said. "There isn't a school for royalty."

In a newly-released official portrait taken by celebrated photographer John Swannell last month, Anne is pictured smiling outside her Gatcombe Park home in southwest England.

The former Olympic horse rider suffered concussion and minor head injuries at the sprawling estate last year after being struck by a horse, requiring a five-night stay in hospital.

A skilled horsewoman, she competed at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and is the mother of British rider Zara Tindall, who won eventing team silver at the 2012 London Olympics.

Anne's public profile has risen over the last 18 months, after she stepped in for Charles during his cancer treatment when he was forced to postpone some engagements.

She rode at his official birthday parade in June last year, while keeping up a regular stream of appearances and official duties.

Anne has long been dubbed Britain's hardest-working royal, and the Court Circular said in 2024 she carried out 474 official engagements.

Critics such as the anti-monarchy group Republic still denounce the total number of days she and other family members work each year as insufficient.

Earlier this year, she appeared to rule out retirement, saying "it isn't really an option, no, I don't think so".

- Horse-mad -

Formally referred to as the Princess Royal, Anne is also known for her busy work schedule and unfussy demeanour, which have earned her high popularity ratings with the British public.

Born in Clarence House in central London on August 15, 1950, she was only 18 months old when her mother ascended to the throne.

She has famously carved her own path through the old-world royalty of her parents to embrace more modern ways for her own children, and has won respect for her work to support hundreds of charities and organisations.

In March 1974, she was the victim of a failed kidnapping bid.

Having inherited her mother's passion for horses, she has long been described as horse-mad, with her equally forthright father, Prince Philip, once quoted as saying: "If it doesn't fart or eat hay then she isn't interested."

That passion led her to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games and become a European equestrian champion.

Her association with the Games endured -- she became a member of the International Olympic Committee in 1988 and was on the organising committee for the London 2012 Games.

She has two children -- sports events managing director Peter Phillips and equestrian Zara -- following her 1973 marriage to army captain Mark Phillips.

In a break from tradition, the couple decided Phillips should not accept a title so their children would also be untitled and free to determine their own lives.

The pair divorced in 1992 -- part of the late queen's "annus horribilis" of family break-ups and a fire at her beloved Windsor Castle west of London -- with Anne marrying Laurence nine months later.

She now has five grandchildren.

L.Johnson--ThChM