Princess Anne celebrates milestone birthday with new photograph and royal tributes

Wales Online

7 days ago

Princess Anne celebrates milestone birthday with new photograph and royal tributes
A new photograph has been released as the Princess Royal's birthday is marked with a tribute to her non-political royal soft power and 'amazing' stamina
The picture of the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence attending the State Banquet for the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and his wife Brigitte Macron has been released ahead of the Princess Royal's 75th birthday on August 15
(Image: PA)
A new portrait photograph has been unveiled to commemorate Princess Anne's coming milestone birthday. The Princess Royal is set to celebrate her 75th birthday on August 15, with the image marking the beginning of the celebrations.
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The portrait features Anne with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, captured during a Windsor Castle state banquet. The event was hosted by the King in July, honouring France's President Emmanuel Macron who was on a state visit to the UK.
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The princess is wearing her banquet gown and regalia, including the Order of the Garter Sash and Star, Order of the Thistle Star, King's Family Order and Royal Family Order from Queen Elizabeth II.
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As she prepares to mark her birthday next week, the princess has been praised for her non-political royal soft power and remarkable stamina throughout her years of service. Charity leaders who work closely with the Royal disclosed that she is deeply concerned about Britain's current state amidst global challenges.
King Charles III, Colonel in Chief, the Household Cavalry, and the Princess Royal, Colonel the Blues and Royals, attending the presentation of new standards to The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals at Windsor Castle, Berkshire
(Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire)
Long called "the hardest-working royal", it is said that she is more active than ever, rather than slowing down. Those who know her have shared, in celebration of her birthday, that she possesses a "wicked wit", a practical approach to issues, and a knack for "not always agreeing" with what they say, reports the Daily Record.
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Moazzam Malik, chief executive of Save The Children UK, commented: "Obviously, as a royal, she's not a political figure, but her soft support for us is very inspiring for us as an organisation and for our collaborators and partners. She's very low key. She's self-effacing.
"She doesn't want to kind of take the limelight, but she's very committed ... You can see that she cares about the state of Britain and the state of the world. There's a lot of challenges for us as a country, and indeed, a lot of challenges for children at a time of great geopolitical challenge. And she cares."
Anne has been associated with Save the Children UK for 55 years, initially becoming its president in 1970 at the age of 20. She went on to serve as patron from 2017, succeeding her mother Queen Elizabeth II.
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Mr Malik revealed the princess had encountered some 27,000 of the organisation's supporters and assisted in raising tens of millions of pounds throughout the decades.
She dedicates considerable time to visiting Save The Children's initiatives across the UK where one in three children are experiencing relative poverty, and internationally, having journeyed to nations including Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with one in 11 children worldwide requiring humanitarian aid, he explained.
Mr Malik continued: "She's one of our chief supporters, and it's great to have somebody like that you know who will keep nudging you forward."
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Tanya Curry, the chief executive of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, an organisation for which Anne has been a patron since 2008, suggested that the princess had ramped up her workload as she approached her 75th birthday. She remarked: "I think she's probably done a lot more for us actually, and the kind of stamina that she brings to that, mentally and physically, is amazing.
"She's working incredibly hard, and she positions the royal family in such a great way that people really understand and really can see the work that she's doing."
Anne plays a pivotal role in her brother, King Charles' streamlined working monarchy. Her support was crucial when Charles was diagnosed with cancer.
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In June 2024, she was urgently taken to intensive care after it was believed she had been hit by a horse on her Gatcombe Park estate. However, the princess, who returned to Royal duties less than three weeks later, confessed she has no recollection of the incident but now considers every day as a "bonus".
Michael Baker, the chief executive of the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA), said Anne, who has been involved with the organisation since 1971, was eager to attend its national championships for her first engagement following her hospital stay. He stated: "She wanted to be there and come what may she was going to be with us, and that was so powerful because it was clearly a determined effort to be there as the first visit back."
He described her as having "great wicked wit", explaining: "She's the first person to put everyone at ease with a quick one-liner or something that really gets to the heart of something."
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The princess champions over 300 charities and organisations, and earlier this year gathered many of them at a special Buckingham Palace forum, declaring this was her preferred way to celebrate her approaching 75th birthday.
Lord Kakkar, chairman of the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 where Anne serves as president, emphasised the princess's hands-on methodology and drew comparisons to her late father Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, for her capacity to discuss science, engineering and technology in considerable detail.
He described the princess as "very deeply committed" to the commission's principles in order to achieve a "profound impact on the lives of people in our country", and globally.
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The commission, established by Queen Victoria's consort Prince Albert during the Great Exhibition era, provides approximately 35 postgraduate fellowships and scholarships annually for cutting-edge research in science, engineering, the built environment and design.
Lord Kakkar reflected on Albert's original vision: "Her Royal Highness is very, very deeply committed and that is really, ultimately, doing all of this so it has a profound impact on the lives of people in our country, throughout the Commonwealth, indeed, throughout the world."
The Princess, renowned for her candid demeanour, often holds differing viewpoints, Lord Kakkar suggested. "That is very much the approach that (the Duke of Edinburgh) took and that Her Royal Highness takes, to be interested," he added.
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What one sees in the conversations is a genuine fascination and interest in the issues, not always agreeing with the conclusions, but always being able to, with that demonstration of having prepared properly, having thought carefully, being able to engage in a meaningful conversation."