Anne, the Princess Royal, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, turned 61 years old on August 15, 2011. She was born at Clarence House in London and was christened Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise. The princess shares a love of horses with her mother and Anne’s equestrian skills are formidable. She was the individual winner in the European Eventing Champion at 21 years of age. She also participated in the 1976 Summer Olympics. Princess Anne married Lt. Mark Phillips in 1973 and the couple had two children, Peter and Zara. The marriage ended in divorce in 1992. That year, Princess Anne married Commander Timothy Laurence. The Princess Royal has been active in charitable works, being the patron of some two hundred charitable organizations. She is one of the most active members of the royal family, carrying out hundreds of engagements a year.
Princess Anne at 21 (photo: Norman Parkinson/Corbis)
A photo of Princess Anne taken in the early 1950s
A very young Princess Anne
A 60th birthday portrait of Anne (photo: John Swannell/Camera Press/Daily Mail)
The Princess Royal attends the wedding of her daughter, Zara Phillips, July 30, 2011 (photo: Getty Images)
juliapgelardi 
Cool
My middle name is Anne!
A princess, yes, but not a dopey fairytale. Very much her own person, and so much more than the title. If I were going to meet one of the royals, she would be it.