Princess Anne arrived on Aug. 15, 1950, the second child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip—and she's been utterly iconic ever since. Through her swinging '60s adolescence, party-girl days, tiara moments, athletic triumphs and important life events, there are some jaw-dropping photos of the Princess Royal to be found out there. This is even more true if you consider the princess' affinity for fashion, and the wonderful things she's been known to do with her hair. As such, below are 32 of our very favorite pictures of a young Anne, spanning two decades of her life.
1967
Princess Anne and her older brother Prince Charles (AKA Charles III) were close from the start, as seen in this stunning black and white pic of them on the Isles of Scilly—a longtime favorite seaside spot of many a royal. Here is a 16-year-old Anne in all her '60s glory, in a white coat, kitten heels, and fabulous hat.
1967
Here is Princess Anne just days away from her 17th birthday, enjoying a nice day's sail on a yacht named Bloodhound around Cowes, on the English Isle of Wight. She's hanging out with someone very posh called Lord Burghersh, the son of the Earl of Westmoreland, plus some other unidentified friends.
1968
It doesn't get more regal than wearing a tiara while riding a gilded carriage, as Princess Anne knows first-hand. In this photo, the 18-year-old and her mother Queen Elizabeth II are on their way to the Parliament in London. Anne is wearing one of her favorites, the Meander Tiara.
1969
Standing proudly next to her green-clad royal mother on a state visit to Vienna, Austria, Princess Anne is resplendent in a white gown and matching opera gloves. She's wearing the Meander Tiara, which she inherited from her father's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg.
1969
It seems Princess Anne took a page out of her mother's fashion book in her day. Pictured here at the Bath and West Agricultural Show, she shines bright in a structural canary yellow peacoat and bow-adorned yellow hat. She stands in beautiful contrast to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police's red uniforms.
1970
Princess Anne's hair throughout the 1970s was truly a sight to behold. She typically wore her hazel tresses in a teased, slightly wild bouffant, as is the case here. This photo was taken at Sandringham in Norfolk, on one of the royal country estates.
1970
The Princess Leia vibes are strong. For an appearance as part of a royal tour of Commonwealth nations in 1970, Anne wore her iconic bouffant hairstyle neatly coiffed and held together with her beloved Meander Tiara, which had been a wedding gift to her paternal grandmother.
1971
If Princess Anne looks happy in this photo of her (and her luscious hair), it's because she's pictured totally in her element—at the Badminton Horse Trials, a historic equestrian competition which she competed in many times. There, she rode a horse bred by the Queen, named Doublet.
1971
Brigitte Bardot who? If there's one thing about Princess Anne, she could absolutely rock a sleeveless, mock-neck, funky-patterned dress. Accessorizing simply with her shoulder-length hair and Windsoresque features, she's pictured here on a trip to Africa.
1971
Princess Anne has made many trips to the African continent over the years, in both a personal and professional capacity. In February 1971, she joined her older brother Prince Charles on a safari to Kenya's Masai Game Reserve. As you can see, she was well prepared in her adventurer's outfit.
1971
Where Queen Elizabeth II was known for driving a sturdy Land Rover in her time, her daughter once preferred a much more James Bond-esque piece of machinery. On July 5, 1971, she showed off behind the wheel of a stunning Reliant Scimitar car on her way to London's Heathrow airport.
1971
Princess Anne is often perceived as a fairly serious woman, but that's not to say she hasn't had her party-girl moments! In her best Princess Leia gown and hairdo circa 1971, here the royal is dancing with the boxer Ken Buchanan at the Sports Writers Association Awards in London.
1972
Looking into her future. Princess Anne would go on to become an Olympian herself, but in 1972 she contented herself with watching—and photographing—the sporting events. There are bonus points to be had here for the Princess Royal's patriotic Union Jack pin.
1972
Being a royal comes with many advantages, such as getting to meet some of the world's most famous—albeit sometimes random—personalities. In 1972, Princess Anne didn't seem particularly thrilled by her encounter with the legendary French mime Marcel Marceau, but let's put it down to a momentary lapse in enthusiasm.
1973
If Princess Anne is glowing here, it's because she's in love! Here she is with her husband-to-be Captain Mark Phillips arriving at a film premiere in London. Her dress is a fine specimen of 1970s colorful florals, the kind of piece we'd be delighted to score in a trendy vintage shop these days.
1973
Horse riding has been Princess Anne's lifelong passion. Here, she's sharing an intimate moment with her horse Goodwill—who was once described as "a veritable hurricane"—at the 1973 Badminton Horse Trials. That year, she placed 14th in the dressage event.
1973
Princess Anne went for a pretty in pink look to officially announce her engagement to Mark Phillips, a fellow equestrian, in May 1973. Dashing in a tailored black suit and tie, you can't help but swoon at her husband-to-be's loving gaze as they hold hands on Buckingham Palace grounds.
1973
Yves Saint Laurent invented the pantsuit in 1967, and Princess Anne was right behind him with the trend. On a 1973 visit to the theater, she was giving off "don't mess with me" energy in an eggshell blue jacket and pants, paired with a striking yellow button-up and a gold chain necklace.
1973
There's nothing quite so solemn as a good royal wedding at Westminster Abbey, or a walk down the aisle post-vows. If you squint, you can just about make out the Queen, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles, Prince Edward and Sarah Armstrong-Jones (later Chatto).
1973
Though they would later divorce, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips were the picture of a blissful couple directly after their wedding ceremony on Nov. 14, 1973. The Princess Royal's gown feels both timeless and distinctly '70s: Designed by Maureen Baker, it was fairly sober with a mock neck, full A-line skirt, and fun extra large bell sleeves.
1973
Princess Anne and her brand new husband Mark Phillips pose for a rather kitschy wedding portrait. They're both grinning happily, flanked by Anne's younger brother Prince Edward in a tartan kilt and knee socks, and her cousin Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, the daughter of Princess Margaret.
1973
In what could be a still from an iconic Hollywood movie, Princess Anne and her newly minted husband Mark Phillips wave goodbye to well-wishers as they prepare to fly off on their West Indian honeymoon. The couple met while Phillips was serving on the Royal Yacht Britannia, so they honeymooned on it too, per Hello!.
1974
Princess Anne was famously the victim of a failed kidnap attempt in 1974, when a man named Ian Ball tried to get her out of the car she was traveling in. She told him, "Not bloody likely," which is in itself deeply iconic, before she was saved by a group of brave men, including police officer Michael Hills. In this photo, she's visiting Hills at the hospital after he was shot while attempting to help her.
1975
Princess Anne has met more than her fair share of celebs in her time, but in 1975, it was the Bay City Rollers' moment. That year, the princess got to shake hands with the pop-rock band (or vice versa, depending on your allegiances) at the Lyceum Ballroom during the Carl Alan Awards.
1976
Princess Anne was the first British royal to ever compete in the Olympics, which is inherently iconic behavior. She rode her mom's horse Goodwill at the 1976 Montreal games, where she participated in the equestrian three-day event. In a beautiful full-circle moment, Anne's daughter Zara later became the first British royal to take home an Olympic medal following her participation in the 2012 London Games.
1977
Princess Anne may well have invented the pouty-face pose. She's pictured here in a stunning stripy dress and matching head scarf, holding her first-born Peter Phillips on the day of his christening, as first-time grandma Queen Elizabeth II looks on adoringly.
1978
Princess Anne was very much a fixture at the Badminton Horse Trials over the years. In 1978, she competed at the much-loved annual event on her horse Goodwill, who had been bred by the Queen. She once called the animal "nearly everybody’s idea of the ideal type of event horse… with excellent conformation, strong, active paces and well-developed jumping muscles."
1981
In this photo, Princess Anne rewears a stripy blue dress and matching head scarf—à la Princess Kate before her time—complemented with an elegant cream cape coat. Flanked by husband Captain Mark Phillips, the Princess Royal is just days out from welcoming their daughter Zara.
1981
A proud mama. Princess Anne presents her newborn daughter Zara to the world, posing on the steps outside St Mary's Hospital—the birthplace of many a royal baby. Zara, who arrived on May 15, 1981, was the Princess Royal and Mark Phillips' second child after son Peter, born in 1977.
1982
There was low-stakes scandal at the 1982 Badminton Horse Trials. Princess Anne is pictured here taking a fall while competing in the cross country event. Legend has it the royal told photographer Steve Wood, who had taken a similar picture, to "naff off" after the fact, a phrase that went on to become an analog meme. However, a colleague of Wood's later revealed that they had made up "naff off" in a bid to "cover up another word."
1984
In 1984, Princess Anne made an official visit to the Gambia as part of her role as patron to the Save The Children Fund. In this picture, she's meeting members of the public while on a walkabout, wearing a colorful yet practical sunshine-ready outfit.
1985
Here are Princess Anne, Princess Diana, and the Queen Mother Elizabeth giving Molly Ringwald a run for her money in gloriously '80s frilly, poofy ballgowns. They were attending the premiere for the movie Passage to India, directed by David Lean, in London.
