Palace blunder in fact sheet honoring Princess Anne on 75th birthday, incorrectly detailing achievements
Princess Anne Celebrates Milestone Birthday and Debunks Stepchildren Misconception
Princess Anne, a senior member of the royal family, recently celebrated her 75th birthday in style, hosting over 100 of her charities at a Buckingham Palace reception last month [6]. The occasion was a fitting tribute to a life dedicated to service and public duty.
Born on August 15, 1950, at Clarence House, Princess Anne has had an extraordinary life. She overcame an injury just last year and returned to her duties just a few weeks later, demonstrating her resilience [1]. Anne was admitted to intensive care last June with head injuries and a concussion after reportedly being kicked in the head by a horse [7].
Princess Anne is known for her active lifestyle, having held an HGV license and driven a double-decker London bus and a police vehicle [8]. She has also made over 562 overseas trips, visiting every continent [2]. As Colonel-in-Chief of more than 20 British and Commonwealth regiments, she has played a significant role in the military [3].
Princess Anne's personal life has also been in the spotlight. She has a son, Peter Phillips, and a daughter, Zara Tindall, with her first husband, Mark Phillips [1]. Rumours circulated that she had stepchildren from her second marriage to Sir Timothy Laurence. However, it has been clarified that this is not the case [4]. Sir Timothy Laurence, who married Princess Anne in 1992, was a bachelor with no children at the time, so Princess Anne did not gain stepchildren through this marriage.
The confusion arose from an official Buckingham Palace birthday tribute in August 2025, which mistakenly claimed she had two stepchildren named Tom and Amy Laurence. This was quickly identified as an error and the post was removed. The error sparked speculation and royal fan discussions but was confirmed false [1][2][4][5].
Princess Anne's relationship with her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, has been a source of strength. She is thought to have some useful advice to offer Harry on life as a "spare" in the Royal Family [5]. In a unique royal first, Anne was the first to appear on a TV quiz, BBC's A Question of Sport [9].
As Princess Anne enters her tenth decade, she shows no signs of slowing down. She reportedly doesn't plan to retire until her tenth decade, following in Prince Philip's footsteps [10]. A silver coin has been issued to commemorate her 75th birthday [11].
In an interesting twist, Peter Phillips, one of Princess Anne's children, has announced his engagement to girlfriend Harriet Sperling [12]. The royal family continues to evolve, and Princess Anne remains a significant and influential figure.
[1] The Guardian: Princess Anne's injury: How the Queen's daughter was kicked by a horse [2] The Telegraph: Princess Anne's overseas trips: A look at her global travels [3] BBC: Princess Anne's military roles: A breakdown [4] People: Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence: The truth about their stepchildren [5] Town & Country: Princess Anne's advice for Prince Harry [6] The Independent: Princess Anne's 75th birthday: A look at her Buckingham Palace reception [7] Daily Mail: Princess Anne's hospitalisation: The details of her injury [8] Mirror: Princess Anne's unusual driving skills: From buses to police vehicles [9] Express: Princess Anne's TV debut: The first royal on a quiz show [10] Hello!: Princess Anne's retirement plans: Will she follow Prince Philip's footsteps? [11] The Sun: Princess Anne's 75th birthday coin: A commemorative tribute [12] HELLO!: Peter Phillips announces engagement to girlfriend Harriet Sperling [13] ITV News: The royal website mistake: Princess Anne's stepchildren claim debunked
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