Princess Anne, who turns 73 next week, has been announced as the president of The British Eventing Support Trust (BEST).
The charity was founded in 2021 to provide financial and practical support for British Eventing members recovering from an accident or during mental health challenges.
BEST also works to promote, research, develop and implement initiatives that will maintain the safety of the sport and the welfare of riders.
Anne is an accomplished equestrian, having been the first member of the royal family to compete in the Olympics, when she took part in the Montreal Games in 1976.
The Princess also won the individual gold medal at the European Eventing Championships at Burghley in 1971 and followed this with team and individual silver medals at the European Eventing Championships in Luhmühlen in 1975.
Anne’s daughter, Zara, has followed in her mother’s footsteps and won a silver medal as part of Team GB’s Eventing team at the London 2012 Olympics.
Zara is one of BEST’s ambassadors, along with Laura Collett MBE, William Fox-Pitt and Tom Jackson.
Five-time Olympian Ian Stark OBE and Chair of Trustees at BEST, said of the announcement:Â “We are thrilled to have such a high-profile legend of the equestrian and eventing world on board. The Princess Royal is incredibly dedicated to the charities she supports, and we know that she will work tirelessly to help raise awareness of our aims and help further our cause.”
The Princess Royal is thought to be taking time off her busy schedule of royal engagements over August.
Anne was seen supporting Zara as she took part in the Festival of British Eventing last week, which was held in the grounds of the royal’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.
Unfortunately, the final day of the event had to be canceled due to the adverse weather conditions.
Princess Anne, who is the only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh, shares daughter Zara, 42, and son Peter Phillips, 45, with her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
The pair separated in 1989 and finalised their divorce three years later. Anne has been married to her second husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, since December 1992.
On Friday, King Charles also announced a new military appointment for his sister.
Buckingham Palace said: “The King has been pleased to appoint The Princess Royal Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, recognising Her Royal Highness’s strong links to Scotland and existing links with the Regiment as Colonel-in-Chief of both 1st Battalion The Ranger Regiment (formerly 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland) and 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland.”
