The Princess Royal, who will celebrate her 75th birthday in August, has been a steadfast supporter of Scottish rugby since becoming patron of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1986.
A familiar face in the stands throughout the Six Nations tournament, she rarely misses a match.
Now, it has been announced that Anne has taken on the role of patron for The Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation (MIPF), Scottish Rugby’s official charity dedicated to supporting grassroots players who sustain injuries.
Established in 1973—Scottish Rugby’s centenary year—the foundation has provided financial assistance and support to players facing both short- and long-term injuries.
MIPF chair Ian Rankin welcomed the news, stating: “The Princess Royal has been a dedicated supporter of the Scotland rugby team through umpteen swings of fortune since the 1980s, performing the official opening of Murrayfield’s East Stand in 1983 and becoming the SRU’s Patron in 1986. Her passion for sport and commitment to the game at all levels is well documented, and we are honoured to have her join us as our Patron.”
Anne previously shared how she became patron of the Scottish Rugby Union while appearing on her son-in-law Mike Tindall’s podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, in 2023.
“It was an accident,” she revealed. “They asked me to go and open the East Stand [at Murrayfield Stadium] when it was built. I had about two weeks’ notice because they had been let down—I can’t remember who by—and as it happened, the horse was lame, and I wasn’t competing that weekend, so I went. About a month later, they asked me if I wanted to become patron.”
Speaking about her love for the sport, she added: “Everything that rugby gives… I’m talking about exercise and team sports in general, but I do think rugby offers a variety of talents in one team. You have to look out for each other, and that’s a different sort of responsibility within a team structure. They’re not all the same—you can have different skills.”
