24 Throwback Photos Of Princess Anne And The Royal Family At The 1976 Olympic Games

In 1976, Princess Anne went to the Olympic Games in Montreal. Not as a spectator, as with many members of the monarchy before, but as an actual Olympian: she qualified, and competed, in the equestrian three-day event on behalf of Great Britain. She was the first British royal ever to participate in the international sporting competition.

So it’s no surprise that throughout the Montreal Olympics, photographers regularly trained their lenses on the trailblazing princess, as well as the members of her famous family cheering for her in the stands. Many of the photographs are of her in competition – including in the equestrian events of showjumping, cross country and dressage. But others capture off-the-cuff moments: such as Anne receiving a pep talk from her father, Prince Philip, or her then-husband, Mark Phillips, helping her onto her horse, Goodwill. (The horse, by the way, belonged to Queen Elizabeth. Anne was said to joke that it was a rare instance where the queen bred the horse and also the rider.)

Over three decades later, Anne’s daughter Zara would compete on behalf of Great Britain in the 2012 London Olympic Games. She and her equestrian team won the silver medal – and her mother the Princess Royal got to present it to her.

As the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris kick off this weekend, take a look back at Princess Anne as an Olympian.