Princess Anne’s 70th birthday marked with three official photographs taken in Gloucestershire home

"She’s just an incredible woman"
Imogen Braddick14 August 2020

Princess Anne's 70th birthday has been marked with the release of three official photographs to celebrate the milestone.

The Princess Royal, known for her no-nonsense approach to life and tenacious attitude, is pictured smiling and looking relaxed at her Gatcombe Park home in Gloucestershire.

The images were taken in late February, a few weeks before the coronavirus lockdown.

Wearing a Maureen Baker evening dress and Sue Palmer bolero jacket, the Queen’s only daughter looks stylish as she poses for celebrated photographer John Swannell and smiles broadly while sat in a chair.

Mr Swannell has taken photographs of Diana, Princess of Wales and her sons, the Queen’s official Diamond Jubilee portrait in 2012, as well as Tony Blair, Sir Michael Caine and Sir Elton John.

Anne is pictured smiling at her Gatcombe Park home in Gloucestershire
Camera Press via Getty Images

In another picture Anne looks directly at the camera, with a hint of a smile on her lips, wearing a Sue Palmer emerald green dress and a gold ribbon knot brooch, set with 12 diamonds.

In the final picture she is dressed more casually for the outdoor setting, where she poses under a tree and looks off into the distance.

Anne wears a Sue Palmer emerald green dress as she smiles for the camera
Camera Press via Getty Images

Anne celebrates her 70th birthday on Saturday and her son-in-law Mike Tindall has already revealed the recent spike of coronavirus cases in Aberdeen have meant plans to mark the day have been scaled back.

The former England rugby star, who is married to Anne’s daughter Zara, said alternative arrangements were being made.

Style File: Princess Anne

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Speaking earlier this week on BBC’s The One Show, Mr Tindall said: “We did have plans – it would’ve been up in Scotland – but obviously with Covid and Aberdeen being locked down a bit, I think everything’s been scaled back a little bit.

“It’s a shame. I’m sure we’ll do something as a family to celebrate her 70 amazing years, she’s just an incredible woman in terms of how much work she can get through in the year.

The official photos of Anne were taken at her home in February 
Camera Press via Getty Images

“We will be doing something, as yet I don’t know whether she knows – so my lips are sealed.”

It is thought Anne is in Scotland like the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh who traditionally spend the summer at Balmoral.

To mark her birthday, the princess has been awarded Army and RAF promotions in recognition of her “invaluable contribution and commitment to the military”, the Ministry of Defence said.

Princess Anne and her husband Captain Mark Phillips wave from the balcony of Buckingham Palace
AP

Anne is now a General in the British Army and an Air Chief Marshal in the Royal Air Force, promotions which bring her rank in the two services into line with her position as an Admiral in the Royal Navy.

Senior members of the royal family receive promotions to mark milestone birthdays and the Queen has approved the move.

Despite the limitations of the coronavirus pandemic, Anne’s milestone has been marked by a TV documentary and she has also guest-edited Country Life magazine.

Princess Anne in 1963
AP

In the ITV film, the princess suggested that social media is adding to the pressures already faced by younger members of the royal family, such as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Anne was followed by filmmakers for more than a year to make the programme, which features unseen family footage and conversations with her children, Peter Phillips and Zara, and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

Speaking about the younger members of the monarchy, she said: “The pressure that is applied to the younger members of the family is always worse, because that’s what the media is interested in and that’s, you know, hard sometimes to deal with.”

Princess Anne - In pictures

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Anne also said she hoped her legacy would be the passing-on of her knowledge and experience.

When she guest-edited Country Life, the princess paid tribute to her parents for instilling in her a lifelong love of nature.

Anne also wrote about holding an HGV licence, how she hates fly-tipping, and sees herself when she writes about rural affairs as a "classic Jack of all trades".

The Queen stands with her husband Prince Philip in 1951 with Prince Charles and Princess Anne
AP

She wrote: "I was equally fortunate that both my parents had a love and understanding of the natural world through their own experiences."

In the documentary to mark her birthday, her son was asked to sum her up and replied: "Well, you know what, tenacious, I think, is a pretty good word to sum her up."