Princess Anne was praised this week for her longstanding support of women in sport, as she presented a CBE to pioneering sports advocate Dr Anita White during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.
The Princess Royal, who turns 75 next month, engaged in a candid conversation with Dr White about the challenges women continue to face in the sporting world—particularly in breaking down outdated leadership structures dominated by “old grey men.”
Dr White, a trailblazer in women’s sport and founder of the Women in Sport charity, the International Working Group on Women and Sport, and the Anita White Foundation, reflected on her conversation with the royal following the ceremony.
“We spoke about how sport had changed, how it used to be a lot of old grey men running sport and how gradually it is changing,” said Dr White.
The conversation struck a chord with Princess Anne, who herself made history as the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympic Games. Anne, an accomplished equestrian, represented Great Britain at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal and claimed multiple medals at the European Eventing Championships.
Dr White shared her own background with the Princess, recounting her time as captain of the England women’s field hockey team, which won the World Cup in 1975.
“We didn’t get much recognition at the time – that made me aware of the kind of gender divide that there was, and I’ve been campaigning for women in sports ever since,” she explained.
Dr White noted the significant strides women’s sport has made in recent decades, especially in leadership and visibility. She highlighted the meteoric rise of England’s Lionesses, the increasing number of female sports broadcasters, and the greater presence of women in senior positions across athletic organisations.
Princess Anne, who serves as patron of the Scottish Rugby Union and is a member of the International Olympic Committee, has long championed the values of sport. Throughout her royal life, she has emphasised how athletics builds character, fosters teamwork, and empowers the next generation—especially young women.
Her dedication to supporting athletes has also been reflected through her role as president of the British Olympic Association and patronage of numerous sporting bodies.
That passion for sport runs in the family. Anne’s daughter, Zara Tindall, won a silver medal in team eventing for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics and famously brought her mother to tears after winning the Eventing World Championship title in Aachen in 2006.
As Princess Anne prepares to mark her 75th birthday, she remains a steadfast advocate for equality in sport, continuing to champion those working to level the playing field—on and off the pitch.