Who is a Princess?

A princess is a female member of a monarchy or other royal family. The male equivalent is a prince. A woman who marries a prince becomes a princess consort (or queen consort, in nations where that title exists). Princess is also the name of a tinted crystal marble used in children’s games.

The fifth season of the Netflix series The Crown begins not with Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles or Princess Diana—the three royals who dominate much of the show’s screen time—but with a BBC reporter eager to get a story. The Princess Royal, as the BBC’s Martin Bashir calls her, is a private person who declines to give an interview.

She did, however, become president of Save the Children in 1970 and her work with that organisation has given her a deep understanding of the needs of children worldwide. Her Royal Highness has visited projects in many countries.

In the United Kingdom, the Princess Royal’s duties include a variety of ceremonial events led by the Queen, including Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph. She also attends garden parties held each year at Buckingham Palace and Holyroodhouse to meet guests from all walks of life, from community volunteers to members of the armed forces.

The Princess Royal is also an expert horsewoman and competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British Three-Day Event team. She has hosted many equestrian events, including the Royal International Horse Show at Wembley. Her Royal Highness has met a wide range of people, from the presidents of the International Olympics Committee to members of Team GB, in her role as President of the British Olympic Association.