<\/p>\n
Montreal 1976 was historic.<\/p>\n
As Nadia Comaneci recorded the first-ever perfect 10, HRH The Princess Royal became the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympic Games.<\/p>\n
Half a century on, Princess Anne is still heavily involved in the Olympics, as the long-standing President of the British Olympic Association (BOA) and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).<\/p>\n
And it was on the luscious greenery of Quebec that her Olympic journey first began.<\/p>\n
Her Royal Highness, 75, has always been a keen equestrian.<\/p>\n
She won an individual gold medal at the 1971 Burghley Three-Day Event and silver in both the individual and team disciplines at Luhmuhlen four years later. <\/p>\n
But Montreal 1976 was the most prestigious event of her equestrian career.<\/p>\n
The Princess was 25 years old when she rode The Queen\u2019s horse, Goodwill, in the three-day equestrian event in Montreal.<\/p>\n
After training with the British team in Windsor, Princess Anne travelled across the Atlantic to prepare for her Olympic debut.<\/p>\n
With her mother Queen Elizabeth II and several members of the Royal Family watching on, the Princess competed in showjumping, cross country and dressage.<\/p>\n
Though she did not medal, her Olympics featured a particularly dramatic moment when she fell during the cross-country section of the competition.<\/p>\n
While attempting a jump, Goodwill got stuck in the mud, causing Her Royal Highness to tumble to the ground.<\/p>\n
Though she remounted her horse and finished the course, it was later revealed that the Princess had suffered a concussion due to the accident.<\/p>\n
At a recent reunion marking 50 years since Montreal 1976, Princess Anne admitted she subsequently could not remember the cross-country action.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a slight problem in that the bit I would like to remember, which is the cross country, I don\u2019t,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut every now and again I see it and think \u2018oh ok\u2019. I suspect Goodwill remembers it, but I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the fall, Her Royal Highness remains an ardent equestrian fan \u2013 and it is a passion she passed on to her daughter, Zara Phillips.<\/p>\n
Princess Anne provided one of the enduring images of the London 2012 Olympics when she presented Phillips with her silver team eventing medal.<\/p>\n
And her close ties with Team GB continued at Rio 2016, when Her Royal Highness travelled to Brazil to support the team.<\/p>\n
The Princess Royal sent an emotional message to Team GB athletes ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, using her own experiences to empathise with the athletes.<\/p>\n
“I do remember from my own Olympic journey the anticipation and excitement of stepping onto the Olympic stage,\u201d she said. “But also the single-minded focus on what you need to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
In her role as BOA President, Her Royal Highness also visited the Paris 2024 Olympic village to deliver an address.<\/p>\n
Her long-lasting relationship with Team GB and the Olympics began 50 years ago, at Montreal 1976.<\/p>\n
Sportsbeat 2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n