Princess Anne seen in unearthed footage training for the 1972 Olympics

In early 1972, following her recognition as BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Princess Anne focused on her goal of competing in the 1972 Olympics. Recently discovered footage from March 1972 shows Anne diligently training on her horse Doublet in preparation for the upcoming Badminton Horse Trials and the Munich Games. Tragically, her aspirations were thwarted when Doublet sustained an injury, preventing them from participating in both events that year. The Munich Olympics later became infamous for a terrorist attack that resulted in the death of 11 Israeli athletes.

Due to Doublet’s injury, Anne had to defer her Olympic ambitions until the 1976 Montreal Games, where she competed in the equestrian three-day event but did not secure a medal. Currently, Anne is recuperating in the hospital from a concussion sustained when she was struck on the head by a horse at her Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. The incident has left her with temporary memory loss, rendering her unable to recall the specifics of what occurred.

The 1972 footage, which has recently come to light, captures Anne’s training sessions at a farm in Windsor owned by her coach, Alison Oliver. The 21-year-old princess is seen cantering and jumping fences on Doublet, demonstrating her expertise in the demanding three-day event, which includes dressage, cross-country riding, and show jumping. Despite a hiatus due to a royal tour of Thailand and Malaysia, Anne was intensely working to regain her fitness and limiting her official engagements to those already scheduled.

Doublet, a gift from the Queen, was the same horse on which Anne achieved victory at the European Three-day Championships in September 1971, an accomplishment that contributed to her being named BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The commentary from the unearthed ITN footage highlights Anne’s reputation for endurance and competitiveness, underscoring her determination to excel in equestrian sports.

Although Anne was not automatically selected for the Olympic squad, she was widely anticipated to be part of the team before Doublet’s injury occurred. The horse strained a tendon during a training session, an event that left Anne deeply upset, according to a Buckingham Palace official at the time. This injury marked a significant setback in her equestrian career, delaying her Olympic debut by four years.

Anne’s current hospitalization is one of several injuries she has sustained over her equestrian career. In 1964, at the age of 14, she broke a bone in her finger while riding at her school in Benenden, Kent. More seriously, in April 1976, she was knocked unconscious and fractured a vertebra when her horse fell on her during the Portman Horse Trials in Dorset. Despite suffering a concussion and bruises, doctors determined that the hairline crack in her back was not severe enough to prevent her from competing in the Montreal Olympics that summer.

In another instance of her risky pursuits, broadcaster Clare Balding once admitted to nearly causing a severe accident involving Anne during a horse race in the 1980s. Such incidents illustrate Anne’s enduring passion for equestrian sports, despite the physical dangers involved.

Following her recent injury, Anne is expected to make a full recovery, though she will remain in the hospital for several days for observation. Consequently, all her forthcoming engagements have been canceled, including a state banquet for Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and a working visit to Canada.

Princess Anne’s dedication to equestrian sports, despite numerous setbacks and injuries, highlights her resilience and commitment. The footage from 1972 serves as a poignant reminder of her early aspirations and the challenges she faced on her journey to the Olympics. Her story is one of perseverance, demonstrating her enduring love for the sport and her determination to overcome obstacles in pursuit of her goals.