Princess Anne watches Scotland lose to Ireland during Six Nations match at Murrayfield

Princess Anne presented Ireland captain Johnny Sexton with the Centenary Quiche following his team’s Six Nations victory over Scotland. 

The 72-year-old royal was no doubt disappointed by the final score, which saw her beloved team lose 22-7 to Ireland in Edinburgh.

Among her many roles, Anne – often referred to as the hardest working member of the Firm – has been president of Scottish Rugby Union since 1986. She regularly attends matches, where she can be seen cheering from the stands.

Images taken during today’s match show the royal, who had donned a tartan scarf, looking rather more sombre as her team was outplayed. 

At least Princess Anne should have been cosy during the game, as she was wrapped up warm against the bracing weather, sporting a warm navy blue coat alongside her checked scarf. 

The Princess Royal presents the Quaich to Ireland’s Johnny Sexton after the match

The Princess Royal (pictured, left) attended the Guinness Six Nations match at BT Murrayfield Stadium, where she watched Ireland beat her team Scotland 22-7

The sombre tone marked a departure from a recent match the royal attended, during which she was pictured smiling and clapping as Scotland beat England at Twickenham Stadium.

During that match, at the end of last month, her team defeated the English 29-23. The royal was seen personally congratulating team captain Jamie Ritchie.

However, just days later, France ended Scotland’s bid for its first ever Grand Slam in Six Nations Championship rugby, with a 32-21 win in the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, northern Paris.

Anne’s attendance at games – which she rarely misses thanks to her role as the president of Scottish Rugby Union – make up just a few of her myriad public appearances.

In 2022, Anne ended the year with 214 official engagements under her belt – 30 more than her brother the King. 

The research, which was conducted by Reboot SEO company and is based on entries published in the Court Circular, also found Prince William had completed 126 engagements, while Kate Middleton undertook just 90.

Thanks to her no-nonsense attitude, as well as her work ethic, Princess Anne has become a fan favourite among royal watchers, despite having a lower profile than some other members of the Firm. 

Images taken during today’s match show the royal, who had donned a tartan scarf, looking rather more sombre as her team was outplayed

Crowd: Princess Anne was snapped among the crowd at today’s Six Nations match between Scotland and Ireland (pictured, centre)

Among her accomplishments, Anne, who was born at Clarence House on August 15 1950, was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia in 1990 for her work as president of the charity Save The Children. 

A skilled horsewoman, she won the individual championship at Burghley in 1971, and was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The athlete also won a place in the 1976 Montreal Olympics as a three-day eventer in the British equestrian team. 

Sporting skill runs in the family: the Princess Royal is the mother of silver medal-winning Olympic horsewoman Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, who runs a sports management firm. 

In 1987, Anne was honoured by the Queen with the senior title of Princess Royal, which is traditionally, but not automatically, given by the sovereign to their eldest daughter.

The Royal Family have a long historic connection with Scotland, owning the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, and Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, where her mother, the late Queen, died in September 2022.