14 royals who have competed in the Olympics

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 11:13

Princess Anne on horseback at the 1976 Olympics — Princess Anne at the Olympics in 1976.
Getty Images

Princess Anne was the first member of the British Royal Family to compete at the Olympics.
But the Brits aren't the only ones to have had royals compete on the biggest stage.
Business Insider has taken a look at 14 royals who have performed at the Games.

In 1976, Princess Anne became the first member of the British royal family to compete in the Olympics.

Princess Anne stands next to her horse at the Olympics. — 1976 OLYMPICS: Princess Anne (later the Princess Royal) with the Queen's horse, Goodwill, at Smith's Lawn, Windsor, during a break in training with the British Olympic team for the three-day event at the Montreal Olympic Games in Canada.
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Princess Anne rode Queen Elizabeth's horse named Goodwill in the three-day equestrian event at the Montreal Olympics. During the event, her horse fell, taking Anne with it, but she got back on and rode through a concussion to finish the course.

In 1988, she became a member of the International Olympic Committee. She is honorary president of the British Olympic Association.

Captain Mark Phillips was a member of the British Olympic equestrian team that won a gold medal in 1972 — the year before his marriage to Princess Anne — and a silver medal in 1988.

Mark Phillips stands next to a horse. — Captain Mark Phillips At The Olympic Games, Munich, Germany
Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Phillips competed twice — first in 1972 and then again in 1988.

In 1972 — a year before he married Princess Anne — Phillips won gold with the British equestrian team.

He also won a silver medal in 1988 despite being forced to withdraw before the cross-country stage due to an injury to his horse.

Princess Anne and Phillips' daughter, Zara Tindall, won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Zara Phillips rides on a horse. — Zara Phillips competes in the 2012 Olympics in London.
Tim de Waele/Corbis via Getty Images

Tindall, Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, was part of the British team that won the silver medal in 2012.

Prince William and Kate Middleton sat in the audience to cheer her on as she competed in dressage, cross-country, and jumping events on horseback.

Before she married Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Charlene competed in swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Charlene Wittstock stands in a swimming pool — SOUTH AFRICA date unknown: Former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock.
Beeld Archives/Gallo Images/Getty Images

Princess Charlene, then known as Charlene Wittstock, was part of the South African team that placed fifth in the 4x100 medley relay.

She would meet her future husband, Prince Albert, at a swimming competition in Monaco in 2000.

Prince Albert II was also an Olympian, competing with Monaco's bobsleigh team at five consecutive Olympic Games between 1988 and 2002.

Prince Albert of Monaco with his bobsleigh — (Original Caption) Saint Moritz: Prince Albert of Monaco doing bobsleigh training in readiness for the Calgary Olympic Games.
Julio Donoso/Sygma via Getty Images

The royal competed for Monaco in both the two-man and four-man bobsleigh competitions. He took part in the Winter Olympics in 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, and 2002.

King Felipe VI was part of Spain's Olympic sailing team at the 1992 games held in Barcelona.

The then-Prince Felipe seen sailing 1995, two years after his participation in the Olympics. — The then-Prince Felipe seen sailing 1995, two years after his participation in the Olympic Games.
Eric Vandeville/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Before he ascended to the throne, Felipe was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team that competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

He was also the Spanish team's flag bearer at the Games.

King Felipe's sister, Princess Cristina of Spain, was a member of the Spanish sailing team at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

Princess Cristina of Spain on a sailboat — MALLORCA, SPAIN - JULY 24: Princess Cristina of Spain on board of the "Azur de Puig" during the second day of The Breitling Sailing Cup on July 24, 2004 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images

Princess Cristina did not come away with any medals.

Like her brother, she also carried the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony of that year's games.

Norway's King Olav V won a gold medal in sailing at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

King Olav, then Prince Olav, pictured sailing. — King Olav, then Prince Olav, pictured sailing in an undated photograph.
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The then prince reached the pinnacle of his sailing career when he won a gold medal in the 6 m mixed event.

King Harald V of Norway competed in sailing at the Olympics three times before ascending to the throne.

King Harald of Norway, then a prince, leans on a boat at the Olympics — Prince Harald of Norway helps to lower his 5.5 metre Fram III into the water at the Olympic Yacht harbour, in Enoshima, Japan, on Oct. 2, 1964, before the start of the Olympic Games yachting events.
AP

Olav's son, King Harald carried the Norwegian flag at the opening ceremony of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

He competed in sailing that year, as well as in the Mexico City Games in 1968 and Munich in 1972 games.

Iñaki Urdangarin, who was married to Princess Cristina, won two bronze Olympic medals in handball.

Inaki Urdangarin at the 2000 Olympics — AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Sydney Olympic Games: Infant Cristina supporting her husband for the France/Spain handball game in Sydney, Australia on September 20, 2000 - Inaki Urdangarin.
PoJO SYDNEY 2000/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Urdangarin was previously married to Princess Cristina, the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain, between 1997 and 2023.

He competed in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and won another bronze medal in Sydney in 2000.

In 2018, he was convicted of tax fraud, embezzlement, and influence peddling.

Princess Haya of Jordan competed in show jumping at the 2000 Olympic Games.

princess haya sydney — Princess Haya is seen competing at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
JO SYDNEY 2000/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Princess Haya represented Jordan in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

Sheikha Maitha Al Maktoum made history when she competed in taekwondo at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Sheikha Maitha al-Maktum won the gold medal.
Adam Jan/AFP via Getty Images

The daughter of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum made history as the first woman to act as flagbearer for the United Arab Emirates at an Olympic Games.

Greece's Constantine II competed in sailing at the 1960 Olympics, where he won a gold medal.

Prince Constantine on his sail boat during the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
David Lees/Getty Images)

The last King of Greece won a gold medal in the Dragon Class — now no longer an Olympic class — at the Rome Olympics in 1960.

Prince Birabongse Bhanudej Bhanubandh competed in four Olympic games as part of Thailand's sailing squad.

Prince Bira of Siam photographed in 1937.
The Print Collector/Getty Images

The Thai prince was a member of his country's sailing team at four Olympic Games.

He competed at the 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo, and 1972 Munich Olympics.

He also raced in Formula 1.

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14 royals who have competed in the Olympics