Princess Anne has been announced as the new patron of The Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation (MIPF), Scottish Rugby’s charity supporting injured grassroots players.
The Princess Royal, who will turn 75 in August, adds this role to her existing patronage of the Scottish Rugby Union.
The MIPF, established in Scottish Rugby’s centenary year of 1973, provides financial assistance to players facing both short and long-term injuries.
The charity focuses on supporting players at the grassroots level of the game in Scotland.
Princess Anne has been announced as the new patron of The Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation (MIPF), Scottish Rugby’s charity supporting injured grassroots players.
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Princess Anne’s connection with Scottish Rugby dates back to 1983 when she officially opened Murrayfield’s East Stand.
Her appointment as patron of the Scottish Rugby Union in 1986 came about unexpectedly, as she revealed on her son-in-law Mike Tindall’s podcast.
“It was an accident, they asked me to go and open the East Stand when it was built,” she explained. “I had about two weeks’ notice because they had been let down.”
The Princess has since been a devoted supporter, regularly attending Six Nations matches.
Princess Anne’s connection with Scottish Rugby dates back to 1983 when she officially opened Murrayfield’s East Stand.
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During a recent visit to Cape Town in January, Princess Anne firmly dismissed any notion of stepping back from royal duties.
When asked about potential retirement plans, the 74-year-old royal was unequivocal in her response.
“It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so,” the Princess Royal stated.
Her commitment to service continues unabated, with this new patronage adding to her extensive portfolio of royal duties.
Speaking about her passion for rugby, Princess Anne highlighted the unique aspects of the sport on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast.
“Everything that rugby gives, I’m talking about exercise and team sports in general, but I do think rugby offers a variety of talents in one team,” she said.
The Princess Royal emphasised the sport’s distinctive team dynamic, adding: “You have to look out for each other and that’s a different sort of responsibility within a team structure. They’re not all the same, you can have different skills.”
MIPF chair Ian Rankin welcomed Princess Anne’s appointment, praising her longstanding dedication to Scottish rugby.
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The Princess Royal, who will turn 75 in August, adds this role to her existing patronage of the Scottish Rugby Union.
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“The Princess Royal has been a dedicated supporter of the Scotland rugby team through umpteen swings of fortune since the 1980s,” he said.
“Her passion for sport, her commitment to the game at all levels, is well documented and we are honoured to have her join us as our Patron,” Rankin added.
The announcement comes as Scotland suffered a narrow 16-15 defeat to England in their Six Nations clash at Twickenham on Saturday.