The Princess Royal has a wide range of public roles, and a very busy working schedule.

The Princess began to undertake public engagements alone when she was 18 and had left school. She first flew her personal standard in 1969 when she opened an educational and training centre in Shropshire. Her first State Visit was in May the same year, when she accompanied The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh to Austria.

View footage of The Princess Royal on engagements in Lancashire in July 2010:

The Save the Children Fund, of which she has been President since 1970, was the first major charity with which she became closely associated. It has given her great insight into the needs of children worldwide, and an understanding of the issues affecting developing countries.

In her work for the organisation, the Princess has visited Save the Children projects in many countries, including Indonesia, China, Cambodia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Malawi, Botswana and Madagascar.

Her Royal Highness is associated with over 200 charities and organisations in an official capacity, to all of which she devotes a large part of her working life. Search these in our charities and patronages database.

The Princess has been closely involved with the creation of several charities, notably The Princess Royal's Trust for Carers, Transaid and Riders for Health.

The Princess Royal's Trust for Carers provides support for the millions of individuals in the UK who are responsible for caring for someone.

Transaid and Riders for Health both try to overcome some of the difficulties caused by poor transportation links in developing countries.

In addition to working for her charities and regiments both at home and overseas, Her Royal Highness carries out up to three overseas tours each year for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in support of British interests overseas.

In 1990 she became the first member of the Royal Family to make an official visit to the then USSR, as a guest of the Soviet government.

She also carries out a very wide range of official duties and visits in the United Kingdom in support of regional authorities and local institutions.

The Princess Royal is also a British representative in the International Olympic Committee. She took part in London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games, and is now a member of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.