While Princess Anne was once high up in the line of succession, this started to change when her younger brothers Prince Andrew and Prince Edward were born.
A rule meant that her siblings overtook her in the line of succession due to their gender.
Could Princess Anne be Queen?
While the rule prioritised men in the line of succession, this was changed when Kate Middleton and Prince William were expecting their first child.
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The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 set out that the eldest child would precede their siblings regardless of their gender.
The law change could have meant Princess Anne would have stayed second in line to the throne.
However, this only applied to those who were born after October 28, 2011, meaning Princess Anne has missed out.
If the royal rule had come into place earlier, Princess Anne may have been able to become the monarch.
“She had a similar twinkle in her eye to her father and clearly supplied the kind of hands-off and unfussy support that the Queen always prefers.
“Both women share a passion for horses and, off-duty, they will often dress in identical, country women style, tweeds, wellies and headscarves.
“If the Queen hadn’t inherited the crown it’s likely it would be Anne’s lifestyle that she would have most love to embrace.
“Although, the Queen does seem to have a soft spot for some of the glamour of royal life that is apparently anathema to her daughter.”
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The royal line of succession – who outranks who?
The line of succession to the throne dictates the order in which each member of the Royal Family would ascend to the throne.
It is also seen as a ranking of importance with the Queen as head of the line.
Older children come before younger children.
Traditionally, boys came before girls, but this law was changed on March 26, 2015 before the birth of Prince William’s first child.
Incredibly, Catholics are still excluded from the line of succession, as are children born outside of wedlock.
The royals, who usually stick to a strict protocol when appearing in public, often arrive at events in ascending order of importance, with the most important royal arriving last.
Prince Charles, 71, is currently heir to the British throne, followed by Prince William, 38, his oldest son.
Then comes Prince William’s children, George, seven, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two, and they are followed by Prince Harry, 35.
Prince Harry is succeeded by his son Archie Harrison, born in May 2019.