Princess Anne was excused from 'gender test' when she competed in Olympics

Princess Anne inherited her mother's love of horses at a young age and turned her passion into a successful sporting career.

She began competing in equestrian competitions aged just 11 and went to take part in many of the sport's most prestigious tournaments.

In 1971, she won the European Eventing Championships and was named the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year.

And in 1976, she made history by becoming the first British royal to compete at the Olympics in three-day eventing, where she rode the Queen's horse, Goodwill.

Many of her family members flew to the Games in the Canadian city of Montreal to support her, but the British team were unable to win any medals that year.

Princess Anne on her horse Goodwill at the 1976 Olympics in Montreal (Getty Images)

Anne became the first British royal to compete at an Olympic Games (Popperfoto via Getty Images)

However, in order to be at the Olympics, Anne was reportedly excused from a test that all female athletes at the time had to take - a gender test.

Until the games in Sydney in 2000, all female athletes had to undergo the test, but according to Reuters, Princess Anne was excused from it in 1976.

It's unclear exactly why, but the test would have had less significance as both men and women compete in the same team in equestrian events.

Anne stops chats to her father Prince Philip during the Games in 1976 (S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport)

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Today, Anne is a member of the International Olympic Committee and is the president of the British Olympic Association.

And she played a pivotal role in helping London's winning bid to host the 2012 Olympics with Boris Johnson, the then London mayor, saying the princess was an "integral" part of the bid team.

In 2012, during the London Olympics, she had the pleasure of presenting a silver medal in three-day eventing to her daughter Zara.

Unfortunately, she has been unable to travel to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics but did send a message of support to Team GB ahead of the Games.

Anne said: "As your President, I would like to wish you every success for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

"Although I am sad not to be there in person, I and the whole nation will be cheering for you and proudly supporting you from home."