Let's talk about Princess Haya and 8 other royals who have competed in the Olympics.
Princess Haya of Jordan competed in show jumping at the 2000 Olympic Games.
Princess Haya is the first Jordanian athlete to turn professional.
She also served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2007 to 2014.
In 2000, Princess Haya fulfilled a lifelong dream by competing at the Sydney Olympic Games
in show jumping.
Two years later, Princess Haya competed for Jordan in the World Equestrian Games in Jerez,
Spain.
She was the first Arab woman to qualify for and compete in an equestrian world championship.
She achieved another “first” when she obtained a license to drive heavy trucks to
transport her horses.
Amid the fine horses competing in this year's Royal Ascot, the red-coated postilions driving
the Queen of England in her carriage, and the rabble in immense grandstands, one man
stands in the event's most exclusive VIP area wearing a black silk hat.
Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the leader of Dubai, more often wears the traditional
headscarf and white robe, or kandura, of Dubai, one of the seven states that make up the United
Arab Emirates—but for the most important race of the season, he makes an exception.
Now the 8 other royas who have competed in the Olympics.
Princess Anne was the first member of the British royal family to compete in the Olympics.
Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife, Charlene Wittstock, are both Olympians.
Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Tindall won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics in
London.
In 1976, Princess Anne became the first member of the British royal family to compete in
the Olympics.
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 International Olympic Committee.
Captain Mark Phillips was a member of the British Olympic equestrian team, which won
a gold medal in 1972 and a silver medal in 1988.
Despite being on the team in 1988, he never actually competed in the event because his
horse was injured.
Phillips married Princess Anne in 1973.
They had two children, Peter and Zara, before divorcing in 1992.
Princess Anne and Phillips' daughter, Zara Tindall, won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics
in London.
Tindall, who is Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, became the first member of the immediate British
royal family to win an Olympic medal when the British eventing team took home the silver
medal.
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, Charlene Wittstock competed in swimming at
the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
Wittstock was part of the South African team in the 4x100 medley relay, which placed fifth.
Prince Albert II was also an Olympian, competing on Monaco's bobsleigh team at five Olympic
Games between 1988 and 2002.
Prince Albert met Wittstock at a swimming competition he was presiding over.
The couple married in 2011 and welcomed twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques in 2014.
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 also carried the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony.
Inaki Urdangarin, who is married to Princess Cristina, won two bronze Olympic medals in
handball.
Urdangarin 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.
He was convicted of tax fraud, embezzlement, and influence peddling in 2018 and is currently
serving out his prison sentence in Spain.
King Harald of Norway competed in sailing at the Olympics three times before ascending
to the throne.
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 1968 and 1972, but never medalled.
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