Princess Anne was told how women's sport is fighting against "old grey men" during an investiture at Windsor Castle.
Anne, who will turn 75 next month, presented a CBE to Dr Anita White – founder of the Women in Sport charity, the International Working Group on Women and Sport, and the Anita White Foundation – on Tuesday.
Reflecting on her conversation with Anne, Dr White said: "We spoke about how sport had changed, how it used to be a lot of old grey men running sport and how gradually it is changing."
The royal, who carved out a successful equestrian career, asked Dr White which sports she had played.
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|Princess Anne told how women’s sport is fighting against ‘old grey men’
The former England field hockey captain replied: "I was captain of the England team and we won the World Cup in 1975, and we didn’t get much recognition at the time – that made me aware of the kind of gender divide that there was, and I've been campaigning for women in sports ever since."
Dr White described the "huge change" she has seen over her career as being "at the top level".
She cited the rise of the Lionesses, the growing visibility of female sports presenters, and the increase in women holding leadership roles.
Anne, patron of the Scottish Rugby Union and a member of the International Olympic Committee, made history as the first member of the British Royal Family to compete in the Olympics, representing Great Britain at the 1976 Games in Montreal.
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|Anne, who will turn 75 next month, presented a CBE to Dr Anita White
During her competitive years, Anne won a gold medal in 1971 and two silver medals in 1975 at the European Eventing Championships.
Her daughter Zara Tindall has since matched her success, securing a silver medal in team eventing for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics.
The Princess Royal was visibly emotional when she watched Zara claim the Eventing World Championship title in Aachen in 2006.
Anne has always been vocal about the value of sport, often highlighting how it builds resilience, teamwork and confidence.
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|Dr Anita White is the founder of the Women in Sport charity
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|Princess Anne asked Dr White which sports she had played
She has spent decades supporting young athletes and pushing for more equal opportunities across all levels of competition.
As president of the British Olympic Association and patron of numerous sporting organisations, she has witnessed women’s teams, like the Lionesses, change public attitudes and inspire new players.
With her 75th birthday approaching, Anne is expected to remain a strong advocate for sport.