Racing down memory lane! Princess Anne, 70, reunites with old friend Sir Jackie Stewart, 81, to reminisce about sneaking out of Buckingham Palace to meet him at Silverstone in video call to promote his dementia charity

• Princess Anne, 70, appeared in high spirits as she spoke with Sir Jackie Stewart
• Pair reminisced about enduring friendship in phone call for his dementia charity
• Joked about 1970s visit to Silverstone where royal was 'keen to be behind wheel'
• Sir Jackie left royal laughing as he said: 'We could hardly get you out of the car'
• Added Buckingham Palace 'didn't know you were at Silverstone driving cars'Princess Anne has recalled sneaking out of Buckingham Palace in the 1970s to visit Silverstone to try her hand at driving race cars with Sir Jackie Stewart in a video call for his dementia charity. 

  The Princess Royal, 70, who lives at her Gatcombe Estate in Gloucester, joined the Formula 1 champion, 81, for a virtual meeting in which they reminisced about their enduring friendship.

  In a call recorded to support his Race Against Dementia charity and shared yesterday online, the close friends laughed as they recalled a trip to Silverstone in the early 1970s which 'nobody at Buckingham Palace knew about'.Sir Jackie said the royal appeared 'disappointed' to be told he would be driving, adding: 'I finally got out of the car and off you went and we could hardly get you out of the car after that, God knows how many laps you did.' 

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  Princess Anne, 70, has recalled sneaking out of Buckingham Palace to visit Silverstone to try her hand at racing with Sir Jackie Stewart in a video call for his dementia charity

  The pair discussed meeting in December 1971 at an awards ceremony, and shared a laugh as they recalled how the Princess had been late because she was cleaning out the stables.

  Princess Anne joked: 'This was a long time ago, it's a minor miracle we're still here.' 

  At the time, Princess Anne was seeing Andrew Parker Bowles, before she began seeing Captain Mark Phillips, whom she announced her engagement to in May 1973, before marrying in November of the same year. Meanwhile Sir Jackie had been married for nearly 10 years, having wed his childhood sweetheart Jackie in 1962.  

  She joked about her work ethic regarding the care of horses, which she said had been drummed into her by the Queen, 94. 

  She said: 'We were  bought up that way. My mother was very keen that we do all these things, not just have a pony tucked up. We were bought up to do the whole job.' 

  

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  During the call, the two reminisced about their enduring friendship after meeting for the first time in December 1971

  

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  Princess Anne confessed she is 'not the world's best passenger' during the chatty discussion with Sir Jackie  

  They went on to remember a trip to Silverstone in the early 70s together, with Sir Jackie saying that when he arrived to pick her up at Windsor, the Princess was 'rather disappointed' to be told that he would be driving.

  He explained: 'That hasn't changed if I may say so, you drive more than any other lady I know. 

  'You were always keen to be behind the wheel, that was for sure.'

  Sir Jackie recalled driving her around in 'a very hot British touring championship car' before the royal took the wheel.

  The close friendship of Sir Jackie Stewart and the Princess Royal  

  

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  The close friends reminisced about their years of knowing one another after meeting at an award's ceremony in 1971 (pictured, at the ceremony) 

   1969 - Sir Jackie won his first Formula One world championship

  1971 - Sir Jackie won his second world championship. He was also made an OBE.

  The Princess Royal won a gold medal at the European Eventing Championships and was named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.

  The pair meet when they were named Daily Express Sportswoman and Sportsman of the year at the Savoy Hotel

  1973 - Sir Jackie won third F1 world championship and was named the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year

  1975 - Princess won two silver medals at the European Eventing Championships

  1976 - Sshe became the first member of the Royal Family to compete in the Olympics, riding the Queen’s horse, Goodwill, in the equestrian three-day event

  2001 - Sir Jackie received a knighthood