Princess Anne was born to a Queen, but her love life hasn’t exactly been the kind you read about in a fairytale.
With one divorce under her belt, the royal actually found true love with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence.
She was also linked to Andrew Parker Bowles, the man who would go on to be Queen Consort Camilla’s first husband before she wed Prince Charles.
So how did she and Sir Timothy Laurence’s 30-year marriage come to be? Keep reading to find out.
WHO IS PRINCESS ANNE’S HUSBAND, SIR TIMOTHY LAURENCE?
Princess Anne found true love with her second husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. (Credit: Getty)
Anne and Sir Timothy first met around 1986, before her divorce from her first husband and the father of her two children, Captain Mark Philips, was finalised.
Their romance sparked scandal when flirtatious letters were discovered and leaked to the press. The letters being made public was a huge royal upset at the time.
“Buckingham Palace has confirmed that one of the Queen’s equerries, Comdr. Timothy Laurence, 34, has written four intimate letters to Anne,” People magazine reported in 1986.
Buckingham Palace then responded, attempting to quash any racy rumours with this statement: “The stolen letters were addressed to the Princess Royal by Commander Timothy Laurence, the Queen’s Equerry.
“We have nothing to say about the contents of personal letters sent to Her Royal Highness by a friend which were stolen and which are the subject of a police investigation.”
Anne even bucked royal tradition by saying her vows in a white suit instead of a dress. (Credit: Getty)
Despite a controversial beginning, Anne and Sir Timothy continued to pursue the spark between them and in 1992 he proposed with a unique cabochon sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
The Princess Royal accepted and the pair were wed that same year on December 12, Anne even bucked royal tradition by saying her vows in a white suit instead of a dress.
Her daughter, Zara Tindall, was a bridesmaid at the intimate service, where only royal family members were in attendance.
Since then the couple have remained one of the most faithful couples in the senior royal family and are regularly photographed side by side at royal engagements.
SIR TIMOTHY LAURENCE HEALTH
On January 22, Sir Timothy Laurence was undergoing treatment and skipped his wife’s royal tour to South Africa.
Princess Anne has headed to South Africa solo for her two-day trip, after her husband had to pull out last minute due to a mysterious injury.
According to HELLO! magazine, the 69-year-old has suffered a “suspected torn ligament”.
WHO WAS PRINCESS ANNE MARRIED TO BEFORE SIR TIMOTHY LAURENCE?
Anne began her romance with Timothy before she and Captain Mark Phillips (pictured) finalised their divorce. (Credit: Getty)
As mentioned, Anne began her romance with Timothy before she and Captain Mark Phillips finalised their divorce.
Both accomplished equestrians, the pair met in Mexico City in 1968 and fell in love and in 1973 Captain Phillips proposed to Anne.
When their engagement was made public, a reporter asked Anne: “Do you think the marriage can withstand the enormous pressures of public duty and publicity that you have to endure?”
To which Anne replied, “Can? It’s got to, hasn’t it?”
The pair were married on November 14, 1973, in a lavish royal ceremony. (Credit: Getty)
The pair were married on November 14, 1973 in a lavish royal ceremony and welcomed two children together, Peter Phillips in 1977 and Zara Phillips in 1981.
Sadly, Anne’s prediction that the marriage would endure proved to be false.
She and Captain Phillips separated in 1989 and just six years later it was discovered that he had fathered a child as a result of an extramarital affair.
His and Anne’s divorce was finalised in 1992 after nearly 20 years of marriage.
DID PRINCESS ANNE DATE QUEEN CONSORT CAMILLA’S EX-HUSBAND ANDREW PARKER BOWLES?
Anne was also romantically linked to Andrew Parker Bowles. (Credit: Getty)
In a surprising twist, Anne was also romantically linked to Andrew Parker Bowles in 1970, before he wed Camilla Shand – now Queen Consort Camilla.
Though their connection seemed quite dramatic on The Crown, it actually wasn’t that serious in real life.
Part of this was due to his faith, as Andrew’s catholic upbringing meant he would never be able to marry the Princess Royal.
Despite that, the pair remain fast friends to this day and he is even the godfather of Princess Anne’s daughter Zara.
