British Royal Wedding

The engagement of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips, a Lieutenant and later Captain in the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards, was announced in May 1973. The couple met through their mutual interest in horse riding and were British eventing team mates.

On 14 November 1973 Princess Anne and Mark were married at Westminster Abbey. It was only the second time in 200 years that a member of the British Royal Family married a commoner. The marriage was televised around the world with an estimated audience of 100 million and Britons celebrated with a national holiday in honour of the event.

Following the ceremony, the couple appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace before enjoying a wedding lunch. After an overnight stay in Richmond Park, Princess Anne and Mark departed for their honeymoon to Barbados and a cruise in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Notably, Mark Phillips turned down the earldom offered to him by The Queen on his wedding day. It is believed that this was done at the request of Princess Anne, who wanted to shield any future children from the publicity that courtesy titles might bring. Their marriage produced two children: Peter, who was born in 1977, and Zara, who was born in 1981. Peter and Zara Phillips became the first grandchildren of a sovereign to carry no title.

Following years of strain in their marriage, the Princess Royal, as Anne was now known, and Mark Phillips announced their intention to separate in August 1989. They were formally divorced in April 1992, but have remained friends and continue to run horse trials together.

Eight months later, on 12th December 1992, the Princess Royal remarried in the Church of Scotland. She married Commander Timothy Laurence, whom she had previously met during a tour of duty on the Royal Yacht Britannia, at a small family wedding at Crathie church, near Balmoral Castle. Anne and Timothy’s marriage marked the end of a turbulent year for the royals during which the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of York separated. Diana chose not to attend the ceremony, which was attended by the rest of the members of the Royal family. The newlyweds celebrated at Craigowan Lodge on the Balmoral Estate. It is not known where they honeymooned.

View a video of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips wedding.