by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh; Credit – Wikipedia

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh is the wife of Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh. Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones was born on January 20, 1965, at Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, England. She is the youngest of the two children of Christopher Rhys-Jones (born 1931), a retired tire salesman, and Mary (née O’Sullivan, 1934–2005). Sophie has an elder brother David (born 1963). She is distantly related to the Viscounts Molesworth through her paternal grandmother and, as are many people, she is a descendant of King Edward III of England, and also of King Henry IV of England through his son Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester.

Sophie with her father at Royal Ascot in 2012; Credit – www.getty.images.com

Sophie’s family moved to Kent when she was young and she grew up in a 17th-century farmhouse in the West Kent village of Brenchley.  She began her education at Dulwich Preparatory School in Cranbrook, Kent, England, and then attended Kent College School for Girls in Pembury, Kent, England. Sophie studied to be a secretary at West Kent College in Tonbridge, Kent, England.

In 1993, Prince Edward renewed a casual acquaintance with Sophie Rhys-Jones at a Real Tennis Challenge, hosted by the Prince. Sophie, the public relations executive handling the event, was reportedly charmed by the youngest of the Queen’s sons, and he was with her. After a long courtship, their engagement was announced on January 6, 1999.

Engagement announcement; Photo Credit – www.gettyimages.in

On June 19, 1999, Edward and Sophie were married at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. There were only about 550 guests, far fewer than at the weddings of Edward’s brothers Charles and Andrew, but an estimated 200 million viewers from around the world watched on television. Sophie had a quite remarkable accessory for her wedding, a beautiful black and white pearl necklace and matching earrings designed by Edward as a personal wedding gift. After her marriage, Sophie’s style and title were Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex. On March 10, 2019, Edward’s 55th birthday, The Queen granted him an additional title Earl of Forfar for use when he is in Scotland.

At the time of Sophie’s wedding, it was announced that Prince Edward would eventually be granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh, his father’s title, at such time when it reverted back to the Crown. The title Duke of Edinburgh automatically passed to Edward’s eldest brother Charles when their father died in April 2021, and merged into the Crown in September 2022 when Charles acceded to the throne. King Charles III granted his younger brother Prince Edward the title Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday, March 10, 2023, and Sophie is now styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones

Photo Credit – royalweddings.hellomagazine.com

After she had left West Kent College, Sophie began a career in public relations at Capital Radio and then worked for the public relations firms Quentin Bell Organization and MacLaurin Communications and Media. She also worked as a ski representative in Switzerland and spent a year traveling and working in Australia. In 1996, Sophie started a public relations agency, R-JH Public Relations, which she ran with a business partner for five years.

In 2001, an undercover reporter posing as a sheikh recorded Sophie, by then a member of the British Royal Family, making unfavorable comments about members of the British Royal Family and the Government and appearing to use her royal status to gain clientele for her company. The comments were published in the media and this caused a scandal that had to be addressed by Buckingham Palace.  Sophie left her business in 2002 to focus on royal duties and support The Queen during her Golden Jubilee.

Sophie and Edward have two children:

• Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2003)
• James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex (born 2007)

Sophie carried out a full schedule of engagements in the United Kingdom and overseas in support of Queen Elizabeth II, and now her brother-in-law King Charles III, her husband, and her charities and organizations. She is particularly interested in working with organizations that help children and young people with sensory, learning, and communication disabilities such as Dyslexia Action, Mencap, the National Autistic Society, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, and Vision 2020.

Sophie and Edward in 2014; Photo Credit – www.zimbio.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh; Credit – Wikipedia

Edward Antony Richard Louis was born on March 10, 1964, at Buckingham Palace in London, England. He is the youngest of the four children of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born a Prince of Greece and Denmark). Edward was part of a baby boom the British Royal Family was having in 1964. Also born that year were James Ogilvy, son of Princess Alexandra of Kent, on February 29, 1964; Lady Helen Windsor, daughter of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent on April 28, 1964; and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, daughter of Princess Margaret on May 1, 1964.

The infant Prince Edward with his brother Prince Andrew and his mother Queen Elizabeth

Edward was baptized on May 2, 1964, in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle. His godparents were:

• Prince Richard of Gloucester (his mother’s first cousin, later the Duke of Gloucester)
• Katharine, Duchess of Kent (wife of his mother’s first cousin)
• Princess Georg Wilhelm of Hanover (his paternal aunt, born Princess Sophie of Greece)
• Prince Ludwig of Hesse and by Rhine (his paternal first cousin twice removed)
• Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon (his maternal uncle by marriage)

Edward with his parents and siblings in 1968

Edward has three elder siblings:

• King Charles III of the United Kingdom (born 1948), married  (1) Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, had two sons, divorced  (2) Camilla Shand Parker-Bowles, no children
• Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (born 1950), married (1) Mark Philipps, had one son and one daughter, divorced  (2) Timothy Laurence, no children
• Prince Andrew, Duke of York (born 1960), married Sarah Ferguson, had two daughters, divorced

Edward was educated privately by a governess before attending Gibbs School in Kensington, London, England for a year. In 1972, he began to attend Heatherdown School in Winkfield, Berkshire, England. Edward then moved on to Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland, which his father and elder brothers had also attended. During his last term at Gordonstoun, Edward was Head Boy.

Starting in September of 1982, Edward worked as a house tutor during his gap year at the Wanganui Collegiate School in Wanganui, New Zealand. While at the school he taught English and History and supervised other activities, including Drama and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expeditions. Edward then studied history at Jesus College, University of Cambridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1986. While at university, he enjoyed theater, took part in several productions, and sports, including learning to play real tennis.

After leaving university, Edward joined the Royal Marines. However, in January 1987, he dropped out of the year-long officer training after completing only four months. Reportedly, his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, was angered by the decision and Edward took some criticism from the media.

Edward then pursued a career in theatrical production working for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company as a production assistant on musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express, and Cats.

In 1993, Edward formed Ardent Productions, a television production company. Programs included Edward on Edward, a documentary on his great-uncle, King Edward VIII (later the Duke of Windsor); thirty half-hour programs of Crown and Country: A Royal History of Britain; The Cater Street Hangman, a dramatization of Anne Perry’s first mystery novel; and Windsor Restored, a program on the restoration of Windsor Castle after the fire in 1993. Edward was accused in the media of using his royal connections for financial gains, and his professionalism was also questioned. In September of 2001, an Ardent production crew invaded the privacy of Prince William, Edward’s nephew, while he was at the University of St Andrews, ignoring the guidelines regarding the privacy of the royal family. Reportedly, Prince Charles was angered by this incident. Edward’s productions were received well in the United States (this American writer, Susan, saw them all and enjoyed them) and the program about Edward VIII sold well in many countries. However, Ardent Productions reported losses for each year it existed, except one. In June 2009, the company was liquidated with assets of £40.

In 1993, Edward renewed a casual acquaintance with Sophie Rhys-Jones at a Real Tennis Challenge, hosted by the Prince. Sophie, the public relations executive handling the event, was reportedly charmed by the youngest of Queen Elizabeth II’s sons, and she charmed him. After a long courtship, their engagement was announced on January 6, 1999.

The wedding was a smaller affair, unlike the large, formal weddings of Edward’s brothers, Charles and Andrew. On June 19, 1999, Edward and Sophie were married at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle. There were only about 550 guests, far fewer than at the weddings of Charles and Andrew, but an estimated 200 million viewers from around the world watched on television.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones

On his wedding day, Edward was created Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, breaking with the tradition of a dukedom granted to the son of the Sovereign upon marriage. However, it was announced that Prince Edward would eventually be granted the Dukedom of Edinburgh, his father’s title, at such time when it reverted back to the Crown.  On his 55th birthday, Prince Edward was granted the additional title of Earl of Forfar for use in Scotland. The title Duke of Edinburgh automatically passed to Edward’s eldest brother Charles when their father died in April 2021, and merged into the Crown in September 2022 when Charles acceded to the throne. King Charles III granted his younger brother Prince Edward the title Duke of Edinburgh on his 59th birthday, March 10, 2023. His ducal title is not hereditary, so it will become extinct on his death. Edward’s son James Mountbatten-Windsor now uses Earl of Wessex as his courtesy title.

Edward and Sophie also decided, with The Queen’s agreement, that their children would use the courtesy titles as sons or daughters of an Earl rather than the style and title His/Her Royal Highness Prince or Princess. As they would already be well down the line of succession (Prince Edward was 7th in line at the time of his marriage), it is believed that this was done to alleviate some of the ‘burdens’ associated with having a royal title, and to allow them somewhat more of a normal life. However, many argue that the press release does not supersede the terms of the 1917 Letters Patent and that Edward’s children, Louise and James are, in fact, Prince and Princess. In June 2020, during an interview with the Sunday Times Magazine, the Countess of Wessex stated that she and her husband have raised their children with the intent that will have to work for a living as opposed to being working royals. She continued: “Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it’s highly unlikely.”

Edward with his two children James and Louise at the coronation of King Charles III in 2023

The couple had two children:

• Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (born 2003)
• James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex (born 2007)

Edward and his family live at Bagshot Park, located close to Windsor and owned by the Crown Estate. He pays rent to the Crown Estate for the use of the estate. Edward has a busy schedule of engagements in the United Kingdom and overseas both in support of the crown and for the large number of charities and organizations with which he is involved.

Bagshot Park; Credit – By Len Williams, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39952096

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince Andrew, The Duke of York; Credit – Wikipedia

Andrew Albert Christian Edward was born on February 19, 1960, at Buckingham Palace in London, England. He is the third of the four children of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born a Prince of Greece and Denmark). At the time of his birth, Andrew’s mother had been Queen for eight years and he was styled His Royal Highness The Prince Andrew.

On April 8, 1960, Andrew was baptized in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace. The infant prince was wide awake throughout the ceremony and “let out two lusty yells” according to the UPI article about the christening. Andrew was named after his paternal grandfather, Prince Andrew of Greece, who died in 1944. His godparents were:

• Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (his maternal great-uncle)
• Princess Alexandra of Kent (his mother’s paternal first cousin)
• Hugh FitzRoy, Earl of Euston, later the 11th Duke of Grafton
• John Elphinstone, 17th Lord Elphinstone (his mother’s maternal first cousin)
• Mrs. Harold Phillips (a friend of Queen Elizabeth)

Andrew on his christening day with his parents and his elder brother Charles and elder sister Anne; Photo Credit – daysofmajesty.blogspot.com

Andrew has three siblings:

• King Charles III of the United Kingdom (born 1948), married  (1) Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, had two sons, divorced  (2) Camilla Shand Parker-Bowles, no children
• Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (born 1950), married (1) Mark Philipps, had one son and one daughter, divorced  (2) Timothy Laurence, no children
• Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh (born 1964), married Sophie Rhys-Jones, had one daughter and one son

Andrew, standing in the back, with his family at Balmoral Castle in 1972; Photo Credit – www.windsorstar.com

Like his elder brother and sister, Andrew began his education with a governess at Buckingham Palace.  Andrew began to attend Heatherdown School in Winkfield, Berkshire, England when he was eight years old. In 1973, when he was 13, Andrew moved on to Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland, which his father and elder brother had also attended. From January to June 1977, Andrew participated in an exchange program and attended Lakefield College School in Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. Andrew graduated from Gordonstoun School in 1979.

In September 1979, Andrew was appointed a Midshipman and entered Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth.  Andrew also completed the Royal Marines All Arms Commando Course.  He then took his flight training and was certified as a pilot for the Gazelle helicopter and the Sea King helicopter.  Andrew then joined the 820 Naval Air Squadron serving aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.

Andrew served on the HMS Invincible during the Falklands War.  The British government wanted Andrew assigned to a desk job for the duration of the war, but Queen Elizabeth II insisted that Andrew be allowed to stay with the ship. Andrew continued to serve in the Royal Navy until his retirement in July 2001.

Prince Andrew with RAF Sea King helicopter in 1982; Credit – bigstory.ap.org

Prince Andrew’s Naval Ranks:

• 1979–1981: Midshipman
• 1981–1984: Sub Lieutenant
• 1984–1993: Lieutenant
• 1993–1999: Lieutenant Commander
• 1999–2005: Commander
• 2005–2010: Honorary Captain
• 2010: Honorary Rear Admiral

Photo Credit – www.telegraph.co.uk

In 1985, Andrew became romantically involved with Sarah Ferguson. Sarah’s father, Major Ronald Ferguson, was the polo manager for the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, so Andrew and Sarah had first met as children. On February 19, 1986, Andrew’s birthday, at the Scottish home of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, where their romance first started, Andrew proposed to Sarah. Their engagement was announced on March 17, 1986. The couple married at Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986. On his wedding day, Andrew was created Duke of York, the traditional title of the monarch’s second son, with the subsidiary titles, Earl of Inverness, and Baron Killyleagh. These titles were also held by his maternal grandfather King George VI and his maternal great-grandfather King George V both second sons of monarchs.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

Andrew and Sarah appeared to have a happy marriage, producing two daughters.

• • Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (born August 8, 1988), married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, had two daughters
  • Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank (born March 23, 1990), married Jack Brooksbank, had two sons

However, it was reported that Andrew’s obligations as a naval helicopter pilot and the negative attention Sarah received from the media contributed to the couple’s estrangement. Andrew and Sarah announced their separation on March 19, 1992, and divorced on May 30, 1996. The Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York (her style upon her divorce) are on amicable terms with each other and are both devoted parents to their daughters.

Andrew with his former wife and their daughters in 2004; Photo Credit – www.telegraph.co.uk

Before the announcements of November 2019 (see below), Andrew carried out engagements in support of The Queen in the United Kingdom and overseas. He also worked to recognize the importance of service and the voluntary sector, supporting and acting as Patron of several charitable organizations.

In March 2011, it was reported that Andrew had had a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and convicted sex offender. Andrew stated in July 2011 that he had cut all ties with Epstein.  In January 2015, a woman made allegations of sexual impropriety against Andrew claiming that he, among other men, had sex with her while she was a teenager and that she had been paid a substantial sum of money for her services by Epstein. In July 2019, additional charges were brought against Epstein, charging him with sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors for sex. Epstein died by suicide while being held in jail for those charges on August 10, 2019.

In August 2019, court documents associated with a defamation case revealed that a second woman, gave evidence alleging sexual impropriety against Andrew while she was underage.  Andrew released a statement: “At no stage during the limited time I spent with [Epstein] did I see, witness or suspect any behavior of the sort that subsequently led to his arrest and conviction.”  Andrew expressed regret for meeting Epstein in 2010 after he had already pleaded guilty to sex crimes for the first time.

On November 16, 2019, an interview with Andrew aired on the BBC. His relationship with Epstein and the allegations of his sexual impropriety were discussed. The interview received negative reactions from both the media and the public, both in and outside the United Kingdom. It was described as the worst public relations crisis for the royal family since the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

On November 20, 2019, a statement from Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew was suspending his public duties “for the foreseeable future” and that he sympathized with Epstein’s victims. However, the backlash from the interview continued.  Many companies and organizations associated with Andrew were cutting off their relationships with him. On November 24, 2019, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew would step down from all 230 of his patronages.

On August 9, 2021, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of the women who alleged that she was sex trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and that she was sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew in London, New York, and the US Virgin Islands when she was underage, filed a civil lawsuit for monetary damages against Andrew. The lawsuit, filed in New York State under the state’s Child Victims Act, accuses Andrew of “sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress.” Virginia Roberts Giuffre alleges that Andrew engaged in sexual acts without her consent, knowing how old she was and that she was a sex-trafficking victim.

On January 12, 2020, Judge Lewis Kaplan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled against a motion by Andrew’s legal team to dismiss the civil lawsuit brought against him by Virginia Giuffre.

On January 13, 2020, Buckingham Palace released the following statement:

With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen. 

The BBC article stated: “All Prince Andrew’s roles have been returned to the Queen with immediate effect, and will be redistributed to other members of the Royal Family, a Royal Source said. He will stop using the title ‘His Royal Highness’ in any official capacity.”

On February 15, 2022, it was announced in a joint statement that both parties in the Virginia Giuffre lawsuit had reached an out-of-court settlement, which included Prince Andrew making a substantial donation to Virginia Giuffre’s charity.  Virginia Giuffre’s lawyers said that the settlement does not shelter Prince Andrew from any criminal liability that would otherwise exist and that Virginia Giuffre did not sign a non-disclosure agreement.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2014

Timothy Laurence; Credit – Wikipedia

The second husband of Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, Timothy James Hamilton Laurence was born on March 1, 1955, in Camberwell, South London, England, the son of Guy Laurence (1896-1982) and Barbara Symonds. His father was a Commander in the Royal Navy and then a salesman for a marine engine manufacturer. Timothy grew up in Kent, England along with his older brother Jonathan Dobree Laurence (born in 1952).

Timothy began his education at The New Beacon Preparatory School in Sevenoaks, Kent, England. He then attended Sevenoaks School also in Sevenoaks, Kent, England, founded in 1432. Timothy attended University College, Durham on a Naval Scholarship where he was the editor of the student newspaper and captain of the cricket team. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in geography and then completed his naval training at the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth.

Timothy served on several Royal Navy ships as a navigating officer and then as a commander. From 1986-1989, he had his first staff appointment as Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II. An equerry must be a senior officer in the British Armed Services. Timothy also served in various posts in the Ministry of Defence. He retired from the Royal Navy in 2010 with the rank of Vice Admiral.

Timothy Laurence’s Royal Navy ranks:

• Midshipman 1973
• Acting Sub-Lieutenant 1975
• Lieutenant 1977
• Lieutenant-Commander 1985
• Commander 1988
• Captain 1995
• Commodore 1999
• Rear Admiral 2004
• Vice Admiral 2007

Sir Timothy Laurence and The Princess Royal in 2014; Credit – By The United States Army Band CMB_8907-LR, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87122179

Timothy first met his future wife, Anne, Princess Royal when he was Equerry to Queen Elizabeth. As the Queen’s Equerry, a combination secretary and personal attendant, for three years, Timothy learned the ways of the Royal Family. He often ate with the family, accompanied them on outings, cruised with them on the royal yacht, and made the formal introductions when important guests visited. Anne’s marriage to Mark Phillips was in trouble and Timothy caught her eye. However, it was not until 1989, when four of Timothy’s love letters were stolen from Anne’s briefcase at Buckingham Palace that the romance came to light. In the same year, Anne separated from her first husband, but the courtship with Timothy remained discreet. The couple was seldom seen together until Anne’s divorce became final in April 1992.

Timothy and Anne on their wedding day

Timothy and Anne married on December 12, 1992, at Crathie Kirk in Ballater, Scotland near Balmoral Castle, in a Church of Scotland ceremony. The Church of Scotland permitted the remarriage of divorced people. Timothy did not receive a peerage upon his marriage but was knighted by the Queen in June 2011 as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. Timothy and Anne live at Anne’s country estate Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, England and also have apartments at Buckingham Palace and St. James’ Palace, both in London.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence

Timothy does not carry out royal duties by himself but offers a supportive role to Princess Anne on some engagements. He does join the Royal Family every year for the annual Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Sunday and participates in family occasions.

Sir Timothy Laurence (third from left) walking with royal family members in the procession to the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022; Credit – By Katie Chan – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=123011069

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Anne, The Princess Royal. Credit – www.grand-national.me.uk

Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born at Clarence House in London, England on August 15, 1950. She is the second child of four children and the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born a Prince of Greece and Denmark).

At the time of Anne’s birth, her mother was Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh and the sovereign was her grandfather, King George VI. The children of a daughter of a British sovereign would not usually have been accorded the style Royal Highness or the titles Prince/Princess as in the case of Anne’s children. However, on October 22, 1948, Anne’s grandfather King George VI issued letters patent allowing the children of his eldest daughter and heiress presumptive, to use the style and title of a royal prince or princess. Therefore, Anne was Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Edinburgh at birth.

Anne was baptized in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace in London, England on October 21, 1950. Her godparents were:

• Queen Elizabeth (her maternal grandmother, later Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother)
• Hereditary Princess of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (her paternal aunt, born Princess Margarita of Greece)
• Princess Andrew of Greece and Denmark (her paternal grandmother, born Princess Alice of Battenberg) – for whom Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone stood proxy
• Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (her paternal great-uncle, born Prince Louis of Battenberg)
• Reverend The Honorable Andrew Elphinstone (her mother’s maternal first cousin)

Big brother Charles takes a peek at his sister while his mother and the godparents look on; Photo Credit – Press Association

King George VI died on February 6, 1952, and his elder daughter Princess Elizabeth became Queen. Upon her mother’s accession to the throne, Anne was styled Her Royal Highness The Princess Anne. Anne was too young to attend her mother’s coronation, but she made an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

The Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother on the balcony; Photo Credit – www.itv.com

Catherine Peebles, the governess of Prince Charles was also Anne’s governess and was responsible for Anne’s early education. In 1959, a Girl Guides company, 1st Buckingham Palace Company was formed at the palace to allow Anne to socialize with other girls. Similar Girl Guide companies had been formed at Buckingham Palace for Anne’s mother and her aunt Princess Margaret. From 1963-1968, Anne attended Benenden School, an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England.

Princess Anne in her Girl Guides uniform in 1960; Credit – http://www.independent.co.uk

Anne has three brothers:

• King Charles III of the United Kingdom (born 1948), married  (1) Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, had two sons, divorced  (2) Camilla Shand Parker-Bowles, no children
• Prince Andrew, The Duke of York (born 1960), married Sarah Ferguson, had two daughters, divorced
• Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh (born 1964), married Sophie Rhys-Jones, had one daughter and one son

Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Queen Elizabeth holding Prince Edward, Prince Charles, and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1965; Photo Credit – www.telegraph.co.uk

From a young age, Princess Anne was passionate about riding and she soon became an excellent equestrienne. In 1971, Anne won the European Eventing Championship and was voted the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.  For more than five years Anne competed with the British eventing team, winning a silver medal in both individual and team disciplines in the 1975 European Eventing Championship. In the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics, Anne competed as a member of the British equestrian team.

Princess Anne competing in the 1976 Olympics; Photo Credit – www.express.co.uk

Anne’s love of riding led her to meet her first husband, Mark Phillips, also a member of the British equestrian team, and the winner of a gold medal in the Team Three Day Event in the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics and a silver medal in the Team Three Day Event in the 1988 Seoul Summer Olympics. Anne and Mark’s engagement was announced on May 29, 1973, and they were married in Westminster Abbey in London, England on November 14, 1973. It is believed that Queen Elizabeth II offered Mark a peerage upon his marriage, which was declined. The Queen purchased the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, England for Princess Anne upon her marriage. In 1989, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips separated and their divorce was final on April 23, 1992.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips

Photo Credit – www.telegraph.co.uk

Anne and Peter had a son and a daughter:

• Peter Phillips (born 1977), married Autumn Kelly, had two daughters, divorced
  • Savannah Anna Kathleen Phillips (born 2010)
  • Isla Elizabeth Phillips (born 2012)
• Zara Phillips (born 1981), married Mike Tindall, had two daughters and one son
  • Mia Grace Tindall (born 2014)
  • Lena Elizabeth (born 2018)
  • Lucas Philip (born 2021)

Peter was the first grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and his daughters were the Queen’s first great-grandchildren. Like her parents, Zara is also an equestrian and in the Team Three Day Event at the 2012 London Olympics, she won a silver medal and was it presented to her by her mother.

Anne with Mark Phillips and their children Zara and Peter; Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

On March 20, 1974, an unsuccessful attempt was made to kidnap Anne, as she and her husband were being driven along the Pall Mall on their way back to Buckingham Palace after a charity film show. Anne was not hurt, but several people were shot and injured including Anne’s personal protection officer and her chauffeur.

• BBC: On This Day – March 20, 1974 – Kidnap attempt on Princess Anne

On June 13, 1987, Queen Elizabeth granted her daughter the style Princess Royal, a style that can be awarded to the eldest daughter of the monarch. The style is held for life, so a princess cannot be given the style during the lifetime of another Princess Royal. The use of “Princess Royal” came about when Queen Henrietta Maria, daughter of King Henri IV of France and wife of King Charles I of England, wanted to imitate the way the eldest daughter of the King of France was styled “Madame Royale”. Since 1987, Anne’s style has been Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. Besides Anne, there have been six other Princesses Royal:

• Mary, Princess Royal (1631–1660), daughter of King Charles I
• Anne, Princess Royal (1709–1759), daughter of King George II
• Charlotte, Princess Royal (1766–1828), daughter of King George III
• Victoria, Princess Royal (1840–1901), daughter of Queen Victoria
• Louise, Princess Royal (1867–1931), daughter of King Edward VII
• Mary, Princess Royal (1897–1965), daughter of King George V

On December 12, 1992, Anne married Commander (now Vice Admiral) Timothy Laurence, a Royal Navy officer, in a private Church of Scotland ceremony at Crathie Kirk in Ballater, Scotland, where the Royal Family worships when they stay at nearby Balmoral Castle.  Anne was married in the Church of Scotland because it allowed the remarriage of divorced people. She had met her second husband when he served as an Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II.  Like her first husband, Anne’s second husband did not receive a peerage.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence

Wedding of Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence; Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

The Princess Royal carries out a full schedule of engagements in the United Kingdom and abroad and is involved with over 200 charities and organizations in an official capacity. Organizations, she is involved with include:

• The Save the Children Fund, President since 1970
• The Princess Royal Trust for Carers
• The WISE Campaign (Women into Science, Engineering, and Construction)
• St John Ambulance Foundation
• International Olympic Committee
• Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, commonly known as the Royal Society
• University of Edinburgh, Chancellor

The Princess Royal and Timothy Laurence at the 2012 London Summer Olympics; Credit – www.zimbio.com

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.