Today marks 51 years since Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips wed at Westminster Abbey on November 14, 1973. The ceremony, the first televised royal wedding, was broadcast in color on the BBC, drawing over 500 million viewers to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s daughter marry the distinguished lieutenant of the 1st Queen’s Dragoon Guards.
Although Princess Anne believed she had found her soulmate, their marriage ultimately didn’t last. After 19 years together, during which they had two children—Peter in 1977 and Zara in 1981—the couple announced their separation in 1989.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement confirming their separation, ending with a surprising note: “There are no plans for divorce proceedings.”
Anne initially hesitated to pursue a divorce due to the social and royal stigma surrounding it. However, just three years later, in 1991, the palace revealed that Anne had unexpectedly filed for divorce on April 13.
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips first met in 1968 at a horse-riding event in Mexico City, bonding over their shared love of equestrianism. In 1973, Mark proposed with a sapphire and diamond engagement ring designed by Garrard.
The royal wedding was celebrated by the public, with street parties and a commemorative appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Princess Anne wore a vintage-style wedding dress by Maureen Baker, featuring pearl embroidery, a high neckline, long sleeves, and a seven-foot train. Her look was completed with the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara and a chic chignon.
Despite their separation, Anne and Mark remained amicable, sharing custody of their children. Princess Anne later remarried Commander Timothy Laurence in 1992 in a quiet ceremony at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral Castle, following her divorce. Their wedding was a private affair with only 30 guests due to the Church of England’s policies at the time.
Princess Anne became the first royal divorcée to remarry since Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Queen Victoria’s granddaughter.
