Princess Anne, the only child of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has had a life that has been far more secluded and subdued than that of many of her nieces and nephews. Because the majority of the content that she posts on her social media sites consists of posed images and articles that have already been reviewed, the general public does not very often get a look into her personal life.
On the other hand, it’s been said that Anne is one of the elder members of the royal family who has the busiest working schedule. Additionally, she is well-known for her sense of style. The media, as is the case with many other royals, is always commenting on what she is wearing, especially her jewels. This time, the object of curiosity is Anne’s engagement ring, which is not only unique but has also attracted the attention of admirers from all around the world due to its uniqueness.
Her first marriage, which took place in 1973, was to Mark Phillips. She has been married twice total. When Anne married Timothy Laurence in 1992, she did things quite differently when it came to both her wedding outfit and her engagement ring than any other royal wedding that had come before it. Princess Anne chose a different less conventional stone that added an uncommon component to her engagement ring as opposed to wearing a clear jewel, which is often a diamond, to celebrate their marriage proposal. This is in contrast to the majority of royals, who do wear transparent jewels.
In spite of their outward appearance as a family steeped in tradition, recent years have brought about a number of significant shifts within the royal family. Following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from the royal family in March 2020, several puzzle pieces were left unassembled as the family attempted to figure out how to proceed.
Anne has not only taken on more tasks but has also been vocal about the numerous strange and non-traditional experiences that she has had throughout her life. Continue reading to learn more about Anne, the sole child of the former monarch, and to get insight into her life.
On August 15, 1950, the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip welcomed their only daughter and second child, Princess Anne. She was their only daughter. When she was born, she was third in line to the kingdom, after her mother, who was not yet queen, and her elder brother King Charles III. However, as of right now, she is sixteenth in line to the throne. In addition, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex are Anne’s younger brothers and sisters, respectively.
She was the first of her three siblings to be married, and she wed Captain Mark Phillips in 1973. Her other two siblings never got married. According to Tatler, the two first crossed paths in Mexico City during an event that was geared at those who like horseback riding. The strain on their relationship was widely publicized due to reports that both of them were having affairs with other people (Anne dated her brother’s wife Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom’s then-husband, Andrew Parker-Bowles). Despite the fact that they were rarely seen together in public, the strain on their relationship was widely publicized. In April of 1992, the couple’s divorce was formalized. The princess and her husband, Phillips, have been blessed with two children: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
Anne wore a ring that was not conventional for her engagement in her first marriage as well. Phillips reportedly “proposed with a Garrard ring containing a center sapphire surrounded by a pair of diamonds in 1973,” as stated by The Court Jeweller. Both of her engagement rings, the one she wore before and the one she now wears from Laurence, include a vibrant sapphire rather than the more conventional and transparent diamond as the center stone. This is one similarity between the two rings. Her cabochon sapphire was given to her by Laurence, and it is mounted on a plain gold ring. On each side of the sapphire are a few little diamonds.
After the end of her first marriage, Anne had the good fortune to discover love again and on December 12, 1992, she wed Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence in Crathie Kirk in Scotland. The ceremony took place in Scotland. They do not share any children of a biological kind together.
A fact about Anne that may be unknown to a large number of people is the fact that she came dangerously close to being abducted. On March 20, 1974, there was allegedly an attempt made to abduct the princess, as reported by People. The assault took place just a few short months after she had wed her first husband.
Anne said that she had a confrontation with a masked individual called Ian Ball who was armed. Anne added that as he opened the door, they had a “conversation” about whether or not they were going to walk through the door that had just been opened. On the other hand, she said to him that it “would be much better if he simply walked away and we’d all forget about it.”
According to People, authorities were able to prevent Ball from from the site of the crime when he tried to do so. It was subsequently disclosed that he planned to hold the princess for ransom in exchange for around $4 million.
It is quite evident that Anne has had a very active life, and despite the fact that she is 72 years old, the Princess Royal does not look to be slowing down any time in the near future. Vanity Fair claims that she had more than 500 commitments in 2019, which she successfully completed. Anne acknowledged that she had crammed a lot into her schedule and said that her concept of retirement is not necessarily as conventional as others may believe it to be.
Anne was quoted as saying, “I don’t believe retirement will be exactly the same for me.” “The vast majority of people would argue that we are quite fortunate not to be in that circumstance because you wouldn’t want to just stop. It depends to a significant part on the groups that you’re engaged with and whether or not they believe you still have a place in their community.
Anne is actively active in philanthropic organizations and has been working with Save the Children for more than 50 years. In 1990, she was even considered for a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize because of her dedication to this cause. There is no question in anyone’s mind that the late queen must have been very pleased of the lady her only daughter grew up to become during her lifetime.