The princess whose low key royal wedding attracted global attention

The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence are celebrating their wedding anniversary. The couple mark 31 years of marriage on December 12^th 2023.

Their wedding was one of the most unusual in the history of the House of Windsor. It was low key, taking place at a small Scottish church rather than one of the grand venues used for other Royal Family weddings.

Despite that, it attracted a huge amount of attention for it came at a time of turbulence with stories about the personal lives of various members of the family hitting the headlines almost every day. The couple themselves had been the subject of intense reporting. Their relationship followed the breakdown of Princess Anne’s first marriage, to Captain Mark Phillips, and love letters between her and the man who would become her second husband had become public knowledge.

However, the bride and groom were the picture of calm as they arrived at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral in Aberdeenshire. The Royal Family were waiting for them inside the little church.

For her second marriage, to Timothy Laurence on December 12^th 1992 at Crathie Kirk, Anne kept her outfit very low key. In all likelihood, this practical princess was never going to do anything else but just days before her marriage, the separation of Charles and Diana, Prince and Princess of Wales had been announced at the end of a royal year the Queen had already called her ‘’annus horribilis’’.

As a second time bride, Anne chose a cream suit with a high necked jacket over a knee length dress. Her only accessories were a small spray of blossoms worn in her hair and a simple bouquet of white heather. In the language of flowers, so beloved by Queen Victoria, white heather stands for good luck.

With the world’s media descending on Crathie to catch a glimpse of the House of Windsor at its lowest ebb, Anne opted for discretion with a dash of hope in her flowers.

She arrived at the church with her father, Prince Philip, and this very low key wedding party then made its way inside for a simple ceremony. She emerged with her new husband and posed briefly for photographers before the groom drove them back to Balmoral. A simple official photo was released soon afterwards.

However, despite the low key wedding, this royal marriage was a huge success. Thirty one years later, the couple are celebrating a happy anniversary.

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