overview
Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Lawrence have been married for over 30 years and are one of the most current working royals, and Laurence had to fight to be allowed to marry Anne.
Princess Anne’s relationship with her husband, Admiral Timothy Lawrence, was fictional in the fifth season of The Crown on Netflix. There were some dramas at the beginning of them, but the royal couple has been married for over 30 years and are the most consistent presence of working royals.
When the show became dramatic, Princess Anne married Mark Phillips and shared two children with him, Peter and Zara. However, there were rumors of an affair on both sides. Royal marriage is considered a more serious duty than a romantic gesture. In addition to the scandal, the Church of England also bans second marriages in the event of divorce. Anne had to fight for her marriage to Lawrence, but it appears to have been worth it.
There’s everything you need to know about Lawrence’s relationship with Princess Anne’s decorated naval officers.
Who is Timothy Lawrence?
Timothy Lawrence has a long history as a naval officer, long before he and Princess Anne formed a relationship. Lawrence was born in March 1955 to a naval family. His father, Guy Stewart, was the commander of the Navy. He and his wife, Barbara Allison Lawrence, sent Lawrence to Durham University, where he attended a Naval Scholarship, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geography.
By 1973, Lawrence was a member of the Royal Navy and was subsequently promoted to Middle Li four years later. In 1995 he was promoted to captain and commanded ships such as HMS Cumberland and HMS Montrose. During that decade he was also busy with the UK Department of Defense, the Secretary of State and strategic defence reviews. He was promoted to rear admiral in 2004 and then to vice general in 2007. Lawrence retired in August 2011.
How did the couple meet?
Lawrence frequently interacted with the royal family, taking into account his position in the Royal Navy. He even worked as a navigator for the family yacht, the Royal Yacht HMY Britannia. He and Princess Anne could have met on the boat, but that has never been confirmed.
In 1986, Lawrence was appointed to Queen Elizabeth’s job, serving similar roles to her royal assistant. By 1989, Lawrence clearly had an intimate friendship with Anne. Because he was just one of three councillors in Anne’s Charitable Trust, according to the Radio Times.
When a personal letter between the pair was sent to the Sun in 1989, it was a scandal. Even more shockingly, they didn’t reveal them and in fact handed the letter to the authorities at Scotland Yard. Anne was still married to her first husband, Mark Phillips, but Buckingham Palace issued a statement from the time. They admitted that it was written and stolen by Lawrence.
“The stolen letter was addressed to Princess Royal by Commander Timothy Lawrence of Queens Eckley.” “We have nothing to say about the contents of the personal letters that were stolen and sent to her royal family by a friend who was subject to police investigations.”
At the time, “security sources” told people, “The content was written in loving language, although it does not suggest intimacy.
When did Anne and Timothy Lawrence get married?
In 1992, Anne and Phillips officially divorced. On December 12, 1992, she and Lawrence were married at a Presbyterian ceremony near Balmoral. It was his first marriage, but not Anne’s. That’s why they couldn’t get married in the Church of England. The wedding was witnessed by two children, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, the Queen’s mother, Princess Margaret, Prince Edward and Anne, Peter and Zara.
What are their recent releases?
Anne and Lawrence have always been active royal workers. This means many appearances over the past 30 years. And although they don’t have their own biological children, Lawrence was a supportive stepfather to Anne’s children with Phillips. They are often seen in favour of their daughter Zara Tyndal in a variety of equestrian events. Zara is a very skilled rider, winning a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics. So, like this 2023 shoot from the British Event Festival at Gatcom Park, there are plenty of photos of Anne and Lawrence in the muddy Fields watching Zara perform.
It is also included in almost every major event in Windsor. In July 2025, they attended a state banquet with French Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Bridget Macron.
And of course, Lawrence was by Anne’s side at Key moments, like at the funeral of her mother, Queen Elizabeth in 2022.
Mike Tindall at Zara’s wedding to rugby players:
And the wedding of Kelly’s son Peter Phillips in the fall of 2008:
Another big moment for the couple came before the Queen’s death during Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. Traditionally, Lawrence was excluded from standing on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, but a palace spokesman told NBC News that he was invited to participate as “frequent attendees and royal support in official engagements.”
