Who Are Princess Anne's Children? Olympic-Level Horsemanship Runs in the Family
Published April 17 2021, 5:46 p.m. ET
In wake of the tragic news about Princess Anne's father, Prince Philip, interested citizens are taking a closer look at the British Royal Family. While most people are familiar with Prince William and Prince Harry, many are unfamiliar with their cousins, Anne's children.
Let us take a look at Anne's two children: Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall.
Who are Princess Anne's children?
Princess Anne married her first husband, Mark Phillips, in 1973. Their marriage lasted 19 years, and the couple divorced formally in 1992 after nearly three years of separation. The couple has two children together: Peter and Zara. Mark also has two children from prior relationships, Felicity and Stephanie.
Peter Phillips is the eldest child of Princess Anne and currently works as the managing director of SEL UK, a boutique sports management company. Peter married Autumn Kelly, a Canadian management consultant, in 2008. The couple had two children together (daughters Savannah and Isla) but separated in 2019. With a degree in sports science, Peter has always been interested in athletics, and it certainly shows! Before he was director of SEL UK, he worked for Jaguar.
Zara Tindall (neé Phillips) is the youngest child of Princess Anne and has been a long-time silver medal equestrian. Following in the footsteps of her mother's dedicated interest in equestrian athletics, she has tried out for several Olympic Games and was a participant in the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games. She stopped using her maiden name, Philips, to compete in 2016.
In 2003, Zara met rugby player Mike Tindall. They became engaged in 2010 and wed in 2011. The couple shares three children: Mia, born in 2014; Lena, born in 2018 and Lucas, in 2021. Zara is also the godmother to Prince George of Cambridge, also known as William and Kate's eldest son!
Why don't Princess Anne's children have titles?
When Anne and Mark initially wed, Mark was offered the courtesy title of earl, therefore securing titles for his children. Mark declined, and as a result, Peter and Zara (and their children) would be born without titles. While it might seem disappointing that Peter and Zara lost their titles, they are still currently in the line of succession for the British throne, at 16th and 19th in line respectively.
Following Anne and Mark's divorce, Anne met Timothy Laurence, an officer in the British Royal Navy. The pair were married in 1992, just half a year after the finalization of Anne's divorce. Unlike her first wedding, Anne's second only had 30 attendees. They are still married today but do not have any children together.
While somewhat notorious for her privacy, Anne is one of the hardest working members of the royal family, and Express UK noted that her friends and family alike laud her for her attention to detail, sharp mind, and, in the words of her daughter Zara, "She's like a sponge, it's unbelievable the information stored in her brain."
Despite remaining largely out of the spotlight, it seems like Anne has tried to help her children live a normal life.