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11 royal couples who have divorced

It didn't work out for these royal marriages

royal divorces
Ainhoa Barcelona
Ainhoa BarcelonaContent Managing Editor
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charles diana© Photo: Getty Images

While royal weddings often attract much excitement and public interest, unfortunately, some marriages haven't lasted. Three of the Queen's children went through a divorce - Prince Charles to Princess Diana, Princess Anne to Mark Phillips and Prince Andrew to Sarah Ferguson. Charles remarried the Duchess of Cornwall, while Anne found love again with Timothy Laurence. 

Take a look back at some of the most high-profile royal divorces through the years.

READ: 11 shocking royal moments that stunned the world

Prince Charles and Princess Diana

The couple were married in a fairy-tale wedding at St Paul's Cathedral in 1981 and became parents to sons Prince William and Prince Harry in 1982 and 1984 respectively. Charles and Diana's marriage broke down and the pair were leading separate lives by 1992, with their divorce finalised in 1996.

WATCH: Royal love stories: how did these couples meet?

autumn peter phillips© Photo: Getty Images

Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly

Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn sadly announced their separation in February 2020. The couple, who share daughters Savannah and Isla, continue to live at the Princess Royal's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

Peter and Autumn confirmed the end of their almost 12-year marriage in a statement at the time, adding: "Both families were naturally sad at the announcement, but fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co-parent their children."

GALLERY: 16 times the royal family couldn't believe their eyes

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princess tessy of luxembourg royal wedding

Prince Louis of Luxembourg and Tessy Antony de Nassau

The third son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Prince Louis, met his future wife Tessy in 2004. The couple married in September 2006 when their first child Prince Gabriel was six months old. Their second son Prince Noah arrived one year later in September 2007.

In January 2017, the couple announced their separation but their divorce wasn't finalised until April 2019

Tessy married her second husband, Swiss businessman Frank Floessel in July 2021 and the couple welcomed their first child together a month later. 

Prince Louis, meanwhile, is engaged to Scarlett-Lauren Sirgue.

david serena© Photo: Getty Images

David and Serena Armstrong-Jones

Just days after Peter and Autumn's split announcement in February 2020, the Earl and Countess of Snowdon announced their plans to divorce after 25 years of marriage. Princess Margaret's son David Armstrong-Jones and wife Serena tied the knot in 1993 and share two children, Viscount Linley, Charles Armstrong-Jones and Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones.

MORE: 9 times the royals have apologised in public

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Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson

Andrew and Sarah had reportedly known each other since childhood and tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in 1986. Their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were born in 1988 and 1990 respectively. The couple drifted apart and announced their separation in 1992, finalising their divorce four years later. Andrew and Sarah remain on good terms and still live together at Royal Lodge in Windsor.

MORE: The shortest royal marriages: from Princess Caroline of Monaco to Peter and Autumn Phillips

anne mark phillips© Photo: Getty Images

 Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips

The Queen's daughter married Captain Mark Phillips at Westminster Abbey in 1973 and had two children together, Peter and Zara Phillips. In 1981, they announced their separation, finalising their divorce in 1992. Anne went on to marry Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

MORE: Royal relationships: the challenge of marrying someone from another country

margaret antony© Photo: Getty Images

Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones

The Queen's sister married photographer Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, with their first child David arriving the following year and daughter Lady Sarah in 1964. The couple's relationship had broken down by the 1970s, with Margaret increasingly spending more time on the private Caribbean island of Mustique. The couple divorced in 1978. 

davina gary lewis© Photo: Getty Images

Lady Davina Windsor and Gary Lewis

In March 2019, it was announced that Lady Davina Windsor and her husband Gary Lewis had split after 14 years of marriage. A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace confirmed the news to HELLO! at the time with a short message, stating: "Lady Davina and Gary Lewis were divorced last year [2018]."

The couple met during a trip to Bali in 2000 and married at the private chapel at Kensington Palace in 2004. New Zealand-born Gary was the first person of Māori descent to marry into the royal family, and the couple went on to welcome two children, Senna Kowhai and Tane Mahuta. Lady Davina is the daughter of the Queen's first cousin, the Duke of Gloucester.

prince joachim countess alexandra© Photo: Getty Images

Prince Joachim of Denmark and Countess Alexandra

The prince and the countess were divorced in April 2005 after nearly ten years of marriage. The couple have two sons together, Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, and Joachim went on to marry Marie Cavallier in 2008. They also have two children together, welcoming Prince Henrik and Princess Athena in 2009 and 2012 respectively.

caroline philippe

Princess Caroline of Monaco and Philippe Junot

Princess Caroline and Parisian banker Philippe tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in Monaco in 1978, attended by Hollywood stars, including Ava Gardner, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra. The marriage ended in divorce two years later.

stephanie daniel© Photo: Getty Images

Princess Stéphanie of Monaco and Daniel Ducruet

Princess Stephanie married her bodyguard Daniel Ducruet in 1992 and went on to have two children, Louis and Pauline. The couple divorced four years after their wedding. 

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