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Princess Anne celebrates special occasion after disappointment

The Princess Royal is married to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

anne sir tim epsom
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
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The Princess Royal might have experienced some disappointment over the rugby result last weekend, but on Wednesday she had a reason to celebrate.

Princess Anne's husband of 30 years, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, turned 68 on 1 March.

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The royal diary outlined her plans, including a visit to The Royal Northern Spring Show in Aberdeenshire and the Livery Civic Dinner at Fishmongers' Hall in London, but it did not state whether she would be joined by Sir Tim.

Anne handed out honours at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, including presenting an MBE to MasterChef presenter, Gregg Wallace.

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Princess Anne presents Gregg Wallace with MBE© Photo: Alamy

Gregg Wallace was awarded an MBE for services to food and charity

The broadcaster, 58, said that the Princess Royal expressed her disappointment to him about Scotland losing narrowly to France on Sunday in the Six Nations.

Anne and Sir Tim watched the match from the stands at Stade de France in Paris, but France won 32 to 21. The princess has been patron of the Scottish Rugby Union since 1986.

Princess Anne and Sir Tim reside at her Gloucestershire home, Gatcombe Park, but the Princess Royal regularly travels all over the country and overseas as part of her official duties.

In January, Anne visited Estonia, where she was pictured sitting in a NATO tank, and she also flew to Cyprus in her role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Logistic Corps.

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Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurences wedding in 1992© Photo: Getty Images

Anne and Sir Tim after their marriage in 1992

On 16 January, Anne and Sir Tim represented the British royal family at the funeral service for the former king of Greece, Constantine II, in Athens.

Last month, the couple also carried out a working visit to New Zealand, where they were forced to change their schedule due to Cyclone Gabrielle.

Anne married her second husband, Sir Tim, at Crathie Kirk church in Scotland on 12 December 1992.

Around 30 guests attended the couple's private marriage service. Unlike the Church of England at the time, the Church of Scotland considered marriage to be an ordinance of religion rather than a sacrament and permitted the remarriage of divorced persons under certain circumstances.

Anne was previously married to Captain Mark Phillips, with whom she shares two children – Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. The pair finalised their divorce in April 1992.

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