The retired Royal Navy officer, now 70, has been part of the royal household for more than three decades, having married the Princess Royal in 1992.
Life behind palace walls
Sir Timothy shared his reflections during an ITV documentary broadcast in 2020, which aired ahead of Princess Anne’s 70th birthday. In the programme, he spoke warmly about the atmosphere within the royal family, highlighting their shared sense of humour.
“One of the great surprises for me, when I first went to Balmoral and to Sandringham and Windsor, was that these places are full of laughter,” he said.
He went on to reflect on Anne’s resemblance to both of her parents, noting that while comparisons with her father are common, similarities with her mother are often overlooked.
“The similarities with her [Princess Anne’s] father are much talked about, but what is less spoken about is the similarities with her mother, the Queen… the common theme is humour, fun.”
Shared interests and differences
During the interview, Sir Timothy also spoke about the traits he shares with his wife, particularly their practical outlook and shared interests.
“We are both map and chart people. We like to know where we are and see where we are going. We both follow, with great enthusiasm, the Scottish rugby team… as you may have noticed they don’t always win,” he said.
However, he admitted there were some passions Anne enjoys that he does not share.
“She grew up with horses, horses have been part of her life, it’s not something I share with her. Sadly I’ve never been bitten by the horse bug.”
A light-hearted remark about Anne’s first marriage
The documentary also featured a moment of gentle humour from Sir Timothy as he joked about Princess Anne’s first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
Captain Phillips had served as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards and steadily rose through the ranks. By the time he married Anne in 1973, he was acting as a Captain. He later became a personal aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II before retiring from the army in 1978.
Anne and Mark had two children together, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. The couple separated in 1989 and divorced in 1992.
Reflecting on Anne’s choice of partners, Sir Timothy joked: “It’s quite amusing that she married first an army officer and then a naval officer. So there must be something about the military that attracts her.”
Support from Peter and Zara
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall also appeared in the documentary, speaking positively about their stepfather and his role within the family.
“They both have an understanding of what being a part of the wider family means and what is required,” Peter said.
“He’s been a very strong support for [my mother].”
A simple and praised Christmas card
Earlier this week, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy released their annual Christmas card, which featured a photograph of the couple riding in a carriage during their visit to Sark as the Channel Islands marked Liberation Day in May.
The image was taken by photographer Aaron Chown. Inside, the card read: “With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year from Anne and Tim.”
Royal fans were quick to praise the understated nature of the message, particularly Anne’s decision not to use her royal title.
“No need to blow the trumpet with the princess title and yet impactful. I like it!” one fan wrote on X.
“Beautiful card. Such a lovely photo of them both. Love that Tim’s name is also on the card,” another added.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams echoed the sentiment when speaking to the Daily Mail, saying: “Anne needs no one to blow a trumpet for her. The informal photograph of her and her husband in a delightfully bucolic setting sets the tone for the simple greetings from ‘Anne’ and ‘Tim’.”
