Why 3 Royal Couples Split or Divorced in 1992

As “The Crown” shows, Princess Anne was already separated from her first husband, Mark Phillips, before they divorced in 1992.

Princess Anne and her first husband, Mark Phillips, tied the knot in 1973 and had two children together – Zara and Peter Phillips. 

The couple initially bonded over their love of horses, but their love story wasn’t to last, according to Brides. Throughout the 1980s, the couple was rumored to have been engaging in extramarital affairs, which came to a head when Mark fathered a child outside of his marriage in 1985, Town & Country reported. 

In 1989, the BBC reported that Anne and Mark had announced their separation but had no plans for a divorce. 

As “The Crown” shows, Anne started a relationship with the Queen’s equerry, Tim Laurence. In 1992, she was finally granted a divorce from Mark and went on to tie the knot with Laurence months later. 

Even so, Mark and Anne appear to be friendly exes – they’ve been photographed by Getty photographers over the years attending several public events together, including horse races.