Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, has been a prominent figure in the public eye. However, a lesser-known and shocking chapter of her life includes a narrow escape from grave danger, alongside other scandalous events.
Controversies involving Royal Family members have captured headlines for years, and Princess Anne’s personal life is no exception. However, beyond the scandals, she is best known for her unwavering dedication to public service.
Princess Anne, who just turned 74 on August 15, 2024, is often hailed as the “hardest-working” royal, having been the busiest member of the family in 2017.
Known for inheriting her father’s sharp wit, she has made news not just for her public duties but also for her private life. Here’s a glimpse into five of the more scandalous aspects of her life in the public eye.
1. Princess Anne’s Courageous Escape from a Kidnapping Attempt
On March 20, 1974, Princess Anne narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping that shocked the nation. The incident occurred just months after Anne had married Captain Mark Phillips.
As she was being driven back to Buckingham Palace, a lone gunman, Ian Ball, intercepted her car. The Princess Royal, then only 23, suddenly found herself confronting a life-threatening situation just steps away from the palace gates.
Years later, Anne recounted the harrowing experience in a televised interview. She described how a car overtook theirs and forced them to stop, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
One of the bullets fired by her Scotland Yard bodyguard, she humorously noted, hit the back of her head, adding, “So that was a good start!”
Ball approached the vehicle, armed with two handguns, and attempted to force Anne out of the car. Despite the gravity of the situation, Anne remained remarkably composed.
She revealed how she tried to reason with her attacker, suggesting it would be better if he simply left, and even maintained a polite tone throughout their exchange, believing rudeness would have been unwise at that moment.
During the attack, Ball shot two police officers and Anne’s chauffeur, Alex Callender. He then attempted to pull Anne from the car, which prompted her to make a daring escape.
She described how she managed to open the car door, despite being held by Ball, and executed an ungraceful but effective backward somersault onto the pavement.
Ball’s escape attempt was short-lived, as Metropolitan Police officers swiftly arrived and apprehended him. It was later discovered that he had planned to demand a ransom of nearly $4 million from the Queen.
Ball was subsequently tried for attempted murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in a psychiatric facility. Ronnie Russell, an amateur boxer who happened to be nearby, received the George Medal for his bravery in confronting Ball.
Russell had rushed to the scene, delivering a decisive punch to Ball and wrestling him to the ground, an act that undoubtedly contributed to Princess Anne’s safety.
Reflecting on the incident, Anne acknowledged that she had considered the possibility of such an event happening, given her position in the royal family.
She admitted, “I suppose the answer is I decided that I wasn’t going to get out if that particular situation arose.” However, she also noted that had there been more than one assailant, the outcome might have been different.
2. Her Controversial Marriages
Princess Anne’s first marriage, much like her later life, was marked by intense public interest. She married Army Lieutenant Mark Phillips on November 14, 1973, in a grand ceremony that captured the world’s attention.
As the first of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s children to wed, Anne’s wedding was a significant event. The streets surrounding Westminster Abbey were filled with well-wishers, and an estimated 500 million people around the globe tuned in to watch the festivities.
The royal bride donned a Tudor-inspired gown with trumpet sleeves and a seven-foot train, complemented by the Queen Mary Fringe tiara. This same tiara was later worn by Anne’s niece, Princess Beatrice, at her own wedding.
The ceremony featured Anne’s younger brother, Prince Edward, as the pageboy, and her cousin, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, as a bridesmaid. The event, broadcast in an eight-hour BBC special, concluded with the newlyweds appearing on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Anne and Phillips first crossed paths at a horse-riding competition in Mexico City in 1968. Their engagement, announced in May 1973, was celebrated with a photocall where Anne showcased her sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
When asked if her marriage could withstand the pressure of public duty, Anne famously responded, “Can? It’s got to, hasn’t it?” The couple welcomed two children, Peter in 1977 and Zara in 1981, and settled in Gatcombe Park, a sprawling estate gifted to Anne by the Queen.
However, their marriage was far from idyllic. Whispers of infidelity and a strained relationship persisted, though they never openly addressed these rumors.
By 1989, their marital struggles became impossible to ignore when Buckingham Palace confirmed that Commander Timothy Laurence, one of the Queen’s equerries, had written intimate letters to Princess Anne.
The revelation thrust Anne into a scandal, leading to the first royal divorce since Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon parted ways in 1978.
Friends of Laurence spoke of his deep affection for Anne, describing him as a confidant who provided the emotional support she lacked in her marriage. “Tim has filled a loneliness in her life,” a source remarked.
In April 1992, Anne filed for divorce from Phillips, following his denial of paternity in a lawsuit involving a child conceived during an alleged affair with a New Zealand art teacher.
The divorce was finalized that same year, amidst speculation that Anne intended to marry Laurence. Shortly after, Anne indeed married Laurence in a private ceremony in Scotland.
The modest event at Crathie Church near Balmoral Castle was attended by close family, including her father, Prince Philip, and her children, Zara and Peter.
Anne wore a simple white suit and adorned her hair with white flowers, while Laurence donned his Royal Navy uniform. The couple exchanged vows to remain together “until God shall separate us by death,” in front of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother.
3. Princess Anne’s Alleged Affair with Her Bodyguard
Peter Cross, a former royal protection officer, once claimed to have had an affair with Princess Anne during her marriage to Phillips. “She made all the running in our friendship,” Cross revealed about the affair that reportedly began in August 1980.
Initially assigned to protect the Princess at Gatcombe Park in 1979, he later admitted that their relationship grew intimate, despite both being married at the time.
Cross disclosed that their bond developed through late-night conversations and moments of vulnerability, particularly when Anne felt isolated due to her husband’s frequent absences.
Peter Cross’s ex-wife, Linda, provided a candid perspective on his infidelity with Princess Anne. She described her husband as a man who couldn’t resist women and noted that they were often drawn to him as well.
Throughout their marriage, Linda had encountered two of his girlfriends, who showed up at their doorstep in tears. However, when it came to his involvement with Princess Anne, Linda recognized that this affair was different.
She acknowledged that he was “playing with fire” and could get “seriously burnt.” Cross publicly confirmed the affair in 1985, after leaving the police force and transitioning to a career in insurance.
His relationship with the Princess reportedly continued even after he was reassigned from royal duties, with Anne maintaining contact through secretive phone calls and private meetings.
Cross’s former partner, Gillian Nicholls, noted that the affair cast a shadow over their relationship, as the Princess’ presence loomed in the background.
Despite the scandal, Anne’s marriage to Phillips initially endured, though it eventually ended. Cross himself remarried and started a family, but his connection to the Princess remained a significant chapter of his life, one that was later revisited in media portrayals like “The Crown.”
4. Royal Expert on Who Commented on Prince Archie’s Skin Color
Lady Colin Campbell has made the controversial claim that Princess Anne is the royal family member whom Meghan Markle and Prince Harry accused of racism during their highly-publicized interview with Oprah Winfrey.
However, Lady Colin insists that the Princess Royal’s concerns were entirely misunderstood by the Sussexes. According to Lady Colin, Princess Anne’s apprehensions were not about Markle’s mixed-race background.
But it was rather about her suitability and whether she would respect the traditions and expectations of the Royal Family. She suggests that the Princess was worried about the potential challenges Markle’s character and cultural differences might bring, both for the Royal Family and any future children.
The Sussexes, however, implied during the Oprah interview that a family member had expressed “concerns and conversations” about how dark their son Prince Archie’s skin might be when he was born, though they did not name the individual.
Lady Colin claims that Prince Harry, interpreting a subtle comment about cultural differences as a reference to race, shared it with Meghan, who then allegedly “weaponized” the concern.
In her podcast, “Chatting with Lady C,” Lady Colin argued that the situation was a misunderstanding, emphasizing that Princess Anne’s concerns were related to cultural differences rather than race.
She cited a royal insider who reiterated that the Princess was worried about Meghan’s ability to adapt to the royal institution and respect its traditions, not about her ethnicity.
Lady Colin further defended Princess Anne. She stated that her concerns were those of a “loving aunt” who was experienced and practical, and who foresaw potential issues with Markle’s integration into the royal family.
5. Princess Anne’s Past Romance with Queen Camilla’s Former Husband
Princess Anne shares a close bond with her sister-in-law, Queen Camilla, who has been married to King Charles III since 2005. However, their families have long been connected.
Camilla’s first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, was once romantically involved with Princess Anne. Anne and Andrew began dating in 1970, but their relationship never became serious due to his Catholic faith, which made marriage unlikely.
Despite the end of their romance, Anne and Andrew have remained on very good terms; he is even the godfather of her daughter, Zara Tindall. They frequently reconnect at horse racing events, where their shared love of horses continues to bring them together.
Despite all scandalous affairs, Princess Anne is known for her warmth, hard work for charity, and engaging personality. Even though she has a busy schedule, she never pauses for breaks and connects easily with those she meets.
Whether recalling travels to Ghana or discussing vintage cars, she disarms people with her charm. A royal protection officer described her as “a gem” and one of the nicest and most hardworking royals.