Princess Anne's bobble hat and fur-trimmed gown for Caribbean honeymoon was so unexpected

Nichola Murphy
·3-min read
Princess Anne waving to crowds as she left for her honeymoon with Mark Phillips
(James Gray/Daily Mail/Shutterstock)

The Princess Royal was one of the few royals who wasn't pictured in a second wedding dress when she married Captain Mark Phillips, but did you spot her honeymoon outfit?

After exchanging vows with the Olympic gold medal-winning horseman at Westminster Abbey on 14 November 1973, Anne enjoyed a wedding breakfast and her 5ft 6 royal wedding cake with friends and family before heading off to the Caribbean later that evening.

Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips smiling at each other while leaving the west door of Westminster Abbey in London after their wedding ceremony.
Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips got married at Westminster Abbey in 1973 (Getty)

The 23-year-old bride had swapped her embroidered Tudor-style silk wedding dress by Maureen Baker, which she teamed with her grandmother's diamond tiara, for a warm monochromatic ensemble for her carriage ride. See inside more royal weddings...

Princess Anne was spotted leaving Buckingham Palace and waving to crowds, wrapping up from the winter chill in a black coat dress with a contrasting ivory white fur collar and cuffs. Her hair was still fastened into the voluminous updo from earlier in the day, but the tiara and veil had been replaced with a fluffy bobble hat.

Princess Anne in a bobble hat and a fur coat in a carriage with Mark Phillips
The newlyweds wrapped up warm as they headed on their honeymoon (PA Images)

She draped a blanket over her knees for extra warmth, while Mark appeared happy and relaxed in a suit, a white shirt and a patterned tie.

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Royal honeymoon  

The couple first met when Mark was serving on the Royal Yacht Britannia, and they paid homage to his naval career by honeymooning on the iconic ship.

8 Prince Charles Princess Diana Royal Yacht Britannia
Charles and Diana also honeymooned on the Royal Yacht Britannia (Getty Images)

They embarked on a transatlantic cruise across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans to visit the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands before returning to the UK on 12 December.

During their two-week trip, Princess Anne and Captain Mark had the opportunity to dine on the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is considered a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

An in-house team of chefs led by Executive Chef Mark Alston whip up dished using produce from Scottish suppliers, "many of whom are Royal Warrant Holders supplying the Royal Family."

zara mike royal yacht britannia
The yacht played host to Anne's daughter Zara's pre-wedding party (Getty Images)

The yacht was popular among many royals, including Anne's brother Prince Charles who enjoyed a honeymoon cruise through Egypt and the Greek Islands with his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981.

Divorce

Captain Mark Phillips and Princess Anne wave from balcony
Anne looked striking in a Maureen Baker wedding dress (Getty)


The Queen's daughter announced her engagement to Mark on 29 May 1973. They had met in 1968, and after a low-key relationship, Mark went on to propose with a sapphire and diamond engagement ring designed by Garrard Jewellers.

When asked whether their upcoming marriage could withstand the enormous pressures of public duty and publicity during their engagement interview, Mark replied: "I think we’ve withstood a great deal already this year", and Anne added: "Can? It’s got to, hasn’t it?"

Sir Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne driving away from their wedding
Anne exchanged vows with her second husband Sir Timothy Laurence in 1992, months after she divorced Mark (EPA)


They welcomed two children Peter and Zara before announcing their split in 1989. The former couple got divorced three years later on 23 April 1992, the same year that Anne married her second husband Sir Timothy Laurence.

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