Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence has quietly received a huge honour from The King. Princess Anne’s husband of 33 years has just been recognised for his contributions when His Majesty invested him with the Insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Tim was previously a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), which was invested to him in 2011 by Queen Elizabeth. His new honour is the highest rank within the order and signifies a high level of service to the royal family. HELLO! understands that Sir Tim is “honoured and delighted” and will wear the insignia at the state banquet for US President Donald Trump next month.
The rank of “Knight Grand Cross” (GCVO) is the highest of the five grades within the Royal Victorian Order. The Royal Victorian Order, which was established by Queen Victoria, is a prestigious order of chivalry that can be bestowed by the monarch by his own choosing. Unlike other honours, the King does not need to consult the advice of the government, making Tim’s honour a direct recognition from Charles for personal service to the monarch or the royal family.
Other members of the royal family are also a part of the Royal Victorian Order. This includes the Princess of Wales, the Duke of York, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Queen Camilla and Prince Harry.
© GettyWhile it’s true that unlike other members of the royal family, Sir Tim is not a working royal, he has been lauded for his stoic presence by Princess Anne’s side throughout the couple’s three-decade marriage. This support has only imaginably grown after Anne stepped up to represent the royal family as her brother, King Charles and the Princess of Wales both stepped back from public engagements while they recovered during their cancer treatments.
Who is Sir Tim Laurence?
Before meeting and marrying the Princess Royal, Sir Tim Laurence had a stellar naval career spanning decades. In 1986, he became an equerry for Princess Anne’s mother, the late Queen, a position he held between 1986 and 1989. It’s believed that Anne and Sir Timothy first crossed paths when the naval officer was serving aboard the royal yacht. Although she was still married to Mark Phillips at the time, the couple’s marriage was beginning to show cracks.
© GettyFollowing the end of her marriage to Captain Mark Phillips, Anne and Timothy became an official item and on 12 December 1992 they walked down the aisle in Scotland. Scotland was chosen as the country’s church allowed divorcees to remarry, while the Church of England forbade it at the time.
