King Charles has interrupted his summer break in Scotland to give a top honour to a popular non-working member of the Royal Family. As the royals enjoy quality time together at Balmoral Castle, it seems that the monarch, 76, couldn’t help but carry out some official royal duty.
As revealed by Buckingham Palace, this duty was to make Princess Anne’s husband a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 70, has been bestowed this honour by the King at Balmoral Castle.
The honour is the highest title available within the Order, which is used to recognise personal service to the Royal Family or the monarch.
It is understood that Sir Tim was invested by the King privately at Balmoral Castle on August 21, in recognition of his many years of public service. Sir Tim has been described as “honoured and delighted” and will first wear the insignia at the State Banquet for President Trump at Windsor Castle next month.
He was originally awarded Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order before this recent promotion.
As reported by Tatler, he is the only non-working member of the extended Royal Family to have been awarded this.
While he is not a working royal, Sir Timothy does play a vital role in the monarchy as he regularly accompanies Princess Anne, 75, on some of her most important royal engagements both in the UK and overseas.
Having married The Princess Royal in 1992, Sir Timothy is also believed to have good relationships within the Royal Family, including with Anne’s children and grandchildren.
In a documentary to mark the Princess Royal’s 70th birthday in 2020, Princess Anne’s son Peter said his stepfather had been a “very strong support” for his mother.
He also said that Sir Timothy has an “understanding of what being a part of the wider family means and what is required”.