August is often a quieter time for the British royal family, with fewer obligations and public appearances on the books so the family can enjoy some time off at Balmoral Castle. But this year it seems they’ve decided to use the dog days of summer to shake things up with some exciting new changes, and I’m not just talking about Princess Catherine’s decision to go blonde. Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles recently honored his brother-in-law, Sir Timothy Laurence with a fancy new title. And it appears the promotion is actually a pretty huge deal.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Sir Timothy Laurence, husband to Princess Anne for the last 33 years, has been promoted from Knight Commander to Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, according to a press release from Buckingham Palace. This incredible honor is the highest title available within the Order, which recognizes personal service to the royal family or the monarch.
Laurence’s new title puts him on par with Queen Camilla, the Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess of Wales, but it’s particularly notable as he is the only non-working royal to be awarded the honor. Congratulations, Tim!
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
In fact, the bestowing of Knight Grand Cross technically places Laurence above Prince Harry in terms of the Order. Though with Harry having officially stepped away from the royal family 2020, this may not cause much of a stir between the relatives. It certainly does give Anne and Timothy plenty to celebrate, however!
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Princess Anne has long been considered the hardest working royal, attending more royal engagements than any other member of the royal family. And for many of these engagements, you can rest assured husband Sir Timothy Laurence will be right there by her side. And that support has been particularly important over the past year after Anne suffered a traumatic head injury just last summer.
Martin Keene – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
Princess Anne first met Laurence in the late 1980s and were married in December 1992, just months after her divorce from her first husband, Mark Phillips. But it appears it truly is a love match, as they will celebrate their 33rd wedding anniversary later this year. And now they’ll have even more to celebrate with this incredible new honor for Laurence.
Prince Harry Is Returning to the U.K.—But Not for the Reason You May Think
Why You Should Trust Us
PureWow’s editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you’re looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.