Timothy Laurence and Princess Anne married on December 12, 1992 in a Church of Scotland ceremony at Crathie Parish Church, Ballater, near Balmoral. The former Royal Navy officer then became stepfather to the Princess Royal’s children from a previous marriage, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. Over the past three decades, Timothy has undoubtedly been the most private royal.
Tomorrow he is turning 67, and will most likely celebrate at his home in Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire with Princess Anne.
But what does his body language reveal about the royal?
Body language expert Judi James spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about Timothy Laurence.
She said: “Was Timothy Laurence Princess Anne’s ultimate ‘smart move’ choice of a husband, given the dramas that were involved in all the gory and very public divorces of her generation of royals?
“With two of her brothers providing endless column inches as their ‘fairy tale’ marriages broke down and with her own marriage to Mark Philips ending sadly but in a more dignified way, Anne appears to have chosen a man so low-key and unremarkable in terms of presence or displays of emotion that he has been able to avoid comment or speculation for years.
“He looks loyal and hewn from oak, but he is primarily a very private, background figure.
“It is that ability to avoid attention and interest that seem to be exactly what Anne needed and craved in her life,” the expert claims.
Judi continued: “We might take a guess that he is no pushover or doormat in private.
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“Anne is a strong character and clearly needs someone who will match her when the chips are down.
“But for Timothy, the limelight is totally his wife’s.
“He is often seen beside or behind her on formal occasions but it is Anne you notice and there is rarely if ever any exchanges between them.
“When Anne meets up with her ex, Mark, the pair will often be seen chatting and laughing in a very animated way and it is Timothy standing behind them watching but apparently not joining in.
“There seems to be no sign of any concern at how well Anne and Mark get on these days, though.
“Timothy’s gaze looks so detached he could be taken for a bodyguard rather than her current husband,” Judi said.
The body language expert compared Timothy’s body language to that of the late Prince Philip’s.
She added: “Like Prince Philip, Timothy is often seen standing with his hands clasped behind his back, but unlike Anne’s father, her husband tends to adopt a poker face that gives very little insight into his inner thoughts or emotions.
“He’s never seen performing PDAs with Anne or even engaging with the other members of her family apart from – interestingly – Diana and Kate, both of whom had been seen in a very smiling conversation with him.
“The photo we have of him sitting grinning at one of his small step-grandchildren as she climbs across a table probably gives us the biggest insight into this enigmatic man’s true personality.
“This is one of the kindliest, warmest smiles in the Royal Family and the way it wreathes his face with lines that look like a regular feature, the suggestion is that he is the fun, upbeat and very caring presence that Anne might need in her life as the hardest-working royal.
“A recent photo of the couple relaxing in front of the tv in a pleasantly and comfortably untidy room suggested Timothy is the perfect partner to unwind with at the end of a busy day.”
