Princes Anne’s husband, Sir Tim Laurence sporting a black eye at Westminster Abbey event

Princess Anne’s husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence was sporting a black eye when he was photographed attending the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s 200th anniversary celebrations at Westminster Abbey in London. He accompanied the Duke of Kent to the event. 

The Telegraph reported that “The 69-year-old sustained the injury in a gardening incident involving some fencing at the weekend, according to royal sources.”

The Duke of Kent is the President of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and Sir Tim Laurence is also involved with the organisation and serves as their Vice President. Since it was set up in 1824, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution has saved over 146,000 lives. At the ceremony the 88 year old Duke of Kent signed the charity’s 200th pledge scroll.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, is known as the RNLI and on its website it reveals that “Since 1824 we’ve pioneered developments in lifesaving at sea. And our lifesavers have shown unfailing courage and selflessness.”

Sir Tim Laurence has been married to Princess Anne since 12 December, 1992. The couple met when the retired Navy Officer was serving on the Royal Yacht Britannia. Their wedding took place at the  Crathie Kirk church, which is the royal family’s church of choice when they are staying at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.

Only 30 guests attended the couple’s nuptials and the royals there included Princess Anne’s late parents, Queen Elizabeth 11 and the Duke of Edinburgh, the late Queen Mother, her brothers, the then Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, as well as her two children, Zara Tindall, then Zara Phillips and Peter Phillips.