Mark Phillips facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark Phillips
CVO OLY

Phillips in 1980
Personal information
Birth name	Mark Anthony Peter Phillips
Born	(1948-09-22) 22 September 1948 (age 76) Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England
Alma mater	Marlborough College Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Spouse(s)	Anne, Princess Royal ​ ​ (m. 1973; div. 1992)​ Sandy Pflueger ​ ​ (m. 1997; sep. 2012)​
Sport
Sport	Horse riding
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Olympics Gold 1972 Munich Team eventing Silver 1988 Seoul Team eventing World Championships Gold 1970 Punchestown Team eventing Silver 1974 Burghley Team eventing European Championships Gold 1971 Burghley Team eventing

Mark Anthony Peter Phillips (born 22 September 1948) is a famous British horseman. He won an Olympic gold medal for Great Britain. He was also the first husband of Anne, Princess Royal, who is the daughter of Queen Elizabeth II. Mark and Princess Anne have two children together. Today, he is still a very important person in British horse riding. He designs courses for horse events and writes for Horse & Hound magazine.

Early Life and Family

Mark Anthony Peter Phillips was born on 22 September 1948. His father was Major Peter William Garside Phillips. His mother was Anne Patricia Phillips. They got married in 1946. Mark also had a younger sister named Sarah Anne.

Mark went to school at Stouts Hill Preparatory School. After that, he studied at Marlborough College. He then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. This is a special school for people who want to become army officers.

Military Career

After finishing at Sandhurst, Mark Phillips joined the army in July 1969. He became a Second Lieutenant in the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards. In January 1971, he was promoted to Lieutenant.

When he married Princess Anne in November 1973, he was an acting Captain. In January 1974, Queen Elizabeth II chose him to be one of her personal assistants. Mark became a full captain in July 1975. He left the army on 30 March 1978. Even after leaving, he continued to be called Captain Mark Phillips. This is common for retired cavalry captains who work with horses.

Equestrian Achievements

Mark Phillips in 1973

Mark Phillips was a very talented horse rider. He was a reserve member for the British equestrian team in the 1968 Olympics. He was part of the British team that won a world title in 1970. They also won a European title in 1971.

His team won gold medals at the 1972 Olympics. In 1988, he won a silver medal with the British team at the Olympics. Mark won the famous Badminton Horse Trials four times. He won in 1971, 1972, 1974, and 1981.

He met Princess Anne because of their shared love for horse riding. Their daughter, Zara Phillips, also became an Olympic equestrian. She won a silver medal in the three-day event at the 2012 London Olympics.

In 1998, Mark Phillips designed the cross-country course for the Red Hills Horse Trials. This event helps riders qualify for the Olympics. He writes for Horse & Hound magazine. He also leads the United States Eventing Team.

Personal Life and Family

Mark Phillips first met Princess Anne at a horse event in 1968. They got married on 14 November 1973, at Westminster Abbey. They have two children: Peter (born 1977) and Zara (born 1981). Queen Elizabeth II gave them Gatcombe Park as a wedding gift.

In August 1989, Princess Anne and Mark Phillips announced they would separate. They later divorced on 23 April 1992. They continued to raise their children together. Mark also has another daughter, Felicity Tonkin, who was born in 1985.

On 1 February 1997, Mark Phillips married Sandy Pflueger. She was an American Olympic dressage rider. Their daughter, Stephanie, was born on 2 October 1997. Stephanie grew up near Princess Anne's family. She was a bridesmaid at her half-sister Zara Tindall's wedding. In 2012, Mark Phillips and Sandy Pflueger separated.

On 19 September 2022, Mark Phillips attended the funeral service for his former mother-in-law, Elizabeth II.

Awards and Honours

Mark Phillips has received several honours during his life:

• 15 August 1974: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)
• 6 February 1977: Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
• 6 February 2002: Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
• 6 February 2012: Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
• 6 February 2022: Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal
• 6 May 2023: King Charles III Coronation Medal

He also received an honour from Norway:

• 13 April 1988: Commander with Star of the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav.

His Children

Mark Phillips has four children:

By Princess Anne

By Heather Tonkin

By Sandy Pflueger

Images for kids

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  Mark Phillips in 1973

See also

In Spanish: Mark Phillips para niños