Mark Phillips

Mark Anthony Peter Phillips was born on 22 September 1948. He is the son of Major Peter William Garside Phillips, MC (1920–1998)^[1] and Anne Patricia Phillips (née Tiarks;^[2] 1925–1988).^[1] Mark had a younger sister, Sarah Anne Staples (née Phillips; 1951–2014).^[3]

His father was the younger son of Joseph Herbert Phillips and Dorothea Mary Land, and the grandson of William Garside Phillips. His paternal uncle, Joseph Anthony Moore Phillips, married Lady Katharine Fitzalan-Howard, a daughter of Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk. His patrilineal great-great-grandfather was the portrait painter William Moore and his great-granduncles included the artists Albert Joseph Moore, Henry Moore and John Collingham Moore. His mother was educated at Downe House and served in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the Second World War.^[2] She was the only daughter of John Gerhard Edward Tiarks (1896–1962) and his wife, Evelyn Florence Cripps (1899–1994). John served in the First and Second World Wars, attained the rank of Brigadier, and was aide-de-camp to King George VI from 1947 to 1950.

Phillips was educated at Stouts Hill Preparatory School near Uley, Gloucestershire, then at Marlborough College, then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.^[4]

Upon passing out from Sandhurst, Phillips was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards in July 1969.^[5] He was promoted to lieutenant in January 1971.^[6] By the time of his wedding to Princess Anne in November 1973, he was serving as an acting captain.^[7] In January 1974, he was appointed a Personal aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth II.^[8] Phillips was substantively promoted to captain in July 1975,^[9] and retired from the Army on 30 March 1978.^[10]

Phillips continued to style himself Captain Mark Phillips,^[11] as it is customary for retired cavalry captains to retain their former rank when their civilian occupation involves working with horses, particularly in racing or equestrian sports.^[12]

Phillips was a reserve member of the British equestrian team for the 1968 Olympics. He was part of the British three-day event teams that won a world title in 1970, a European title in 1971, and Olympic gold medals in 1972; individually, he finished in 35th place at the 1972 games. At the 1988 Olympics, his horse sustained a pulled muscle and could not complete the individual three-day event, but Phillips won a silver medal with the British team. He was a four-time champion at the Badminton Horse Trials: in 1971 and 1972 on Great Ovation, in 1974 on Colombus, and in 1981 on Lincoln. It was through his equestrian activities that he met Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whom he later married. Their daughter Zara Phillips won a silver medal in the three-day event with the British team at the 2012 Olympics in London.^[4]

In 1998, Phillips designed the cross-country venue for the Red Hills Horse Trials, a qualifying event for the Olympics held in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. He is now a regular columnist for Horse & Hound magazine. He remains a leading figure in British equestrian circles and serves as Chef d'Equipe of the United States Eventing Team.^[13][14]

In 2025, Phillips designed the cross-country course for 2025 European Eventing Championships.^[15]

Phillips first met his future wife, Princess Anne, at a party for horse enthusiasts in 1968.^[16] They married on 14 November 1973 at Westminster Abbey.^[17] They have two children: Peter (born 1977) and Zara (born 1981). The Queen bought Gatcombe Park, near Minchinhampton, for the couple as a wedding present.^[18][19]

In August 1989, Phillips and Anne announced their intention to separate, as the marriage had been under strain for several years.^[20] The couple had rarely been seen in public together, and both had been romantically linked with other people.^[21] They continued to share custody of their children and initially stated that "there were no plans for divorce."^[22][23] During this period, Phillips continued to work at the couple's estate at Gatcombe Park.^[22] In 1991, a DNA test confirmed that he had fathered a daughter, Felicity Tonkin, born in August 1985 in New Zealand to art teacher Heather Tonkin.^[24] Phillips and Anne divorced on 23 April 1992.^[25][26]

On 1 February 1997, Phillips married Sandy Pflueger, an American Olympic dressage rider. Their daughter, Stephanie, was born on 2 October 1997.^[26] She grew up at Aston Farm, Gatcombe Park, close to the family of Anne, and served as a bridesmaid at the wedding of her half-sister Zara. In 2000, Phillips was appointed an Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Farmers.

On 3 May 2012, Phillips' solicitors confirmed that he and Pflueger had separated and intended to divorce, with Phillips becoming involved with American equestrian Lauren Hough.^[27]

Phillips' personal wealth is estimated to be around £15–20 million.^[28] The settlement he received when his marriage to Anne ended was described as "modest"^[28] and reported to be around "$3 million".^[29]

On 19 September 2022, Philips was present at the committal service at St George's Chapel for his former mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II.^[30]

By Princess Anne

By Heather Tonkin

By Sandy Pflueger