There are two idols of English sport preference - football and horses. No wonder equestrianism is so in demand in the UK. Equestrian competition without the participation of English athletes is nonsense.
Brilliant officer
To say that the inhabitants of foggy Albion love horses is to say nothing. As for India, a cow, so for England, a horse is an iconic symbol. A reverent attitude towards these animals is a feature of the British national character.
Mark Phillips was born into a military family in September 1948. After graduating from the military academy, he was appointed to the court dragoon regiment as a second lieutenant in 1969. A magnificent equestrian athlete, the pride of British equestrian sport. In 1972, the Olympic champion in triathlon. He served well, and marriage to a noble person played an important role, by 1974 he was a captain and personal adjutant to Queen Elizabeth II. Just a stellar career.
Thanks to his passion for equestrian eventing, Mark met Princess Anna, a girl of royal blood.
Good introduction
Anna is madly in love with horses, a wonderful rider, a participant in all competitions. Children'sshow jumping was her hobby, and she made great progress in it, often emerging victorious. In 1972, she entered the contenders for the right to participate in the Olympic Games. The acquaintance took place in 1971 in one of the estates where the annual Badminton competitions were held. Phillips became the winner, and Anna was the fifth (later Mark Phillips won these competitions twice more). Talk about their relationship spread, the royal family denied these rumors in every possible way. It is beneath all dignity for members of royal dynasties to be the object of any gossip. The dragoon was not a blunder, he acted assertively, they did not pull, and in May 1973, Mark and Anna got engaged. The royal family reacted mockingly negatively to this union. Prince Charles, who did not know Mark at all, called him a "muddy type", said that it was difficult to think of anything more stupid than this marriage.
Career
Elizaveta generally expressed that she would not be surprised if their children were with hooves. But at the same time, she admitted that the young complement each other perfectly. Mark Phillips and the Princess of Great Britain were married in November 1973 under the vaults of Westminster Abbey. The queen granted the young man an estate. Phillips did not accept the proposed title on principle.
But he moved inexorably in his career. Phillips was appointed to the Royal Academy as an instructor, later to serve in the Ministry of Defense. Prior to that, he won a landslide victory in the Badminton competitions, but it became increasingly difficult to combine service and sports, and in March 1978, Mark Phillips left the army. Now all the timegiven to equestrian sports and participation in competitions.
Phillips was not very faithful, everything got away with it, until in 1984 he had a child (daughter Felicity) on his side. In 1991, the mother of the child established paternity by DNA.
Formal marriages
In 1988, the Seoul Olympics brought silver to the treasury of Great Britain. It was won by Mark Phillips. The statistics of the equestrian athlete ended there. After that, he no longer competed in the status of an athlete. Coaching ahead.
In 1992, Phillips, like a gentleman, divorced the Queen's daughter after finding out that he was cheating on his wife and had a child on the side. And they, as well-mannered people, have maintained a good relationship.
Joint children Peter and Zara.
In 1997, Mark entered into a second marriage with Sandy Pfluger. Sandy is a wonderful athlete, an award-winning equestrian. There is a joint child, the girl Stephanie. The marriage lasted 15 years, and everything would be fine, but the notorious “demon in the ribs” confused all the cards, everyone is equal here: both beggars and monarchs. Mark Phillips, once the husband of a monarch, is divorcing his second wife. The divorce took place in May 2012. Well, he couldn't resist!
Demon in the ribs
And he went to a young American woman, a gap at the age of 30.
Phillips started dating her even before his divorce from his second wife. Lauren Hoag is an eminent athlete, member of the US national team, winner of the Pan American Games, participant in the Olympic Games. Mark coached the US national team, met at the training camp. Laurenthe same age as Phillips' daughter from his first marriage, Zara. They didn't hide from anyone. Acquaintance with Lauren's parents took place, a common language was found quickly (almost the same age).
He is in good shape, a connoisseur and authority figure in British equestrianism.
Awarded the Order of the Knights.
The British Equestrian Team won silver medals at the London Olympics. The team includes Zara Phillips, daughter of the legendary Mark Phillips and granddaughter of the Queen of England. The dynasty continues.
