Inside Princess Anne's marriage to Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence: Former navy officer remains by royal's hospital bedside after lending his unwavering support during recent hard times

Princess Anne is recovering in hospital after she was kicked or headbutted by a horse while out walking on her Gatcombe Park country estate.

The 'hardest working' royal, 73, suffered minor injuries following incident at her home in Gloucestershire and is being treated for a concussion. 

At the time of accident, the Princess Royal was on the estate with her two children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, as well as her doting husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. 

As she was rushed to Southmead Hospital in Bristol for tests, Sir Tim accompanied her and will unsurprisingly remain by the Princess Royal's bedside as she recovers.

Sir Tim has been Anne's rock for decades, supporting her during the most difficult of times - including the loss of her mother Queen Elizabeth in September 2022.  

He stoically walked behind the Princess, who is often dubbed the 'hardest working royal', as they walked behind the late Queen's hearse. 

At each poignant moment of the monarch's procession and funeral, wherever Princess Anne was spotted, her husband was no more than a few steps behind.

Sir Tim's unwavering support has not gone unnoticed, with Anne's son praising him during a documentary marking the Princess' 70th birthday. 

'They both have an understanding of what being a part of the wider family means and what is required,' Peter told the programme, as he discussed the 'strong support' his step-father gives his mother.

Yet while the couple who have been married for 32 years share a number of hobbies - such as their love of rugby - Sir Tim is not a fan of horses, unlike his wife who was an Olympic horsewoman. 

'She grew up with horses, horses have been part of her life, it's not something I share with her. Sadly I've never been bitten by the horse bug,' he said. 

The pair married in 1992 after Princess Anne divorced from her equestrian husband and father of her children Mark Phillips.

Their nuptials came six years after Sir Tim started working as an equerry for the Queen working as the senior member of the British Armed Forces appointed to assist the royal family. 

He had a close relationship with the late queen which led him to later being invited to join the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony despite not being a working royal.

In a sign of the affection in which he is held, Sir Tim had a place by Anne's side on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations last year. 

That was despite the fact that other non-working royals, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, were excluded. 

Princess Anne was left with minor injuries to the head following the incident at the weekend. 

Her medical team are understood to believe these are consistent with a potential impact from a horse's head or legs. 

But due to the concussion sustained by the Princess, precise details of the accident are unable to be ascertained at the moment, MailOnline understands.