Princess Anne has made her feelings clear on her former daughter-in-law, Autumn Phillips, four years after she divorced Peter Phillips.
Autumn was spotted supporting her former sister-in-law Zara Tindall at the Cirencester Park horse trials on Sunday, demonstrating her continued close bond with the Royal Family.
Despite divorcing Peter in 2021 after 12 years of marriage, the Canadian businesswoman remains firmly within the royal fold.
The 46-year-old mother-of-two was seen cheering from the sidelines alongside her former mother-in-law, Princess Anne.
Princess Anne makes feelings clear on former daughter-in-law four years after divorce
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Royal photographer James Whatling told Hello! that the atmosphere was "nice and relaxed" with Autumn clearly still considered part of the family circle.
The sighting confirms that family ties remain strong despite the couple's separation in late 2019.
"She's obviously still part of the family and was chatting to Anne and everyone else," Whatling explained.
"She's certainly not been ostracised in any way, and it was a nice little support team for Zara."
Zara Tindall competing at the Cirencester Park horse trials
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Autumn, dressed in a denim jacket and orange patterned skirt, joined Princess Anne and others following Zara through each competition section.
"They were all following her around to each section - dressage, showjumping etc," the photographer noted.
"They're a tight unit and they all know each other," he added.
Autumn has remained living in Gloucestershire to co-parent her daughters, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, with Peter.
Princess Anne and Autumn Phillips watching Zara from the sidelines
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Princess Anne, 74, made a surprise appearance at the event, having just returned from a two-day visit to Turkey with her husband, Sir Tim Laurence.
The royal couple had been attending commemorations for the 110th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign.
The Princess Royal appeared to have recovered from a painful injury that had left her visibly hobbling at the Easter Sunday church service earlier this month.
"She had a shepherd's crook, as she often does at these things, but she was strolling around, no signs at all of any injury," Whatling observed.
Autumn Phillips has remained in the royal fold despite her divorce
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"She walked all the way out to the cross-country course and then all the way back."
Princess Anne was observed actively engaging with her daughter's performance during the event.
"The Princess Royal obviously has a bit of a hand in these things because you can hear her and Zara discussing the horse and what needs to be done," Whatling revealed.
Zara herself was overheard commenting on her own performance, saying: "There's still plenty of work to do."
While Peter has moved on and is now dating NHS nurse Harriet Sperling, Autumn has found love with property tycoon Donal Mulryan.
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