Prince and Princess Michael of Kent celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary yesterday (30.06.08).
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Prince Michael, Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, married Austrian-born Marie Christine in 1978 and their relationship has survived several rocky patches.
Princess Michael insists the secret to a happy marriage is their strong bond, revealing: “We were friends long before we fell in love.”
The couple decided to tie the knot after Lord Mountbatten suggested their friendship could blossom into romance. The prince and princess have two children, 29-year-old son Freddie and daughter Gabriella, 27.
The pair, who do not have any official royal duties, have battled through their fair share of difficulties during the three decades since they wed.
In 2004, the princess was photographed holding hands with Russian millionaire Mikhail Kravchenko – who is 21 years her junior – in Venice.
That same year, the couple were forced to sell their Nether Lypiatt mansion in Gloucestershire for £5.7 million due to growing maintenance costs. Last week, it was revealed the prince and princess will be moving out of the Kensington Palace apartment they were given as a wedding present from the queen.
Princess Michael said: “Having been given the apartment for life, I assumed we would live the rest of our days there.”
