Peter Phillips has taken on a new career path which has a special link to one of his mother's passions. The son of Princess Anne was appointed as one of the five directors of Maritime Passport Ltd just last January, fillings at Companies House show.

The company, which was founded in January last year and appears to have no website at the time of writing, has its registered office located in London. According to The Daily Mail's Richard Eden Maritime Passport Ltd, the business specialises in digitising shipping certifications. He wrote: "In landlubber’s terms, this appears to mean adapting old systems so that they continue to function effectively in the modern, digital age."

Peter's mother, the Princess Royal, has always showcased a strong interest in sailing, her love for which is said to come second after her biggest passion for horses.

Anne is a royal patron to a number of maritime organisations, including Maritime UK, the National Museum of The Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy Welfare Board.

It comes months after Princess Anne's son made his new relationship with NHS nurse Harriet Sperling official.

Last year, they made a number of appearances together, including Wimbledon and other events. Their last public appearance was in January when they attended the New Year's Day Racing at Cheltenham Racecourse.

The news came weeks after Peter, who was once dubbed the late Queen's "favourite grandson", ended his three-year relationship with Lindsay Wallace.

The split was described as "amicable" with one source claiming the relationship had "run its course".

Lindsay, an ex-classmate of Peter's sister Zara Tindall, met Peter at Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland.

Peter also shares two daughters with ex-wife Autumn Kelly, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13.