London: Palace watchdogs have much to believe that Princess Anne is on the verge of striking old flames with Andrew Parker Bowles, estranged husband of Prince Charles' consort, Camilla.

Royal circles have been abuzz with rumors, after Anne and Brigadier Bowles were spotted chatting at a social gathering, reported the ‘Daily Telegraph’.

For the records, Anne's marriage to Commodore Tim Laurence is still intact, with rumours of rocky tides doing the rounds intermittently.

However, Parker being a long-time family friend and principal trustee of Anne's daughter, Zara Phillips's trust fund, has the locus to be seen and spotted with the Princess for official reasons.

In spite of sharp defenses from friends who claim that all is hunky dory with the royal marriage, it seems the friendly couple is likely to resume the relationship initiated 34 years back, when Anne was an impressionable teenager and Bowles, a 30-year old officer. If so, this love saga would be a story of long lost love to equal and beat Charles and Camilla.

A palace source was quoted as saying, "Andrew is denying it, but nobody believes him, especially Camilla."

Anne and the Brigadier were last spotted at Cheltenham racecourse in March where Anne was to unveil a tribute to the Queen Mother and who better to accompany her than the Queen Mother's godson, Andrew Parker Bowles.

Way back in 1969, Andrew, an officer in the Blues and Royals had dumped Camilla, his long-time girlfriend, to have a passionate rendezvous with the 19-year-old Princess Anne, who is believed to have surrendered her virginity to the charming and suave Army man.

ANI