Harriet Sperling has arrived for her intimate wedding to Peter Phillips today, looking the epitome of a beautiful bride in a stunning white gown and tiara.
The 45-year-old paediatric nurse specialist for the NHS was photographed as she stepped out at Gloucestershire’s All Saint’s Church, where she’ll exchange vows with Princess Anne’s son, 48, in front a crowd of delighted royals.
Guests attending the private ceremony in Kemble, near Cirencester, included King Charles and Queen Camila, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with their respective husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor;s daughters have come under renewed public scrutiny this week after a report by the National Audit Office yesterday laid bare how they have been secretly subsidised for years by their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, and now by their uncle, King Charles.
The sisters have never personally paid a penny in rent, despite living in exclusive properties at Kensington Palace and St James’s Palace for nearly two decades.
Meanwhile, at today’s nuptials, Peter’s daughters Isla, 14, and Savannah, 15, by former wife Autumn Kelly, were bridesmaids alongside Harriet’s 14-year-old daughter from her first marriage, Georgina.
Marking one of the biggest royal occasions this year, the groom, who is the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, and 19th in the line of succession, was also supported by his sister Zara, 45, and her husband, former rugby ace Mike Tindall .
Proving the private service was a real family affair, their children Mia, 12, Lena, seven, and Lucas Tindall , five, also attended the nuptials, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
However, one member of the Royal Family noticeably absent from the celebrations was the groom’s cousin, Prince Harry.
The Montecito-based Duke of Sussex , 41, is said to have ‘not spoken in years’ to Peter, and sources say the presence of his estranged brother, Prince William, at the event will also inevitably have played a part.
Former Prince Andrew was also reportedly not invited to the ceremony as the monarchy continues its efforts to distance itself from the fallout surrounding his long-running scandal linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The festivities were organised by Bentley’s Entertainments, a blue-chip firm which oversaw David and Victoria Beckham’s wedding, multiple parties for Sir Elton John, Princess Eugenie’s Windsor nuptials to Jack Brooksbank and Peter’s 2008 ceremony to his first wife Autumn Kelly.
Despite the prospect of torrential downpours, scores of fans took their place hours before the wedding of Peter and Harriet, hoping to catch a glimpse of the royals.
Many of the royal watchers were locals, but James and Jane Cahill travelled 120 miles from Newark, Nottinghamshire, to make sure they were in place three hours before the ceremony started.
‘I was dragged out of bed for this,’ joked James, 80, admitting that Jane, 75, is the fervent royalist of the family.
‘I love everything to do with the royal family,’ she said. ‘I was in London for the King’s Coronation and it’s not that often you get a chance to see so many royals at once at close quarters.’
Sue Hooper, 65, from Tetbury, is virtually a neighbour of King Charles at nearby Highgrove, and said she shook hands with the monarch two years ago at a Buckingham Palace garden party.
‘I’m a member of Tetbury Art Society, and the King is patron’ she said, ‘and that’s why I was invited to the Palace. It’s great to be able to see the King and the other members of the Royal family today, even if it does rain on us, as seems likely.
‘Events like this show the human side of the royals and even younger people get to see them. My grandson is definitely interested that I came down here today.’
Locals Jez and Sarah Smith only had to walk less than a mile with their dog Ziggy to claim a front row spot behind the barrier outside the church.
Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, founder of Kate’s favourite brand, Beulah London, arrives alongside her husband Rupert Finch
Glamorous guests dressed to impress for the wedding of Peter and Harriet
A vision in red! One attendee opted for a striking scarlet gown with matching hat for the royal occasion
Guests were all smiles as they made their way into the church for today’s royal wedding
Hat’s the spirit! One guest struggled to keep her bright yellow fascinator on her head amid the dreary weather conditions
Guests came prepared with their umbrellas as the chance of rain is estimated at around 90 per cent
Keeping a close eye, one eagle-eyed local eagerly anticipated the arrival of the bride and groom
IT professional Jez, 51, said the couple had tried to bring their two children aged 16 and 20, to watch the arrivals, but without success.
‘I guess it’s a generational thing,’ he said, ‘but having said that I can see a fair few younger people here today – just not our kids.’
Primary school administrator Sarah, 52, said events like the wedding were an antidote to the depressing backdrop of world events at the moment.
‘There’s just so much bad news right now, it’s great that we can all come together and celebrate something happy,’ she said.
Molly Hurrell, 27, was hoping to see the King again, having met him once before as a nursery school pupil more than 20 years ago.
‘He came to my school, Tigger’s Nursery, to open a new building, and my photo with him appeared in the national papers,’ she recalled.
She brought her aunt Claire Johnson, 56, and her daughter Nala, two, along to see the event.
‘It won’t mean much to Nala today,’ said Molly, ‘but one day I’ll be able to tell her about this special occasion when she saw the King and Queen.’
Aunt Claire admitted she ‘loves’ the royals and wasn’t going to miss the chance to see them today, whatever the weather. ‘I’m expecting a bit of rain, but it won’t dampen our spirits!’ she said.
College student Lyla Scovell, 17, from nearby Stroud, described herself as a ‘royal fanatic’ and attended the King’s Coronation in London.
Dressed in all their finery, attendees waved to well-wishers who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the royals
Flower power! Florals and bright colours were on the fashion agenda for today’s royal wedding
Say cheese! A police officer stopped to take a photograph for three guests keen to remember the events of today
‘I share the same birthday as the late Queen Elizabeth,’ she said, ‘so maybe that accounts for why I’m so passionate about them.
‘To see so many royals all together was too good a chance to miss. Most of my friends don’t feel as enthusiastic about them as I do, but I think they’re one of the best things about Britain.’
Today’s festivities were organised by Bentley’s Entertainments, a blue-chip firm which oversaw David and Victoria Beckham’s wedding, multiple parties for Sir Elton John, Princess Eugenie’s Windsor nuptials to Jack Brooksbank and Peter’s 2008 ceremony to his first wife Autumn Kelly.
Peter, who publicly announced his divorce to Autumn in 2020, found love again in May 2024 with fellow divorcee Harriet, who has a 14-year-old-daughter Georgina, from a past relationship.
The bride herself boasts wealthy connections, sharing a relation to the Duke of Gloucester through her late father, Rupert Sperling.
Born Harriet Eleanor Sander to Mary Hoskins and Rupert Sanders, the 45-year-old, who has three siblings, Nicholas, Louisa and Rebecca, works as a paediatric nurse specialist for the NHS.
Peter, 19th in the line of succession, popped the question in August 2025 with a sparkling ring which boasts a subtle but touching tribute to his beloved grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by the same jeweller behind her 1946 ring.
In a statement to announce their engagement, they said both families were ‘delighted’.
While few details are known about the plans for the wedding, Harriet herself has spoken openly about the importance of faith in her life, previously revealing how Christianity helped her through the challenges of single motherhood.
In a previous interview, she revealed that her ‘faith was always in me, but it was kind of dormant’.
She added: ‘Somehow it didn’t seem relevant to my life in London. But the end of a seven-year relationship was the turning point for me. I went to church as I felt there was something missing.’
Whilst today’s private ceremony was proudly attended by a host of royals, the groom’s first wedding to Autumn wasn’t as drama free – after Peter struck a deal with Hello! magazine to sell the exclusive rights for an estimated £500,000, without telling the family.
The 100-page feature included remarkably candid shots of the royals, including images of the family laughing and one photo of Prince Harry giving his grandmother – Elizabeth II – a peck on the cheek.
William and Harry’s then-girlfriends, Kate and Chelsy Davy, also appeared heavily throughout the special, despite issuing previous complaints about privacy breaches.
Sources close to the royals told The Standard at the time that the princes were entirely unaware that the photos were going to be featured in the magazine, and that Peter’s HELLO! deal ‘had not gone down well at all’.
They added: ‘Neither Peter nor the magazine sought their approval – and if they had, it certainly would not have been given. They are unhappy about it.’
William, who has always been a fiercely loyal public defender of Kate’s privacy, was no doubt upset that he had not been present at the event to protect his future wife.
Instead, the future King jetted off to Kenya to attend the wedding of Batain Craig, his ex-girlfriend Jecca Craig’s brother, and sent his girlfriend Kate to attend the event on his behalf.
‘Prince William’s going to be out of the country on a long-standing prior engagement,’ a royal source explained at the time. ‘He spoke to his cousin Peter and he is fine about it. His girlfriend will go in his absence.’
Left in the trusting hands of Harry and his then-girlfriend Chelsy, Kate’s apprehension was no doubt worsened by the fact that the event would be the first time she would meet her future grandmother-in-law, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
During Kate and William’s engagement interview in 2010, the princess disclosed to interviewer Tom Bradby her nerves towards their first meeting and added that the monarch had been ‘very friendly’, given the unusual circumstances.
However, what the wedding is now most remembered for is the intimate snapshot it provided into the family life of the royals, thanks to the controversial magazine deal.
The sea of images which were soon spread around the globe were a far cry from the traditionally stage-managed wedding photographs released by the Royal Family.
But the spread was certainly not well received by the Firm, with senior members of the family – including the late Queen – allegedly less than impressed, having felt blindsided by the publication of the pictures.
Even politicians at the time also chimed in, with Labour MP Ian Gibson claiming the British public would be shocked to see their monarch in those pages. ‘She is the Queen, not a footballer’s wife,’ he added.
Yesterday, the Daily Mail revealed that Harry’s strained relationship with Princess Anne’s son largely stems from the incident some 18 years ago.
Discussing the Duke’s notable absence from today’s ceremony, a friend close to The Princess Royal’s son said: ‘Peter and Harry haven’t spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn’t been invited.’
‘Peter and Harriet’s wedding is an intimate occasion with their close friends and immediate family around them in the Cotswolds. It’s an area where they grew up and is very special to them both,’ a pal said.
But the prince was furious following Peter’s first wedding over the Hello! deal. Harry was particularly annoyed because he had taken Chelsy as a guest and had decided that this was the moment he would introduce her to his grandmother for the first time – a sign that their relationship was getting increasingly serious.
While the prince was aware that a photographer was present and snapping away – even posing for pictures with Chelsy and the then Kate Middleton – he thought they were for Peter and Autumn’s private collection.
He had no idea that they would end up splashed across pages of the glossy celebrity magazine.
It also came at a time when he and his brother had been battling to preserve Chelsy and Kate’s anonymity, complaining that unofficial pictures of them were a violation of their privacy.
Harry was deeply nervous about the meeting with the Queen, admitting afterwards that while he was sure ‘granny would love her’, it was a huge step forwards in their four-year relationship.
Kate and Chelsy spent a great deal of time together during the course of the day, even hitting the dancefloor in the evening, where they were pictured throwing their arms in the air in delight.
Harry loudly complained later that the first he knew of the debacle was when a copy of Hello! was delivered a few days later to Highgrove, his father’s country home, and he saw it on the breakfast table.
Furiously, he tried to call Peter to have it out with him but his phone went straight to voicemail, he later said, as Peter had ‘buggered off on honeymoon’.
It is not known if the two ever had it out personally, but the deal sparked a massive public outcry about the ‘selling out’ of the royals.
It certainly appears to account for Peter’s decision not to negotiate a deal the second time around for today’s wedding to Harriet.
The bride grinned broadly yesterday as she arrived for the wedding rehearsal in a striped jumper tucked into wide-legged linen trousers and flat espadrilles.
She and Peter were accompanied by her daughter Georgina and his daughters Isla, 14, and Savannah, 15, by former wife Autumn, as well as his sister, Zara, and other family and friends.
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