Princess Anne's Son Peter Phillips Is Engaged to Harriet Sperling After a Year of Dating
It must be royal engagement season—just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer confirmed her engagement on July 31, Peter Phillips—the son of Princess Anne and eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth—announced his engagement on August 1.
Peter is set to marry Harriet Sperling, an NHS nurse, though no wedding date has been set as of yet.
The announcement comes four years after Peter's divorce from Autumn Kelly—with whom he shares two daughters—was finalized in 2021.Just one day after Princess Diana's niece Lady Eliza Spencer confirmed her engagement to longtime boyfriend Channing Millerd, Queen Elizabeth's eldest grandchild Peter Phillips—the son of Princess Anne—announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling on August 1.
Peter and Harriet, an NHS nurse, have been dating for about a year. Peter was previously married to Autumn Kelly, whom he wed in 2008 and separated from in 2020. They finalized their divorce the next year and share two daughters, Savannah and Isla. Harriet, too, is a parent, and is mom to daughter Georgia.
'Mr. Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms. Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr. Rupert Sanders and Mrs. Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement,' a statement issued to Hello! on Friday read.
'Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement,' it continued. 'Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement.' The statement added that no wedding date has been set as of yet.
Though three of Queen Elizabeth's four children went through a divorce, Peter is the first (and, heretofore, only) grandchild of the Queen to divorce. Six of the Queen's eight grandchildren are married, with the two children of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh being significantly younger than their cousins. At the time of Peter's separation, a statement said (per People), 'Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the well-being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost. Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions.' It added, 'Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives.'
Following his divorce, Peter dated Lindsay Wallace for three years, and after their split, Peter and Harriet debuted as a couple in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials. Since then, Harriet has accompanied Peter to a number of events, often mingling with members of the royal family at occasions like Royal Ascot.
In their engagement photo shared with Hello!, Harriet's ring steals the show as the bride-to-be wears a frilly white top and skirt. 'This is wonderful news for Peter and Harriet, but also the wider royal family,' Hello!'s royal editor Emily Nash said. 'Peter is close to the King and to his cousins, and Harriet seems to have been warmly welcomed into the fold.'
'The signs that this was serious have been there for some time, and seeing Harriet taking part in the royal procession at Royal Ascot this year convinced many royal watchers an engagement was on the cards,' Nash added.
Royal photographer James Whatling agreed, telling the outlet, 'We were waiting for this news. You can't watch this couple for too long without noticing how close they are—they're so tactile and they're clearly so in love. It was only a matter of time.'
According to Tobias Kormind, co-founder of 77 Diamonds, Harriet's ring 'appears to be a timeless trilogy design, likely showcasing a central oval or round diamond, flanked by trapeze-cut or triangular side stones.'
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