The sound of royal wedding bells resonated through the picturesque Cotswolds as Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling exchanged vows on a serene Saturday. The ceremony, described as ‘intimate,’ was graced by the presence of the king, queen, and various members of the royal family, marking a joyous occasion for all in attendance.
Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne, and his bride, Harriet Sperling, an NHS nurse, radiated happiness. Harriet dazzled in a white Emilia Wickstead gown and adorned a tiara from the Pragnell family collection. The couple sealed their union with a kiss outside the charming All Saints Church, embodying the very essence of matrimonial bliss.
The wedding was a tapestry of special moments, beginning with Harriet’s bridesmaids, including her daughter Georgina, 14, alongside Peter’s daughters, Isla, 14, and Savannah, 15, who carefully held the train of her wedding dress. Adding a touch of history, the newlyweds departed from the church in the same Rolls-Royce that transported Meghan Markle to her wedding with Prince Harry eight years prior.
While the ceremony was peppered with memorable highlights, some subtle yet intriguing moments may have slipped past the notice of many royal enthusiasts. Among them was the attendance of the Princess of Wales’s former beau and the fashion choice made by Lena Tindall, which spoke volumes in its simplicity and elegance.
Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling tied the knot in an ‘intimate’ ceremony at All Saints Church in Kemble on Saturday
Lena Tindall, the youngest daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall, opted for a sophisticated look that eschewed high-fashion labels. Instead, she championed a stylish dress from the high street brand Reiss, showcasing a blend of elegance and accessibility at the royal gathering.
Lena Tindall, Mike and Zara’s youngest daughter, opted to champion high street brand Reiss at the event
The youngest daughter of Zara and Mike Tindall, Lena, chose against designer clothes for Harriet and Peter’s wedding and instead sported an elegant frock from high street store, Reiss.
The royal, who was spotted protecting herself from the downpour with a rainbow patterned umbrella, donned the £98 Floral-Print Tie-Back Midi Dress, which featured a floral bloom print, three-quarter puff sleeves and a cut-out back with tie detail.
She completed her look with a pair of pink Mary Jane shoes from La Coqueta, a childrenswear label also loved by Princess Charlotte, who has been spotted in the brand’s designs, according to Hello.
On Saturday, Lena retained her title of most playful royal as she joyfully played in the rain while clutching a unicorn umbrella.
Lena was captured entertaining royal guests by toying with her vibrant brolly outside Kemble’s All Saints Church following the private ceremony.
Holding her umbrella above Mike’s head, the young royal erupted into a fit of laughter before pictures later showed the father carrying the item instead.
Harriet tributes Queen Elizabeth II
Harriet tributed her husband’s late grandmother by including Lily of the Valley in her floral arrangement
Peter’s new wife, Harriet, made a special tribute to his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, in her bouquet on Saturday.
The NHS nurse included Lily of the Valley in her floral arrangement, which is said to have been a favourite of the monarch.
Lily of the valley, which was also included in the bridesmaids’ headpieces, was included in Elizabeth’s coronation bouquet in 1953.
The Queen, whose childhood nickname was Lilibet, chose it when the Royal Family shared their favourite blooms in 2020 after the pandemic forced the Chelsea Flower Show online.
Buckingham Palace said it had ‘special associations’ for the monarch since her coronation, and the sweet-scented flower also featured in Kate’s wedding bouquet.
Often used to symbolise trustworthiness, the woodland plant is grown in the grounds at Buckingham Palace.
Harriet also featured myrtle in her wedding bouquet, which, according to florist Millie Richardson, is a tradition typically followed in the royal family.
Richardson told the Telegraph, ‘Lily of the valley was definitely requested for its regal connotation.
‘Myrtle is a symbol of beauty, grace and love and was requested on the same basis. It’s always included in every royal wedding bouquet.’
Kate’s ex Rupert Finch attends
The Princess of Wales’s ex boyfriend, Rupert Finch, attended with his wife, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs
Among the guests at the royal wedding were Rupert Finch and his wife, Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, co-founder of the distinguished fashion brand Beulah.
It’s thought that Kate and Rupert dated during their student days at the University of St Andrews for a year or less, before the future queen went on to date William.
The exes have, it appears, remained on amicable terms, with former law student Rupert receiving an invite to Kate and William’s wedding in 2011.
Lady Natasha and Rupert, who wed in 2012, were among the first guests to arrive at the ceremony at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, on Saturday morning, and were greeted by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wearing one of her dresses.
Beulah is well known to be a high-society favourite, with The Princess of Wales and Princess Beatrice among its loyal customers.
Lady Natasha championed her own brand in a patterned Beulah dress, which Kate also owns.
The Princess of Wales wore the baby-blue Sonia dress to cheer on Prince William at a charity polo match in the summer of 2023.
Beulah also features in the wardrobe of nurse Ms Sperling, who wore one of its dresses in butter yellow to Ladies’ Day at the Royal Ascot last July.
Beulah London was founded in 2010 by Lady Natasha and Lavinia Brennan and has since become a must-have label among the upper echelons of society.
Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones makes rare public appearance
Pictured: Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones (left) and Isabelle de la Bruyere are seen outside the wedding venue on Saturday
Princess Margaret’s lookalike granddaughter, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, made a rare appearance at Saturday’s festivities.
The 24-year-old, who is 28th in the line of succession to the throne and rarely appears in the public eye, leads a quiet life in Paris, where she is able to bike around without being recognised.
Lady Margarita moved to the French capital in September 2023 to study jewellery and photography.
Her creative instincts are likely to have been nurtured by her amicably divorced parents, the Earl of Snowdon – a carpenter and creator of luxury goods – and Serena, Countess of Snowdon, a keen amateur sculptor.
Margarita’s late grandfather was renowned portrait photographer Antony, Earl of Snowdon, who was married to Margaret from 1960 to 1978.
On Saturday, Margarita, who arrived alongside Isabelle de la Bruyere, was pictured looking chic in a powder blue dress and an extravagant gold headpiece.
The history of Harriet’s tiara
Harriet’s tiara is known as the ‘Pragnell’ family tiara – and has royal connections that go back to the coronation of King George VI
Harriet was the perfect blushing bride in a white Emilia Wickstead gown and a family tiara.
Her priceless diamond tiara is known as the ‘Pragnell’ family tiara and has been worn by generations of the British jewellery firm, including at the Coronation of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
The pearl and diamond creation, on loan from Pragnell, has royal connections that go back to the coronation of Peter’s great-grandfather, King George VI.
The design incorporates both the Edwardian and Deco periods, and highlights a festoon of glittering leaves with floral motifs, and is very similar to a tiara owned by The Princess Royal, in the official photograph celebrating her 50th birthday in 2000.
She teamed her stunning wedding dress, featuring a square neckline and lace detailing, with Jimmy Choo shoes and Pragnell earrings. Her hair was kept in an elegant bun to best showcase the shimmering tiara.
The Tindalls’ warm display with the York sisters
One of the royal family’s most affable members, the husband of Zara Tindall, rushed towards ‘noticeably tense’ Beatrice and Eugenie to put them at ease when the York princesses attended Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding
Days after a damning National Audit report found that they had never paid a penny in rent, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, attended the royal nuptials in the Cotswolds
The former rugby ace was photographed giving Beatrice a warm hug upon her arrival on Saturday
Peter’s wedding to Harriet Sperling underscored how King Charles was ‘reasserting control’ to welcome Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie back into the royal fold after months of controversy.
Days after a damning National Audit report found that they had never paid a penny in rent, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, attended the royal nuptials, with Prince William also going out of his way to make them feel comfortable.
A royal expert claimed William, 43, seemed keen to maintain the ‘bond’ between himself and Beatrice when they came face-to-face outside All Saints Church in Gloucestershire – but no one was happier to see them than Mike Tindall.
One of the royal family’s most affable members, the husband of Zara Tindall, rushed towards ‘noticeably tense’ Beatrice and Eugenie to put them at ease, greeting them with smiles and hugs.
The former England rugby pro was the first to greet Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Eugenie, and her husband Jack Brooksbank as they walked up to the gates of the 11th-century church in Kemble on Saturday.
Footage showed Mike, 47, warmly planting a kiss on Beatrice’s cheek before sharing a heartfelt embrace with Edo, as X users said, ‘Mike is a hugger’.
In another sweet moment, Jack’s handshake with Mike also turned into a bear hug before Zara’s husband greeted a smiling Eugenie, who is pregnant with her third child.
It appears that Eugenie is especially close to Zara, Mike, and their three children, as the younger York princess could be seen joyfully hugging the couple’s daughter Mia, 12, in a separate clip.
Princess Eugenie, who was wearing an all-navy outfit with a matching hat, threw her arms around Mia outside the church in Gloucestershire, with the royal wedding undoubtedly bringing back pleasant memories for the pair.
Mia was Eugenie’s bridesmaid when she tied the knot with British marketing executive Jack at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle eight years ago.
Eugenie and Beatrice attended the wedding of Princess Anne’s son Peter and his now-wife Harriet just hours after the release of an ‘outrageous’ National Audit report found they have lived rent-free at royal residences for years.
A body language expert claimed the daughters of disgraced former Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were noticeably ‘tense’ after the rental revelations, but it appears Mike stepped up to calm any nerves.
Samuel Chatto is joined by his rarely-seen girlfriend
Samuel Chatto, 29, was pictured with his girlfriend Eleanor Ekserdjian, 29, outside All Saints’ Church in Kemble, Cirencester, on Saturday
Princess Margaret’s grandson, 29, made a rare public appearance at the wedding with his girlfriend Eleanor Ekserdjian, 29.
The pair are thought to have met in 2021 while both attending the University of Edinburgh and have been pictured together since 2022.
Eleanor’s invite suggests she has truly been welcomed into the firm, appearing relaxed around several levels of British Royalty at the high-profile wedding.
She wore a simple yet elegant navy blue dress, paired with a sleek black feather fascinator and a stylish check handbag from A.W.A.K.E Mode which retails for £419.
Sam opted for a quintessential morning suit consisting of a black blazer, grey waistcoat and a black and white pinstriped trouser.
He paired the dapper look with a crisp white shirt and a red tie featuring a jewel tone paisley print.
Eleanor previously joined the Royal Family for Christmas at Sandringham in 2024, sparking rumours Samuel had proposed to her because partners traditionally do not attend the service unless they are married or engaged.
Harriet attended with Peter after their engagement in December and Meghan Markle had joined Prince Harry in 2017 while the pair were engaged.
However, the couple have never confirmed the rumours.
Peter and Zara’s half-sister attends
Peter and Zara’s half-sister, Stephanie Phillips arrived with her husband, William Hosier, on Saturday
Zara Tindall (left) and Peter Phillips with their half-sister Stephanie during a New Year’s Eve celebration
It’s perhaps of little surprise that Peter and Zara’s lesser-known half-sister, Stephanie Phillips, attended the ceremony at All Saints’ Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire.
Stephanie is the daughter of Princess Anne’s first husband, Captain Mark Phillips and his Hawaiian-born second wife, Sandy Pflueger. The American equestrian was married to Mark from 1997 until 2012, when the pair parted ways.
Hi! I’m Claire Cisotti, Assistant Editor, Royals, and I can reveal why Meghan marrying into the Royal Family was always destined to be a disaster.
There were times when it looked like a happy ending was in reach, only for things to end up worse than ever. But looking closer, there were clear warning signs everyone missed – right from the start.
Click here to read our story
The 28-year-old was photographed wearing a red, floral dress outside the venue alongside her husband, agricultural graduate, William Hosier.
She largely keeps a low profile, having not made any public appearances with her siblings since her 2022 wedding in Tetbury, where Princess Anne was typically graceful as she watched her ex-husband Mark walk his daughter down the aisle.
Zara’s daughters, Mia and Lena, joined their cousins, Peter’s daughters with his ex-wife Autumn Kelly, Savannah and Isla, as flower girls at the nuptials. Meanwhile, Stephanie was also a flower girl at Zara’s 2011 wedding to Mike Tindall.
The Worcester-based eventing pro seems to share an especially warm relationship with Peter, with Stephanie describing him as ‘the best big brother out there’ in a post on Instagram, where she also previously shared photos of herself on exotic trips to glamorous destinations.
Like her parents and older sibling Zara, Stephanie is a keen equestrian – having posted pictures of her beloved horses online, while she also grew up a stone’s throw away from them on Aston Farm, on the Gatcombe Park estate.
Stephanie attended the prestigious Dean Close School in Cheltenham, where fees cost up to £13,900 per term.
After achieving CCD at A-Level, she went on to study Business Management at the University of Worcester and graduated in 2021.
Despite her royal connections, Stephanie remained out of the spotlight during her time at school and even worked as a barmaid at a local pub.
An accomplished rider, she’s competed at Barbury International, Wellington International Horse Trials and the West Wiltshire trials. She’s sponsored by saddle maker Voltaire Design and is often seen in trendy equestrian designs.
