Peter Phillips was once a royal figure regularly linked to controversy, from a reported £500,000 HELLO! magazine deal surrounding his first wedding to an ill-fated Chinese milk advertisement.
Now, as he celebrates his 49th birthday, Phillips appears to be entering a markedly different chapter after finding love again with his new wife, NHS nurse Harriet Sperling, 46.
Since marrying earlier this year, the couple have been building a life together with their blended family at a home on his mother Princess Anne’s Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire.
Even so, some observers may find it difficult to view the Peter of today without recalling the series of public controversies that once surrounded him.
When Peter and Harriet married at All Saints Church in Kemble this summer, the low-key celebration stood in sharp contrast to his previous wedding to Autumn Phillips.
Peter and Autumn exchanged vows at Windsor’s St George’s Chapel in 2008. However, their wedding became best known for a controversial £500,000 HELLO! deal that reportedly left Prince William “deeply unhappy” with his cousin.
The magazine’s 100-page exclusive contained unusually candid photographs of the Royal Family, including pictures of relatives laughing together and an image of Prince Harry kissing his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, on the cheek.
William and Harry’s girlfriends at the time, Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy, also featured prominently in the special, despite having previously raised concerns about invasions of privacy.
Peter Phillips, who celebrates his 49th birthday today, appears to have entered a new chapter after finding love again with his wife, NHS nurse Harriet Sperling, 46
Peter and his former wife Autumn exchanged vows at Windsor’s St George’s Chapel in 2008, but their wedding became closely associated with a controversial £500,000 HELLO! deal that reportedly left Prince William “deeply unhappy”
In 2020, the Cabinet Office faced calls to investigate Peter after he was accused of using his royal connections to promote milk for the Chinese state
Royal sources told The Standard at the time that the princes had not known the photographs would appear in the magazine and that Peter’s HELLO! arrangement “had not gone down well at all”.
They said: “Neither Peter nor the magazine sought their approval – and if they had, it certainly would not have been given. They are unhappy about it.”
The HELLO! controversy was not the last scandal linked to Peter. Eight years later, in 2018, he found himself facing fresh scrutiny.
Two years after Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee, it emerged that Peter, her grandson, had received £750,000 for organising her 90th birthday street party on The Mall, where 10,000 guests paid £150 each.
Held in June 2016, the event dramatically improved the financial position of his company, Sel (UK) Limited. Accounts showed shareholders’ funds of £164,038 for the year to June 30, 2016, compared with just £7,733 the year before.
Then, in 2020, Peter was again thrust into the headlines when the Cabinet Office faced calls to examine whether he had exploited his royal links to promote milk for the Chinese state.
The advertisement introduced him to Chinese consumers as “British royal family member Peter Phillips”. It showed him drinking a glass of “Jersey Cattle Fresh Milk” as a caption encouraged viewers to “Indulge in freshness and richness”.
Another advert featured a replica of the Queen’s state coach and a liveried footman. Peter, who has never held HRH status, praised the “fantastic reputation” of Bright Dairies, the brand’s owner, which was itself owned by the Shanghai government.
A spokesman for Longleat House, the Wiltshire property shown in the commercial, said permission had not been granted. Former Home Office minister Norman Baker said strict rules had been breached, while other MPs condemned the “crass” adverts shown on Shanghai television
Guests at Peter’s first wedding to Autumn Kelly included the young Prince Harry and his then girlfriend Chelsy Davy, along with the future Princess of Wales, all pictured in their youth
A spokesman for Longleat House, the Wiltshire estate used in the commercial, said no permission had been granted.
Former Home Office minister Norman Baker said strict rules had been broken, while other MPs criticised the “crass” adverts broadcast on Shanghai television.
Palace sources stressed that Peter had not used the word “royal” in the advertisements. It later emerged, however, that the Chinese caption described him as a “British royal family member”.
The following March, only months after his divorce from Autumn was finalised, Peter began a relationship with Lindsay Wallace, a former school friend and classmate of his sister, Zara Tindall.
The romance attracted attention after Peter travelled 460 miles from Gloucestershire to visit Lindsay in Aberdeenshire. At the time, coronavirus restrictions made travel to or from Scotland without a reasonable excuse unlawful.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “At around 6.40pm on Friday 26 March, 2021, police received a report of a potential breach of coronavirus regulations at a property in St Cyrus, Montrose. Officers attended, spoke to the occupants and found no breaches of legislation.”
In the months that followed, Peter brought Lindsay to the christening of his nephew Lucas. The couple later ended their relationship in 2024.
Today, however, Peter appears to have moved beyond that turbulent period.
Radiant beneath a lace veil in their wedding photographs, Harriet seems to have brought a fresh energy to Peter’s life. Their relationship began not through a formal royal introduction, but naturally through their daughters’ school and wider social circles.
Two years after Queen Elizabeth II’s jubilee, it emerged that her grandson Peter had been paid £750,000 to organise her 90th birthday street party on The Mall, where 10,000 guests paid £150 each
In March 2021, only months after his divorce from Autumn was finalised, Peter began a relationship with Lindsay Wallace, an old school friend and classmate of Zara Tindall. The couple also faced scrutiny because of coronavirus restrictions at the time
Harriet’s daughter Georgina attends the same school as Peter’s daughters, and the pair first became acquainted at school events and hockey matches. Speaking to Hello!, Harriet described a relationship that developed easily, away from the formality often associated with royal life.
“We met properly in early 2022, when our three daughters were on the same hockey team. My daughter already knew Peter, as his children knew me, so we didn’t need a formal big introduction. It felt very relaxed and natural,” she said.
Harriet has also described Peter as her best friend, saying it was wonderful to have a partner with whom she could share her life.
The couple now appear to be enjoying a welcome stretch of domestic stability, something likely to be especially valued after the difficult end of Peter’s first marriage in 2020.
His wedding to Canadian-born Autumn at Windsor Castle in 2008 was one of the year’s major society occasions. Among the guests were the young Prince Harry and his then girlfriend Chelsy Davy, as well as the future Princess of Wales. Prince William was unable to attend because of his Army commitments.
After 12 years together, Peter and Autumn announced their separation in 2020, with their divorce completed the following year. Autumn has since found happiness with Irish construction tycoon Donal Mulryan.
Even an amicable divorce can create a significant gap in family life, particularly when children are involved.
With Harriet, however, Peter appears to have found a partner whose family life fits naturally alongside his own.
Her 13-year-old daughter Georgina has formed friendships with Peter’s daughters, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14. Their shared life at Gatcombe gives the teenagers space to adjust to their blended family at their own pace.
They also have a large extended family close by. Princess Anne lives on the estate, as do Zara and Mike Tindall with their three children, Mia, 12, Lena, eight, and Lucas, five.
Today, Peter appears to have turned a corner. Radiant beneath her lace veil in their wedding photographs, Harriet seems to have brought a fresh energy to his life
Peter and Harriet are surrounded by an extended family at Gatcombe. Princess Anne lives on the estate, as do Zara and Mike Tindall with their three children, Mia, 12, Lena, eight, and Lucas, five
It is a close-knit domestic arrangement, with grandparents, cousins and other relatives nearby to provide continuity and a strong sense of belonging.
Harriet appears to have brought more than family harmony to Peter’s life. She has also added her own professional identity to the royal circle.
Alongside her polished appearance and understated style, she has built a respected career as an NHS nurse.
Frontline healthcare demands skill, resilience and emotional strength – qualities that are valuable in any setting, including life connected to the Royal Family.
Harriet has since moved on from hospital nursing and is preparing to take on a prominent charitable role as patron of Home-Start in the Cotswolds. Her more than 20 years of professional experience, however, remain an important part of her identity.
Rather than simply becoming another royal spouse, she has brought her own perspective, career and experience to her new role.
Her recent interview also suggested that she has made a positive impression within the family. Harriet spoke warmly of Princess Anne’s remarkable work ethic and commitment, while revealing that she can also seek advice from the Princess of Wales.
The signs suggest Harriet is settling comfortably into royal life while retaining the grounded outlook of someone who has spent much of her career caring for others.
As Peter continues working in sports marketing and motorsport partnerships, and Harriet prepares for her new charitable responsibilities, the couple appear to have found an enviable balance: the privileges and connections associated with royal life without the pressures of being working royals.
For Peter, who has spent much of his adult life seeking privacy despite his royal connections, it may be the ideal arrangement. After years of public turbulence, he finally appears to have found his happy place.
