The royal family gathered on Saturday for the wedding of King Charles's nephew, Peter Phillips, to paediatric nurse Harriet Sperling. However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were notably absent from the ceremony, held at All Saints Church in Kemble, Cotswolds.
Beatrice and Eugenie Make First Royal Appearance Since Father's Arrest
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended their first official royal event since their father, Prince Andrew, was arrested in February on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. Beatrice arrived with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, wearing a tea-length green floral dress with an A-line skirt. Eugenie, who announced last month that she is expecting her third child with husband Jack Brooksbank, opted for an all-navy ensemble, including an oversized coat, a simple fascinator, and heel-less shoes. Neither their mother, Sarah Ferguson, nor Prince Andrew were present at the wedding.
Key Royal Attendees
The Prince and Princess of Wales were in attendance. Kate Middleton wore an elegant ankle-grazing Roland Mouret dress, cinched at the waist with a belt, and paired with a Jane Taylor boater-style hat in a matching colour. King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived, with Camilla wearing an off-white dress with a scallop-trimmed coat and hat. Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wore a powder blue ensemble alongside her husband, Prince Edward. Peter's sister, Zara Tindall, was dressed in a periwinkle midi dress with silver heels. Princess Anne, the mother of the groom, beamed in butter yellow.
The Bride's Attire and Bridal Party
Harriet Sperling wore an Emilia Wickstead gown, featuring a square-neck column dress overlaid with lace, paired with a tiara and a floor-length lace-trimmed veil. The bridesmaids included Peter's daughters from his first marriage, Savannah and Isla Phillips, and Harriet's 13-year-old daughter, Georgina Sperling. They also wore Emilia Wickstead dresses with flower garlands in their hair. The groom wore pinstriped trousers and a light blue waistcoat.
Rain Doesn't Dampen the Celebration
Despite light rain, the couple posed for photos with an umbrella outside the church after the ceremony. King Charles and Queen Camilla boarded a private helicopter soon after the ceremony to attend the Epsom Derby in Surrey, which started at 4 pm local time.
Why Harry and Meghan Were Absent
Reports had circulated that Prince Harry was not invited because he and Peter had "lost touch," despite their once-close friendship. Hello! royal editor Emily Nash told Page Six that Peter's relationship with Prince William, who is estranged from Harry, likely influenced the decision. "Peter is very loyal; he's very protective. He's been a very good sounding board to his cousin over the years," Nash said. "So it absolutely makes sense that I think had both Wales brothers been there, it would have put a completely different slant on the whole event … And that's not what you want on what should be the happiest day of your life, right?" Harry attended Peter's first wedding in 2008 and reportedly acted as a peacemaker between the brothers during Prince Philip's funeral in 2021.
