At 46, Princess Anne’s Eldest Son Peter Phillips Finds Love With Regular Nurse And Captures Everyone’s Attention

May 16, 2024

The eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, Peter Phillips is the son of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. Born on November 15, 1977, at St Mary’s Hospital in London, like his younger sister Zara Tindall (née Phillips), who is 39, Peter has never held a royal title. This is because titles are passed through the male line, and since his father doesn’t have one, he and Tindall did not inherit one either. Like Tindall, Peter has two younger half-sisters from his father, Felicity Wade and Stephanie Phillips, who are both from different mothers.

Despite being the queen’s first grandchild, Peter is now 17th in line to the throne. However, he is believed to be Her Majesty’s “favorite” grandson, according to royal insiders, as reported by Mirror.

Although he is the oldest among the cousins, Phillips has flown relatively under the radar and has only captured attention whenever something huge happens to his life. In April 2024, Phillips reportedly broke up with Lindsay Wallace, the daughter of oil tycoon Keith Wallace, three years after they started dating. 

A few weeks after their split, Philipps captured everyone’s attention when he was spotted dating a new woman. Phillips proudly showed his new partner to the public at Badminton—an elite horse event where the couple spent their weekend. The newly minted couple bravely held hands while walking, letting a sea of people see them cozy up with each other. 

Keep reading to learn more about Phillips, his dating history, and people’s reactions to his new girlfriend. 

Phillips had been married to Autumn Kelly for 12 years before they divorced in 2021. 

After meeting at the 2003 Canadian Grand Prix, Kelly moved to London to live with Phillips in Kensington. Five years later, the couple married at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Peter’s sister, Zara Tindall, was one of five bridesmaids, while senior members of the royal family attended the nuptials.

Soon after their wedding, the couple was already in trouble with the queen after they sold photos from their special day to Hello! magazine for a reported £500,000. In the 59-page magazine spread, candid photos of guests including Kate Middleton and Prince Harry could be seen, prompting Buckingham Palace to declare the move “a serious error of judgment,” as reported by Mirror.

The couple went on to live in Gloucestershire on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate, where they began to raise their two children, Savannah and Isla. However, after being married for 12 years, the couple announced their divorce in February 2020. As reported by The Mirror, a statement they issued at the time explained:

“They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship. The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one.”

It added that the couple’s daughters are their first priority and that while members of both families were sad, they were “fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co-parent their children.”

Phillips and Kelly’s divorce wasn’t finalized until 2021. After a few months, Phillips started dating Wallace. The two attended several family events, including King Charles’ coronation concert, the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee pageant, and many others. 

On April 10, 2024, a spokesperson for Phillips confirmed to People that Wallace and Phillips had broken up after three years of dating, only explaining that the separation was a  “private matter.” 

Only weeks later, The Sun reported that Phillips was seen dating a new woman when they showed up at Badminton. Princess Anne’s eldest son was seen holding hands while walking with pediatric nurse specialist Harriet Sperling, who also works as a freelance writer. The two were described as being at each other’s side throughout their time together. 

“They looked completely smitten and he was grinning from ear to ear,” one witness said about the new couple. “He looked like the cat that got the cream and acted without a care in the world. He didn’t seem to mind who saw them together.” 

The witness also added that Sperling looked “very happy and relaxed” at Phillps’ side and was “pleased” to be flaunted at the event. 

“His love life has certainly taken some very public twists and turns in recent years But they looked extremely close and seemed like they had known each other for some time,” the source added.

Phillips and Sperling were spotted hanging out with the former’s daughters, Savannah and Isla. After their first public debut, the couple was again reportedly spotted at the swish Gloucestershire event, where she was seen greeting Queen Camilla. The outlet reported that it is still unknown whether she has been formally introduced to Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, or Sir Tim Laurence. 

People on social media seemed delighted that Phillips has found a new love through Sperling, with some saying that Sperling was a “lucky woman” and that Phillips was a “catch.” 

“Nothing wrong with him doing so. I wish him well,” a user said, echoing others who wrote, “Well, lucky her, with that handsome man.” 

What do you think about Peter Phillips’ love story? What can you say about his new girlfriend? Do you think they look good together? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other Royal Family fans out there!