The Royal Family is set to come together for one of its biggest gathering of the year today – the wedding of Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips to NHS nurse Harriet Sperling.
The King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Zara and Mike Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are among those expected to descend on the small village of Kemble, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, for the private nuptials.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not attend. Harry and Mr Phillips were close when younger but it is reported they have lost touch, with the duke, who has a longstanding rift with his brother William, moving to the US, from where he has criticised members of his family and the royal institution.
Mr Phillips, the King’s nephew, William and Harry’s first cousin, the brother of Zara, is the son of Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips. He split from his first wife Autumn in 2020 after 12 years of marriage and shares custody of their two children.
Last night, bride Harriet and her daughter Georgina, groom Peter and his daughters Savannah and Isla as well as Peter’s sister Zara were all seen attending a last-minute rehearsal at the church.
New UpdatesToday10:04 BST
Later today, the Royal Family will be celebrating as Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips married his partner Harriet Sperling in a private ceremony in Cirencester. King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are all among the guest list, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly not been invited.
While it has been reported the Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be attending the nuptials, recent allegations levelled at their father Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have called into question whether the princesses will attend, as they do not want to take attention away from the happy couple.
As a result of the investigation into their father, a royal commentator believes that Beatrice and Eugenie “will likely skip” attending the wedding, as their presence would no doubt have people talking about their parents’ indiscretions, rather than focusing on the happy day at hand.
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Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie(Image: PA)
In just a matter of hours, Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling will be tying the knot as they exchange vows in front of their loved ones in a private ceremony.
The couple’s wedding will take place today at All Saints Church, Kemble, Cirencester, where many senior royals are expected to attend the happy occasion. The location of the wedding is special to both the bride and groom, as the church is located very close to where Harriet grew up. And for Peter, the town is just 20 minutes away from where his mother, Princess Anne, lives at Gatcombe Park.
The family residence is so important to Peter that it is believed it will be the location for the newlywed’s reception party, according to reports from HELLO! Magazine. The area is also Peter’s childhood home, so the location carries a “special resonance” for the late Queen’s eldest grandchild.
Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips(Image: Getty Images)
The big ceremony will take place today at All Saints Church in Gloucestershire. With its tall spire, sits in the heart of Kemble, with its congregation described as “very much involved in village life”.
Mr Phillips lives nearby on his mother’s Gatcombe Park estate in Minchinhampton. This morning last-minute preparations were seen taking place with the church grounds spruced up and flowers being delivered.
A flower arch is set up outside the church(Image: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)
The church grounds are spruced up(Image: Victoria Jones/Shutterstock)
Today10:04 BST
The royal family will come together today to celebrate the wedding of the Princess Royal’s son Peter Phillips.
The King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Zara and Mike Tindall and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are among those expected to descend on the small village of Kemble, near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, for the private nuptials.
Harry and Meghan will not attend. It is not known whether an invitation was extended to Mr Phillips’s cousin Harry, Meghan and their children, amid reports the Sussexes were left off the guest list.
Harry and Mr Phillips were close when younger but it is reported they have lost touch, with the duke, who has a longstanding rift with his brother William, moving to the US, from where he has criticised members of his family and the royal institution.
The late Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandson will tie the knot with NHS nurse Harriet Sperling in a ceremony at All Saints Church. Also expected to be there are Mr Phillips’s children Savannah, 15, and 14-year-old Isla, as well as Ms Sperling’s teenage daughter Georgina.
Peter Phillips with wife-to-be Harriet Sperling(Image: Joe Giddens/PA Wire)