Inside Peter Phillips' first marriage and divorce from Autumn Kelly as he gets engaged to girlfriend
Peter was married to Canadian-born Autumn Kelly for more than a decade
There’s another royal wedding on the horizon as Peter Phillips, the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and son of Princess Anne, is officially engaged to Harriet Sperling.
Peter and Harriet, an NHS nurse and writer, confirmed their engagement on August 1 through a joint statement.
“Mr. Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms. Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr. Rupert Sanders and Mrs. Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement,” the statement read, as reported by HELLO!.
“Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement.”
No wedding date has been set yet, but the couple’s happiness is evident. In official photos, Harriet beamed as she showed off her diamond ring, standing beside Peter in a frilly white ensemble.
This won’t be Peter’s first wedding, as he was previously married to Autumn Kelly.
Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly’s relationship
Before finding love with Harriet, Peter was married to Canadian-born Autumn Kelly.
The pair met at the 2003 Montreal Grand Prix, where Peter worked for BMW Williams and Autumn was in the hospitality suite. Peter was instantly smitten, even if he mistakenly called her “Megan” at first!
They began a long-distance relationship before Autumn moved to the UK. Four years later, Peter proposed during a rainy dog walk in Gloucestershire. Despite the soggy setting, Autumn said yes immediately.
Their 2008 wedding at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle was attended by the Queen, Prince William, and Prince Harry.
Autumn, who was raised Roman Catholic, converted to the Church of England before the wedding, preserving Peter’s place in the royal line of succession.
Peter and Autumn split
Peter and Autumn welcomed two daughters, Savannah in 2010 and Isla in 2012, and largely kept a low profile as a family. But by 2019, their relationship had quietly ended.
In 2020, they publicly announced their split and finalised the divorce in 2021.
“They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship,” a spokesperson said. “The couple’s first priority will remain the continued well-being and upbringing of their daughters. Both families were naturally sad at the announcement, but fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co-parent their children.”
Both parents remained in Gloucestershire to co-parent. Over the years, they’ve been seen attending events together, including the Cheltenham Races, and appeared to remain on good terms.
Peter Phillips announces engagement
Following the divorce, Peter briefly dated Lindsay Wallace. The couple attended royal events like the late Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee and King Charles’ coronation concert together.
Peter went public with Harriet in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials.
She has since attended events like Royal Ascot, where she was spotted mingling with Princess Anne, Queen Camilla, and King Charles. Harriet has a daughter named Georgia from a previous relationship.
A friend previously revealed that Peter met Harriet at a sporting event, and their connection quickly deepened.
Now, with wedding plans ahead, Peter and Harriet are stepping confidently into the future.
Read more: Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips announces he’s engaged to girlfriend Harriet Sperling
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