It was quite the royal turn-out this weekend as the eldest grandson of the late Queen Elizabeth II (and Princess Anne’s first-born son) Peter Phillips tied the knot with Harriet Sperling following a two-year courtship. King Charles and Queen Camilla were there; so were Prince William and Kate Middleton. Even Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie turned up. Still, it was Sperling’s wedding dress that was the scene-stealer of the day.
Harriet Sperling’s Wedding Dress Nods to Kate Middleton’s in Rainy Cotswolds Ceremony
It has Grace Kelly vibes, too
•
Published Jun 8, 2026
Zak Hussein/Shutterstock
Zak Hussein/Shutterstock
Known for her relaxed style and preference for oversize silhouettes, Sperling surprised everyone with an Emilia Wickstead column gown made from Italian ivory crepe that the designer described as “something authentic, traditional and modern” in an interview with British Vogue.
But it wasn’t just the choice of Emilia Wickstead (a brand long-favored by Princess Catherine) that connected Sperling’s wedding gown to the Princess of Wales. The full-length lace sleeves were also reminiscent of Catherine’s own wedding-day look at Westminster Abbey back in 2011. (Grace Kelly also wore a similar style of sleeve when she wed Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.) That said, Sperling’s column underdress, lace over-jacket and 19th-century-inspired train made the entire look unique and head-turning, especially against the lush greenery outside the All Saints’ Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, where the pair wed.
David Hartley/Shutterstock
Speaking of the veil, Wickstead also spilled the intricate details toBritish Vogue about how it was made, explaining that Leavers lace was used (and incorporated into the gown, too). Per the designer, this is an exceptionally fine fabric invented in Nottingham in 1813. It was then woven with prairie flowers, a wildflower motif that dates back to the early 1900s—an effort to nod to the “sprawling blooms native to Gloucestershire, where both Sperling and Phillips spent their childhoods.” Altogether, it was a stunning look.
AL123/Shutterstock
Of course, the rain played a huge part in the day—sparking joy, not just for the bride and groom as they posed for photos beneath an oversized white umbrella, but also for the littlest attendees. (Lena Tindall, for example, had quite the time playing with her rainbow-and-unicorn adorned brolly as dad Mike Tindall looked on, per Hello!.)
It may be some time before we get another royal wedding—even a more intimate one like this—so it was lovely to see Sperling (and the extended royal family) turn out.
