We had only just noticed increased appearances by Harriet Sperling, 45, then-girlfriend of Princess Anne’s son, Peter Phillips, 47, when the news broke: After a year of dating, Peter and Harriet—a pediatric nurse for the NHS—are engaged. That means a future royal wedding is upon us. Huzzah!
Royal Wedding of the Decade: Surprise Engagement Is Revealed
Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling are engaged!
Published Aug 2, 2025
•12:28pm
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The royal couple first shared the news of their engagement with Hello! on Friday along with two new photos, both of which show Harriet’s stunner of an engagement ring. (According to People, it appears to be a trilogy design.) In addition to showcasing her ring in the pics, Harriet is wearing a matching white set in a gauzy cheesecloth fabric from royal favorite brand, ME+EM, as she lovingly gazes into fiancé Peter’s eyes.
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A spokesperson for the couple also issued a 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 continued, “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 date has been officially set for the wedding.”
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In the images shared with Hello!, the couple—who made their public debut as a couple in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials in Gloucestershire, U.K.—look relaxed and at ease. They reportedly met at a sporting event and also have much in common given they each have children of similar ages. Peter has two children, Savannah and Isla, who he shares with his ex-wife, Autumn Kelly, while Harriet has a daughter herself, named Georgia, who she raised as a single mother. (Peter finalized his divorce from Autumn in June 2021 after just over 12 years of marriage.)
This summer, we’ve seen Harriet step out for numerous high-profile royal engagements—ranging from Royal Ascot to Wimbledon—a move that seemed to solidify her presence as a more official member of the royal family.
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