Peter Phillips announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling in August after a year of dating, sparking speculation that the NHS pediatric nurse would make her big debut at Sandringham with the rest of the royal family this Christmas.
Royal watchers were left sorely disappointed, however, not to see Princess Anne's son and his fiancée in attendance as a slimmed-down royal procession arrived at St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day for the annual walkabout. HELLO! understands that Peter opted to spend a quiet Christmas with Harriet's family instead of joining King Charles in Norfolk.
© Samir Hussein/WireImageLast year, Harriet was scheduled to work, so the couple decided to keep things low-key and relaxed in 2025, spending Christmas away from the public eye in the company of her loved ones.
Harriet, who made her public debut with Peter at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024, is a mother to daughter Georgia, while Peter shares daughters Savannah and Isla with his ex-wife Autumn Phillips.
Wedding bells
Peter and Harriet confirmed their engagement this summer by sharing two beautiful photographs with HELLO!.
A statement issued for the couple by Gerard Franklin read: "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.
© Getty Images"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."
No date has yet been announced for the wedding, which is expected to take place next year.
The pair are believed to have started dating in 2024. At the time news of their blossoming romance broke, a friend of Peter's said the royal had been "spending time" with his new girlfriend, adding that it was early days for the couple.
It wasn't long before Harriet was joining Peter at official engagements alongside senior members of the royal family, however.
Most significantly, in June, Harriet made her first official appearance in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot. She rode alongside Peter and was later seen in conversation with his mother Princess Anne and sister Zara Tindall.
© Victoria Jones/ShutterstockChristmas at Sandringham
A slimmed-down monarchy joined King Charles and Queen Camilla at Sandringham this year. Aside from Peter and Harriet, other notable absences from the proceedings included disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
The King stripped his younger brother, Andrew, 65, of all of his royal titles, styles and honours in October, amid a string of scandals, including his connections to convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
© WireImage2024 -
May
Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling make their first public appearance together at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024. They walk hand‑in‑hand, laughing during the cross‑country phase of the three-day event, and Harriet speaks to Queen Camilla!
June
Their second outing takes place at Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, and a fellow attendee told HELLO!: "As they arrived at the polo, Peter was introducing Harriet to some of the guests, but she seemed to know quite a few people, so she's clearly been on the scene a little bit.''
September
They attend the launch of Tom Parker Bowles: Cooking & The Crown, where they are photographed talking with Queen Camilla sharing a joyous moment.
2025 -
April
Harriet accompanies Peter for one day at the Bahrain Grand Prix, along with his royal cousins Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, as well as Sarah Ferguson, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Jack Brooksbank. This marks Harriet's further integration into the extended family circle.
June
Harriet makes her first official appearance with the royal family in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot, day one. She rides alongside Peter and afterwards is seen speaking to many members of the family including Princess Anne and Zara Tindall.
July
The lovebirds attend day ten of Wimbledon seated in the Royal Box. In July, they also appear at the Royal Charity Polo Match supporting Prince William.
August
They announced their engagement on Friday 1st August and a statement issued for the couple read: "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.'' No official date has been set for the wedding.
Sarah, meanwhile, was dropped by several charities in September after it had emerged she had written to Epstein, calling him a "supreme friend" despite publicly disowning him in the media.
Queen Camilla's children, too, missed out on the royal festivities. Her son, Tom Parker Bowles recently explained why he and his sister, Laura Lopes, would be giving the Sandringham proceedings a miss in 2025.
"I'm not [attending]. Nor is my sister. It’ll be every other year, one year on, one year off," Tom told The Daily Mail's Richard Eden.
© AFP via Getty ImagesInstead, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie took centre stage this year in a defiant display of support, walking closely alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children, signalling their inclusion in the Firm in spite of the challenges caused by their parents' actions.
An onlooker at Sandringham told HELLO!: "Beatrice and Eugenie appeared to be in high spirits as they walked with the family. It was nice to see them all together at Christmas."
