'Peter is my best friend': Inside Harriet Phillips' fairytale royal wedding, her bond with Catherine, and her new life at Gatcombe

"Becoming a parent can be one of the most wonderful experiences in life, but it can also feel overwhelming and isolating. We often assume that parenting comes naturally, but the reality is that everyone needs support at different points. Home-Start offers vital, practical and non-judgmental support. Just having someone to listen to can make an enormous difference, especially given how closely a parent's wellbeing is connected to a baby's wellbeing.

"Having worked with Home-Start as a specialist nurse in Gloucestershire, I had seen its impact first-hand and referred families to it. Home-Start approached me to ask if I would consider the role, and it felt like a completely natural fit.

"If I can do anything to shine a light on something positive for families and children, I'm thrilled to do it."

"My primary role is being an advocate for the charity and raising awareness. That involves attending events, participating in meetings, appearing on its website and social media, and visiting community groups to connect with volunteers and parents directly."

"It's been an enormous privilege to spend 24 years working in the NHS, and I've loved my career. It has taught me so much, professionally and personally. Over time, I've become increasingly passionate about the importance of promoting healthy brain development. If we can support parents during this critical early period, we have an opportunity to make a lasting difference for children. 

"Moving on feels like a natural step, rather than a complete change of direction – it's a chance to take everything I've learnt and use it in a new way."

"It's emotional looking back at it. When you're in it, it feels like you're in a dream, and when you look back, you think: 'Was that really me?' It was a slice of heaven."

"I always told myself that I would much rather meet someone naturally, and that's exactly what happened. We knew of each other through our children and through mutual friends. We met properly in early 2022, when our three daughters were on the same hockey team. We met watching our children play hockey, chatting casually in a very ordinary way. 

"My father had died just before I met Peter. I often think maybe that's why Peter came along."

"No; I just felt incredibly at ease with him and experienced a lovely, peaceful, safe feeling when talking to him – like being with a really good friend. Peter was the brave one in recognising that there was something between us and acting on it. This time, I thought: 'If I'm lucky enough to meet someone again, I want things to move slowly and ensure that everything is entirely right.'

"He is very romantic, loving, kind, loyal, amazing and my best friend."

"Our first dates were very ordinary and private. We went on dog walks and had dinner in a pub where no one would recognise us; mostly, we cooked together at home. He's a great cook and I love cooking. He's great at barbecues. It was wholesome and suited to who we both are as people.

"We laugh a lot together and are very happy to laugh at ourselves. Humour is catching when you spend time together and share a similar perspective. My daughter already knew Peter, as his children knew me, so we didn't need a formal big introduction. It felt very relaxed and natural."

"There were always going to be initial nerves about meeting anyone's family members, but I am quite a calm person. We met in the garden at Gatcombe. It was really relaxed; we sat on garden benches having cups of tea. It couldn't have been nicer and was very similar to when Peter met my family.

"She sets an amazing example with her work ethic. What I've seen is her tireless attention to local charities and her genuine interests. It's important to do things that match who you are, where you live and what your passions are. She has genuine areas of interest that she follows and she’s so well-respected in the family. She is incredibly loyal.

"The first time I met Their Majesties was at Ascot. There is a picture of us meeting! It was so lovely and relaxed and there was lots of laughter. You feel as though you're meeting family, but at the same time, it feels otherworldly. Both the King and the Queen have been so welcoming to me and Georgina. I can't thank them both enough."

"I've had an incredible experience being welcomed in. We happened to be on holiday at the same place in the Scilly Isles. It was great because the children were all jumping into the water at the same time. It was very casual but there is a clear level of respect there.

"I can look to Catherine for advice and guidance. She's very open-hearted, and I would always feel comfortable asking her if I needed advice about something."

"It was with my daughter and was an amazing experience. It's the loveliest family holiday with an extraordinary layer. Scotland is our favourite holiday; we go for a week, and everyone is there together. It's a proper family holiday and very outdoorsy – we go walking and running, play football with the children, cycle in the hills and go wild swimming, which is fantastic."

"It was on 25 July last year. We were on a weekend getaway in the south of England on a hot day during the heatwave. He asked me to marry him on the beach; I was completely overcome. He had the ring made at Pragnell beforehand – it's absolutely beautiful.

"No one in our family knew. It was the best-kept secret ever. We weren't living together, but we moved in together a few months after getting engaged.

"Asking me to marry him. He did really well in making it seem as though it was just a normal weekend away but creating a magical moment for both of us."

"Hopefully, having my feet firmly on the ground beforehand is the most important thing. If you've been through tricky things, you learn who you are and you don't get lost.

"Peter really helps; he's grounding, because this is his normal. This is not my normal. But I have to thank my parents for being wonderful and giving me a wholesome, stable upbringing. I hope that's what I've given my daughter. It brings me back to Home-Start. If we can support parents with young children and help with a stable base in those early years, people have better outcomes in life."

"It's pretty emotional, looking back at it. I got ready with my mother and our three girls [Harriet's daughter, Georgina, and Peter's daughters, Savannah and Isla]. My brother, Nicholas, came to meet me by car, and we arrived at the church. It was quite wet as it had rained that morning, but the girls kept my train completely white and immaculate. They did a really good job.

"I worked with Emilia Wickstead, who designed my dress. She is amazing and we became close during the process. She realised a dream for me, and I was so thrilled with it. The lace was inspired by flowers you might find locally. The fit and cut of the dress had more to do with the fact that it was a second wedding. It had a romantic, soft look about it. We both agreed that it needed to be something timeless."

"It just seemed like background noise; I was so focused on being in the moment. Of course, you're aware that people are around you, but I really wanted to enjoy it and be present. I was so happy. That's very natural for me. I was peaceful. I prayed. Maybe the peace of God came over me.

"Walking into the church was spectacular. Our florist, Millie Richardson, has a gift and literally brought the outside in. On the morning of the wedding, people were scooping bumblebees out of the flowers inside the church and bringing them outside. I had myrtle and lily of the valley in my bouquet – all my family members have had myrtle in their wedding flowers, so I continued that tradition.

"We had a prayer with the vicar outside and then walked into the fragrance of the flowers in the church. It was incredible. It's such a beautiful church, and I grew up going to it. It's tiny – we were all squished in!

"Their Majesties were there, which was a bit of a pinch-me moment, but just incredible. I can't really put it into words. It was just so special. I was close to crying but I held it together.

"There's nothing like a wedding day, because everyone's there for you and you're there for love. It was the happiest day of my life, apart from when my daughter was born." 

"We had the reception in the garden of Gatcombe, and the sun came out; it was amazing. We had live music and incredible canapes and champagne, and it was a true celebration, but very 'us' as well. We had lamb from Gatcombe, and instead of a wedding cake, we had a huge tiramisu. It was all very relaxed and informal, and there was a lot of dancing to a live band."

"No, I left Peter to that. He's much better at that than me. There was lots of laughter and it was an amazing family day. It finished at midnight, but everyone wanted it to carry on. That’s the sign of a good party!"

"She's very serene and emotionally very mature. She takes it all in her stride."

"I was brought up in a village in the middle of fields. My parents celebrated an incredible 51 years of marriage, and sadly, my father died just before Peter and I got together.

"My upbringing was pretty idyllic, growing up as one of four siblings in the countryside. I enjoyed playing in school sports teams and especially loved tennis. I rode ponies and we always had a labrador growing up.

"I studied nursing at university before moving to London to start my first job at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Aside from my family, my work is one of the things I'm most proud of. It is incredibly fulfilling.

"I returned to work after my daughter turned one; I would have chosen to spend more time with her if possible, but I had to go back to work after a year. I worked part-time and had the backing of my family and wonderful friends."

"Although at times it was a painful experience, I did have the support of people who loved us. Any time in life when you're under pressure or facing adversity, something good always comes from it. Lean in; don't be scared.

"I love going to church when I can, although children's sports events mean that it doesn't happen every weekend.

"Wonderful relationships develop from needing to lean in to close friends and family. I needed to move back closer to home in Gloucestershire, which was a total pleasure because I love it here.

"Looking back, my faith and the support around me got me through. Becoming a mother gives you an inner strength to protect your loved one and face whatever comes.

"Everyone has challenges in life that are dressed up differently. Maybe this has been my challenge – the experience of bringing up a child on my own. I've been able to see the good things that have come out of it. Good things come to those who wait, and meeting Peter was a part of the journey. I am enormously proud of my daughter and who she is. We are very close."

"Unexpected things that you hadn't imagined for your life. There is a beauty that comes out of difficult situations. A beautiful jewel is formed under pressure. Difficulties in life enable you to relate to people and build empathy."

"The biggest one is having a new shape of a family. I'm now married and that's a pleasurable adjustment, because it's so lovely having somebody to share life and experiences with. And trying to fit everything in! I've been working full-time and raising a child – it was a juggle, but I'm finding some ways to balance it now.

"Swimming, walking our dog, being immersed in nature, beautiful sunsets. I try to exercise every day. I love wild swimming when I can. I always try to read on holiday.

"Peter and I are watching a great series called Shrinking on Apple TV at the moment; it's hilarious and is making us both laugh."

"It aligns directly with the area I specialised in, but through a different approach. Children's early relationships, experiences and environments profoundly influence their future. In this new role, I hope to draw on my clinical experience to translate what we know about early development into meaningful, positive change by ensuring that parents and practitioners have the right knowledge and support."

"Without a doubt, the people. Nursing is a deeply people-centred profession, and for 24 years, I've worked alongside amazing colleagues and built strong relationships. You share difficult, challenging moments, but also celebrate the days when children get better. I will miss that direct contact with families and the unique privilege of journeying alongside a parent through a challenging time."

"Being a mother brings a very personal perspective. You appreciate the overwhelming love for a child, but also the responsibility and emotion that come with it. Experiencing challenging or painful times personally deepens your empathy for what others are going through."

"I will continue as I am. I'm a professional and will continue working in the area I'm passionate about. I've got a wealth of knowledge that I don’t want to waste, so I will continue to use that.

"It feels natural, moving from one chapter to another, in terms of my career but also my personal life: being married, and our children are teenagers, which feels like a new chapter. There are quite a lot of things that feel new."

"I would love to help shine a light on the work of Home-Start Cotswolds and the incredible work that it undertakes, and strengthen its profile in the community. We don't just support babies by caring for them directly – we support babies by supporting the people who care for them."