It's been nearly five months since Harriet Sperling joined the royal family. The former NHS nurse tied the knot with Peter Phillips on 6 June 2026 at All Saints Church in Kemble.
The ceremony was attended by the likes of King Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Catherine, along with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and, of course, Princess Anne - the mother of the groom.
© Getty ImagesNow Harriet has opened up about the Princess Royal in an exclusive interview with HELLO!, and revealed what Anne is really like behind closed doors.
Harriet recalled her first meeting with her future mother-in-law, telling us: "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."
The 45-year-old - mother to 14-year-old daughter Georgina, was full of praise for Anne, adding: "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."
Harriet continued: "I feel very lucky to be a part of the family. She's brilliant, really good fun and straight-talking. She's incredibly generous – we had our wedding reception at Gatcombe, and it was amazing and special for Peter and I to have our wedding where he grew up."
Peter and Harriet live together in a private cottage on the Gatcombe Park Estate in Gloucestershire, which is owned by his mother, Princess Anne. Their close neighbours include his sister, Zara Tindall, her husband, Mike, and their three children, who live on the same estate at Aston Farm.
© Getty ImagesPeter, 48, is a father to two children, daughters Savannah, 15, and 14-year-old Isla from his first marriage to Autumn Kelly. The former couple separated in 2019 and settled their divorce in 2021.
Peter and Harriet announce their engagement
On 1 August 2025, Peter and Harriet made the happy announcement that they were engaged after a year of dating.
The couple released two photos which showed off Harriet's stunning engagement ring.
© Getty Images for DMMI Royal CharA statement issued on their behalf by spokesperson 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.
"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."
HELLO!'s royal editor, Emily Nash, said: "This is wonderful news for Peter and Harriet, but also the wider royal family. Peter is close to the King and to his cousins and Harriet seems to have been warmly welcomed into the fold.
© UK Press via Getty Images"The signs that this was serious have been there for some time and seeing Harriet taking part in the royal procession at Royal Ascot this year convinced many royal watchers an engagement was on the cards."
Meanwhile, royal photographer James Whatling, who has photographed Peter and Harriet several times, told HELLO!: "We were waiting for this news. You can't watch this couple for too long without noticing how close they are, they’re so tactile and they're clearly so in love. It was only a matter of time."
Peter, who is the eldest child of Princess Anne, started dating Harriet in 2024. The couple made their debut at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024, and they were seen walking hand-in-hand as they supported Peter's sister, Zara Tindall.
At the time, a friend of Peter's said the royal has met someone "recently" and they are "spending time together", but it's too early to be anything more at this stage.
A look back at Harriet and Peter's wedding
The happy couple tied the knot in an intimate wedding in the Cotswolds attended by senior members of the royal family.
The King and Queen were cheered as they arrived at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, to see Peter, 48, the Princess Royal's son, and Harriet wed.
© Getty ImagesThey were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, the groom's sister and brother-in-law Zara and Mike Tindall with their daughters Mia and Lena, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their son James, Earl of Wessex.
Also in the congregation were the groom’s cousins Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, accompanied by their husbands Jack Brooksbank and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, however, were not in attendance.
Harriet wore a dress designed by Emilia Wickstead, earrings by Pragnell and the Pragnell family tiara, with shoes by Jimmy Choo, on her special day.
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