Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s surprising nod to absent royals Harry and Meghan at their wedding

Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling did not invite Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to their nuptials at All Saints’ Church in Gloucestershire on Saturday

eter Phillips and Harriet Sperling reunited senior members of the Firm for the first British royal wedding in six years on Saturday.

Princess Anne‘s son tied the knot for a second time at All Saints’ Church in Kemble, Cirencester, on Saturday, with the likes of King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance. It marked the first royal wedding since Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in 2020.

However, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were among those absent, simply because they “weren’t invited”, with a friend telling HELLO! exclusively last month that the Duke of Sussex has “lost touch” with his cousin.

Even so, the special day contained a special nod to the Sussexes’ own stunning nuptials in 2018.

Peter, 48, and his new bride, NHS nurse Harriet, 45, left the countryside church in a vintage Phantom IV Rolls-Royce, according to the Daily Mail, sharing a passionate first kiss in front of delighted crowds.

This is the same vehicle used by Meghan when she arrived at St George’s Chapel in Windsor eight years ago.

A romantic goodbye

The shiny Phantom car is one of the official royal state vehicles, used for big events.

It was originally ordered as a personal car for the late Queen Elizabeth II, who drove in it to Westminster Abbey in 1952.

© Getty Images
Meghan also arrived in the Phantom Rolls-Royce

Now, it’s occasionally used by King Charles or for other high-profile and state occasions. For example, the monarch drove in the car in 2022 to RAF Northolt to board a flight to Edinburgh to attend a family vigil for his mother at St Giles’s Cathedral.

HELLO!‘s Lucy Norris, who joined the couple for their big day and stood outside the church, said: “The bride and groom looked absolutely radiant. They delighted the crowds as they shared a kiss in the car as they left. Their happiness was shining through as they waved to onlookers, and it was clear that the entire day had gone exactly as they’d planned, despite the rain.”

© HELLO!
Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling departed as newlyweds

Harriet looked beautiful in a white Emilia Wickstead gown, with her bridesmaids, daughter Georgina, 13, and Peter’s daughters Savannah and Isla, also wearing white dresses by the designer.

She added the “Pragnell” family tiara and earrings, Jimmy Choo shoes, and carried a bridal bouquet by floral artist Millie Richardson, including sweet peas, myrtle, and lily of the valley.

Royals missing from the day

Prince Harry and Meghan didn’t make the guest list, alongside the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.

© Getty
Meghan looked stunning as she arrived at St George’s Chapel in 2018

A friend of the couple previously told HELLO!: “It was probably not deemed appropriate to invite [Andrew and Sarah]. It’s Peter and Harriet’s special day, and clearly their attendance would cause a distraction.

“Peter and Harry haven’t spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn’t been invited.”

While the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their son, James, Earl of Wessex, were spotted among the wedding guests, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s daughter, Lady Louise Windsor, was noticeably absent.

The student, 22, is finishing the final year of her four-year English degree at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and is likely busy rounding up her studies.

cre: https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/906148/peter-phillips-harriet-sperlings-surprising-nod-absent-royals-prince-harry-meghan-markle-wedding/