An official photo of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling, released along with their engagement announcement on August 1, 2025 (i5 Media/PA Images/Alamy)
Friday brought us happy news for the Princess Royal’s son, as Peter Phillips announced that he is engaged to marry his girlfriend, Harriet Sperling—and he proposed with a diamond ring!
Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling attend day ten of the Wimbledon Championships on July 9, 2025 (Ben Whitley/PA Images/Alamy)
Peter, 47, is the only son of the Princess Royal and the eldest grandson of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He was previously married to Autumn Kelly, with whom he has two daughters, Savannah and Isla. In the spring of 2024, he made his first public appearance with his girlfriend, Harriet Sanders Sperling, at the Badminton Horse Trials. Since then, the two have attended several events with his uncle, King Charles III, and the rest of the royal family. They’ve been photographed frequently together at events like Royal Ascot and Wimbledon over the past year.
An official photo of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling, released along with their engagement announcement on August 1, 2025 (i5 Media/PA Images/Alamy)
On Friday, the couple announced that they are engaged to be married. The news, which was offered exclusively to Hello!, was accompanied by a statement from their PR representative: “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.”
Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips attend day four of Royal Ascot on June 21, 2024 (Yui Mok/PA Images/Alamy)
The statement concluded, “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.”
Harriet Sperling attends the races at Royal Ascot on June 17, 2025 (Doug Peters/Empics/Alamy)
Like Peter, 45-year-old Harriet has been married before, and she has a daughter. Like Peter, she has family roots in Gloucestershire. Her father, the late Rupert Sanders, served as the county’s High Sheriff. Genealogists have also traced a distant family connection, via marriage, between the Sanders family and the Duke of Gloucester. Harriet herself works as an NHS pediatric nurse. She is also a freelance writer. Last year, she published a piece in Women’s Alive, a Christian women’s magazine, reflecting on the bond she shares with her daughter as a single mother: “This journey has deepened my faith, teaching me to trust in God’s plan and to find strength in his love.”
An official photo of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling, released along with their engagement announcement on August 1, 2025 (i5 Media/PA Images/Alamy)
The official pictures shared by Peter and Harriet showcase her diamond engagement ring. The ring appears to be set with an oval-shaped diamond flanked by a pair of smaller stones, set on a slim gold band.