At a church in Gloucestershire, Peter Phillips, the son of Princess Anne, married NHS nurse Harriet Sperling.
As the second marriage for both Phillips, 48, and Sperling, 45, the wedding was an elegant but understated mix of tradition and style.
Notably, Sperling chose to wear a custom lace gown from New Zealand designer Emilia Wickstead, while her groom wore a tailcoat, a blue waistcoat, and striped trousers. Both the bride and groom’s children from former relationships played a part in the wedding, with Sperling’s daughter Georgina, 13 and Phillips’ daughters Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, serving as bridesmaids.
While second weddings are commonly carried out with less fanfare, as Phillips is the nephew of King Charles, it was fair to expect all eyes would be on the happy couple. The countryside ceremony was held in private, but photos of Phillips, Sperling and their royal guests were captured arriving, revealing the style choices of attendees.
Sperling looked stunning in a column dress with a lace overlayer and a dramatic three-metre train, held away from the rain-soaked pavement by her bridesmaids. She also wore a delicate pearl and diamond tiara to anchor her veil. The piece was on loan from Pragnell, the British jeweller that also crafted her engagement ring.
Vogue reported the dress was constructed using a trio of different elements: a square-neck column underdress, a delicate lace overjacket fitted above the waist, and that head-turning train.
“We aligned on something authentic, traditional and modern,” explained Wickstead in comments shared with Vogue.The London-based Kiwi designer (who also created the new look for Air New Zealand’s soon-to-be-adopted uniform) is a favourite of royals including the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, so it was a fitting choice for the bride, who is a paediatric nurse specialist for the NHS.
The Princess of Wales also attended the wedding with her husband, Prince William, wearing a blush-toned Roland Mouret dress. Other royals in attendance included King Charles and Queen Camilla, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, the Princess Royal, and Zara Tindall, the groom’s sister, and her husband Mike Tindall.
The couple’s reception was held in private, at the countryside home of Princess Anne, where the groom grew up.
