Peter Phillips’ surprise tribute to Meghan Markle at intimate royal wedding, despite snubbing the Sussexes from the guest list

The son of Princess Anne married NHS nurse Harriet Sperling at All Saints Church in Kemble, near Cirencester, on Saturday in what has been described as an “intimate yet significant” royal gathering.

The 48-year-old royal was joined by a host of senior family members for the ceremony, including King Charles III, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Zara Tindall.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were also among the guests, despite ongoing scrutiny surrounding the York family following the release of the Epstein files and the fallout involving their parents.

Noticeably absent, however, were Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

While the eldest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II attended the Sussexes’ 2018 wedding alongside his former wife Autumn Phillips, Harry and Meghan are understood to have missed out on an invitation this time around following years of distance between the cousins.

Ahead of the wedding, a friend of Phillips told Hello! that “Peter and Harry haven’t spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn’t been invited.”

Despite the reported estrangement, Phillips and his new bride appeared to make a subtle nod to the Sussexes after the ceremony.

The newlyweds departed the church in a vintage Rolls-Royce Phantom IV- the same vehicle Meghan used when she arrived at St George’s Chapel in Windsor for her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.

Widely regarded as one of the rarest and most prestigious Rolls-Royce models ever produced, the Phantom IV forms part of the royal fleet and is estimated to be worth at least £2.5 million (about AUD$4.7 million).

The first Phantom IV was delivered to Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II, and Prince Philip on July 6, 1950.

It was later repainted in the official Royal Claret and Black livery after Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952.

Just 18 Phantom IV vehicles were built between 1950 and 1956, with only 16 believed to survive today.

Unlike some vehicles used by the Royal Family, which are held by the Crown, the Phantom IV is understood to be part of the King’s private collection and is housed at the Royal Mews.

King Charles, who has personally travelled in the vehicle on several occasions, reportedly allowed the couple to use the car for their wedding celebrations.

However, while the monarch lent the rare Rolls-Royce to the newlyweds, Harriet did not wear a royal family tiara on her wedding day.

Instead, the mother-of-one borrowed a diamond and pearl tiara from luxury British jeweller Pragnell, which also created her engagement ring and wedding earrings.

According to the jeweller’s website, the tiara has been owned by the Pragnell family for generations and boasts royal connections dating back almost a century.

Before the wedding, many royal watchers had expected Harriet to borrow a piece from Princess Anne’s collection.

Phillips’ former wife Autumn wore Anne’s beloved Festoon Diamond Tiara when they married in 2008, while Zara Tindall famously chose the Meander Tiara for her 2011 wedding to Mike Tindall.

While many royal fans praised Harriet’s bridal look, others questioned why she had not been loaned a tiara from the Royal Family’s collection.

“The Royal Family have so many beautiful tiaras in their vault. They couldn’t lend her one?” one person shared on X.