Ten days after marrying the late Queen Elizabeth II‘s eldest grandchild, the former Harriet Sperling made her first major public appearance as a newlywed — and publicly debuted the new name she’ll now use: Mrs. Peter Phillips.
When Royal Ascot released its official carriage list for the opening day of this year’s event, royal watchers took notice of the change. Harriet was listed as “Mrs. Peter Phillips” for the first time since exchanging vows with Princess Anne‘s son on June 6.
Once the newlywed National Health Service nurse arrived at the annual horse racing event, observers confirmed that her Royal Enclosure name tag also reflected her married name.
Royal Ascot’s official carriage list and the newlywed’s event badge both identified her as Mrs. Peter Phillips. By: Francis Dias/Newspix Internation / MEGA
The BBC previously reported that the healthcare worker would use Mrs. Phillips following her marriage.
The newlyweds’ glamorous arrival
Royal Ascot served as something of a coming-out party for the newlyweds.
Harriet joined Peter in the second carriage of the Royal Procession behind King Charles III and Queen Camilla, sharing the ride with her new mother-in-law, the Princess Royal.
People reported that Harriet spent time chatting with her new sister-in-law, Zara Tindall, while she and Peter also shared affectionate moments in the Royal Box as they watched the races together.
The appearance marked a significant milestone for the couple, who first stepped out publicly together at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024.
Peter Phillips and wife Harriet Phillips shared a lighthearted moment in the Royal Box at Royal Ascot as they watched the races during their first public appearance as newlyweds. By: Francis Dias/Newspix Internation / MEGA
Their relationship progressed quickly. Peter and Harriet announced their engagement in August 2025 before exchanging vows less than a year later.
The marriage is the second for both. Peter was previously wed to Autumn Kelly, with whom he shares daughters Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14. Harriet was previously married to fitness instructor Antonio St. John Sperling and shares daughter Georgina, 13, with him.
With their June nuptials, Peter became the first of the late queen’s eight grandchildren to remarry.
A family celebration
The wedding itself was a major royal gathering.
Peter and Harriet exchanged vows during an intimate ceremony at All Saints church in Kemble in Gloucestershire’s Cotswolds region on June 6.
Harriet Phillips subtly celebrated her new chapter at Royal Ascot with a handbag featuring her freshly adopted initials, HP. She also debuted her new gold wedding band alongside her diamond engagement ring. By: Francis Dias/Newspix Internation / MEGA
According to People, the bride wore the Pragnell Tiara and was attended by the couple’s daughters, who served as bridesmaids.
The guest list featured many of the royal family’s most senior members, including the king and queen, Anne and husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Zara and husband Mike Tindall and Peter’s father, Captain Mark Phillips.
Prince William and Kate Middleton also attended the celebration — a notable contrast to Peter’s first wedding in 2008, when William was absent due to a prior commitment in Kenya and Kate attended on her own.
Who was there — and who wasn’t
While the wedding brought together much of the royal family, a few notable names were missing.
Princess Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi attended, as did her sister, Princess Eugenie, and husband Jack Brooksbank.
Harriet Phillips wore a pale blue Suzannah London dress and a matching Jane Taylor hat during her first public appearance since joining the royal family. By: Francis Dias/Newspix Internation / MEGA
Ahead of the wedding, however, Hello! reported that Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle would not be among the guests. A friend of the couple told the outlet, “Peter and Harry haven’t spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn’t been invited.”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson were also absent from the celebration. According to the same friend, their presence could have become a “distraction” amid continuing public scrutiny surrounding their ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The source told Hello! that Peter and Harriet instead wanted an “intimate occasion with their close friends and immediate family around them in the Cotswolds.”
“It’s an area where they grew up and is very special to them both,” the source said.
Kate Middleton returns to Royal Ascot
The couple’s first appearance as newlyweds came during a Royal Ascot that also marked an important return for Kate.
The Princess of Wales attended the annual horse racing event on June 17 for the first time since 2023 after missing the previous two years amid her cancer diagnosis and treatment journey.
Kate arrived alongside William as part of the Royal Procession wearing a bright yellow Roksanda dress paired with a matching hat. William coordinated with his wife by wearing a bold yellow flower in his boutonniere.
She later spent time with two important members of her own family: her mother, Carole Middleton, and sister-in-law, Alizée Thevenet, who is married to Kate’s brother, James Middleton.
Photographers captured Kate smiling and chatting with both women in the Royal Box, where she also greeted Alizée with a kiss on the cheek.
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