Who is Peter Phillips? William and Harry’s cousin will walk between them at Prince Philip's funeral procession
Dubbed 'The Queen's favorite grandson', Peter Phillips will be one of the 30 mourners at Prince Philip's funeral. While he is not as well known as his cousins Prince William and Harry, he is about to be. At the funeral, Phillips will have a vital role to play, walking between the two brothers at the funeral procession.
Since Harry's high-profile exit and bombshell interview with Oprah, the distance between William and him has only become wider. That's the gap Phillips will occupy, at one of the most high-profile royal events in recent times.
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Unlike either of his cousins, Phillips isn't a full-time royal, nor has he resigned his royal duties. He occupies a spot somewhere in-between. He doesn't have a royal title but does take on some royal duties. Outside of that, he has a full-time career in business. There's a lot he does, which is why we thought it would be apt to visit the life of Peter Phillips.
Who is Peter Phillips?
Phillips is the only son of The Queen's daughter Anne, Princess Royal, and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips. He was born as Peter Mark Andrew Phillipson on November 15, 1977, officially making him the first grandchild of The Queen. His birth was celebrated widely in the UK, with a 41-gun salute fired at the Tower of London. He was the first royal baby to be born a commoner in more than 500 years. Reportedly, Anne and Mark Phillips refused The Queen's offer for peerage. He is currently the 17th in line to the throne.
Phillips went on to study at Port Regis Prep School in Dorset, before attending Gordonstoun School in Scotland. In 1995, he earned a cap for Scottish schoolboy rugby at Gordonstoun. He then spent a gap year in Australia, working for Sports Entertainment Limited (SEL) and Stewert Grand Prix, the F1 team owned by racing legend Jackie Stewert. After this, Phillips went to Exter University, where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in Sports Science. He then returned to his passion for racing.
He first worked as a corporate hospitality manager for Jaguar, before moving to Williams racing team for a gig as a sponsorship accounts manager. In 2005, he left behind F1 for a job at the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS). In 2012, he left RBS to become managing director at SEL UK.
How he fell in love with Autumn Kelly
Being the Queen's first grandchild, there is no doubt Phillips is her favorite. "I’ve always been very close to my grandmother, and we speak often," he told The Telegraph in 2016. Multiple royal insiders have called him the Queen's favorite grandson.
In 2003, while in Canada for the Grand Prix, he met and fell in love with Autumn Kelly. The duo got married in 2008 at St George's Chapel, where Prince Philip's funeral is to be held. The couple has two daughters: Savannah and Isla Phillips. Unfortunately, they separated in 2019. "The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one," they said in a statement in 2020. They will remain in Gloucestershire to raise their children.
Phillips has also been involved in several controversies. In 2004, he was involved in a car crash in Shanghai. Phillips was with some colleagues attending the Shanghai Grand Prix when their car ran into another vehicle. He was unhurt in the incident. In 2020, he featured in an ad for Jersey milk in China. In the ad, Phillips is seen touting his royal connections which were slammed by the press and on social media.
Legal troubles
In March 2021, he was also questioned by police, when he traveled from Gloucestershire to Aberdeenshire to see a friend, violating lockdown guidelines. He was cleared since the trip was for 'business purposes', despite locals claiming he was seen at the home of a married woman. The police decided not to fine Phillips at the time.
Despite these controversies, he still remains very close to the Queen. That is probably why he has been chosen to play a key role at the funeral, as Prince William and Harry remain distant. The trio will follow the procession as the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin is taken through the grounds of Windsor Castle.