Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and his fiancée Harriet Sperling are getting married this summer in Cirencester – why they picked their venue

edding bells are on the horizon for Princess Anne’s eldest child, Peter Phillips, who is set to tie the knot with his fiancée Harriet Sperling later this year. On Wednesday, the news broke that the happy couple have set a wedding date – 6 June 2026 – and they will say ‘I do’ at All Saints Church in Kemble, Cirencester, in a private ceremony.

Peter – who is 19th in line to the throne – is opting for a low-key wedding day and foregoing a huge royal-approved venue like St George’s Chapel and here is why that might be the case…

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Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips are getting married this summer

 Firstly, this isn’t the first time that the 48-year-old has been married, as he previously wed Autumn Patricia Kelly in 2008. Their nuptials were at St George’s Chapel in Windsor (which is also where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got hitched) so it makes sense why Peter would choose to steer clear of this venue for a fresh start with his new wife.

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The church is close to Anne’s estate

Another reason that All Saints Church in Kemble may have been selected is its proximity to Gatcombe Park, which is a 20-minute drive away. Peter and Harriet currently live on The Princess Royal’s estate, in their own separate property, and they may well attend this church regularly.

Also, according to a report in The Telegraph, Harriet grew up in the village of South Cerney in Gloucestershire, 15 minutes away from this church. As a devout Christian, like her parents, Rupert Sanders and Mary Hoskins, Harriet spent a lot of time in their local church, All Hallows, while growing up, so a Christian ceremony will be very important to her.

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Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips pictured on day 4 ‘Gold Cup Day’ of the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse

Another key location, which is just 16 minutes by car, is King Charles’ country home, Highgrove House. While that certainly would make the most beautiful backdrop for wedding photos, their wedding reception venue of choice is yet to be announced. “Further details will be announced in due course,” the official statement explained.

Their wedding and engagement announcements

Wednesday’s official announcement read: “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 announced their wedding date.

“The summer wedding will take place at All Saints Church, Kemble, Cirencester on Saturday 6th June 2026 in a private ceremony. Both families have been informed jointly of the wedding date by invitation. Their Majesties The King and Queen, The Prince and Princess of Wales have also been informed of the announcement.”

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Harriet Sperling with her soon-to-be sister-in-law Zara Tindall

In August 2025, the pair shared their engagement news with the world. A statement issued for the couple by Gerard Franklin, read: “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.

 “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.”

Peter and Harriet’s love story

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Harriet Sperling is an NHS nurse

 It is believed that the couple started dating in 2024, and onlookers have admired their loved-up displays ever since.  Royal photographer James Whatling, who has photographed Peter and Harriet several times, tells HELLO!: “You can’t watch this couple for too long without noticing how close they are, they’re so tactile and they’re clearly so in love.”

Peter has two teenage daughters with his ex, Savannah, 16, and Isla, 14, and Harriet also has one daughter, Georgina, 13, so they are coming together as a beautiful, blended family. Speaking about her experience as a single mother, Harriet said it is “a bond characterised by a love and survival against the odds”. The mother-of-one is a senior NHS paediatric nurse specialist based in Gloucestershire who has been known to have worked at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.