The $30 million wedding industry gets a royal makeover

Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne, is marrying Harriet Sperling next weekend in Gloucestershire, in a ceremony that will be a far cry from his first wedding in 2008. Unlike 12 years ago,there will be no magazine deal, as sensitivities around commercializing royal status have heightened since Megxit.

The upcoming wedding will take place at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire , with the reception following at Gatcombe Park, hosted by the groom's family. The King and Queen are expected among the guests.

A royal wedding planner's storied past

The same high-profile event planning firm, Bentley's Entertainments, that coordinated Phillips' first wedding in 2008 has been retained for the second ceremony.. Founded 35 years ago by Peregrine Armstrong-Jones, the company has a storied client list including David and Victoria Beckham, Sir Elton John, and Princess Eugenie's Windsor wedding.

The planners have sought a number of road closures around the village, though the firm declined to comment on the event.

Exploiting royal connections for profit is now considered highly sensitive

Sources close to the couple emphasize that exploiting royal connections for profit is now considered highly sensitive, a shift partly attributed to the post-Megxit climate and the public scrutiny surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan's own revenue-generating ventures .

A magazine contract is categorically out of the question, the source adds.

Who is the unnamed buyer?

The royal family's decision to forgo commercial media deals for the wedding ceremony has raised questions about the motivations behind this shift. While Prince Harry is not expected to attend, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice are invited and likely to be present.

Their parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, are not on the guest list given the ongoing fallout from Andrew's ties to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

A familiar pattern from the 2019 crash

Peter Phillips,48, is the nephew of King Charles and nineteenth in line to the throne. He and Sperling, 45, have been together since May 2024. Both are divorcees: Phillips' marriage to Autumn Kelly produced two daughters, Savannah (15) and Isla (13), while Sperling has a daughter, Georgina (13), from her first marriage.

Phillips proposed last summer with a ring subtly honouring his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II - the design was created by the same jeweller who fashioned her 1946 wedding band.

What auditors flagged in the May filing

Sperling has been warmly received by the royal family; she was spotted laughing with King Charles at Ascot last year after travelling in the official carriage procession.

Because his mother, Princess Anne, declined royal titles for her children, Phillips does not carry the style His Royal Highness.

The Senate's three-vote margin

Professionally, Phillips has worked in corporate hospitality and sponsorship management, and he also owns several shops, small businesses, bars and restaurants in Bath.

He is a director of Maritime Passport Ltd , a firm focused on digitising shipping certifications, and holds a degree in Sports Science from Exeter University.