Harriet Sperling Selects Princess Kate-Approved Icy Blue for Her First Ascot as a Royal
She might not be a princess, but she definitely looked like one.
Ah, the newlywed glow! Royal bride Harriet Sperling is only 10 days post-nuptial bliss as she arrives in a royal carriage on the first day of Royal Ascot. Alongside her husband, Peter Phillips, and her new mother-in-law, Princess Anne, Harriet Sperling—now known as Mrs Peter Phillips on the official Royal Ascot line-up—fit right in during the historic procession.
Harriet Sperling arrives at Royal Ascot alongside Princess Anne.
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Phillips
While this certainly isn’t her first time attending Royal Ascot, it also isn’t her first ride in the royal carriage procession. Before they were even formally engaged, Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling rode in the royal carriage process at Royal Ascot in 2025—hinting that the relationship was very, very serious. Now, the newlywed couple sit in pride of place alongside the Princess Royal for the classic day of British horseracing, pomp, ceremony, and fashion.
Harriet Sperling looked every inch a royal princess in a soft blue dress, matching hat, silk clutch, and white shoes with an eye-catching pair of diamond earrings and tennis bracelets. The dress comes from royally-approved designer Suzannah London, who is favored by Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie. Suzannah London’s Biarritz dress is a custom made-to-order design that is “derived from a late 1940’s vintage tea dress,” according to the brand.
Harriet Sperling and sister-in-law Zara Tindall.
Suzannah London's 'Biarritz' dress.
A toast for the newlyweds.
A bespoke Anya Hindmarch pearl clutch, coordinating hat from Jane Taylor, and a wispy updo hairstyle tie the ensemble together. Diamond earrings from Pragnell—the same jeweller behind her wedding tiara—added a touch of sparkle.
The Royal Family arrives via carriage procession around 2 p.m. and depart around 6:30 p.m., allowing plenty of time to chat, mingle, place bets, and enjoy the races. Harriet and her sister-in-law, Zara Tindall, were seen smiling and giggling together shortly after Harriet’s arrival. Zara and her husband, Mike Tindall, arrived earlier in the day. Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling were truly in the newlywed bubble as they sipped champagne in the Royal Enclosure alongside other guests, including King Charles and Queen Camilla.
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Christine Ross is a freelancer writer, royal expert, broadcaster and podcaster. She's worked with news outlets including the BBC, Glamour, Talk TV, ET, PBS, CNN and 20/20 to cover the foremost royal events of the last decade, from Prince George’s birth to the coronation of King Charles III.
She previously served as co-host of Royally Us, a weekly royal podcast by Us Weekly. As a freelance writer and royal commentator she provides expert commentary, historical context and fashion analysis about royal families worldwide, with an emphasis on the British Royal Family.