Harriet Sperling Shares Royal Wedding Details for the First Time, Including the "Very Us" Dessert They Served Instead of Cake at Princess Anne's Estate
Peter Phillips's new wife opened up about their "relaxed and informal" reception in a new interview.
It was a rainy English day as Princess Anne's only son, Peter Phillips, married NHS nurse Harriet Sperling on June 6, but the newest member of the Royal Family revealed that there were sunny skies once their reception rolled around. In her first interview, Harriet shared some of the special details about "the happiest day" of her life with Hello! magazine.
The couple didn't release any photos of their private wedding reception, but Harriet shared that the "amazing family day" was held at the Princess Royal's estate, Gatcombe Park.
"We had the reception in the garden of Gatcombe, and the sun came out; it was amazing," Harriet said. "We had live music and incredible canapes and champagne, and it was a true celebration, but very 'us' as well."
Peter and Harriet pose outside All Saints' Church in Kemble, England with Harriet's daughter, Georgina (right) and Peter's daughters Savannah and Isla.
Harriet wore an Emilia Wickstead gown for the ceremony.
The couple made sure to do things their way, including serving "a huge tiramisu" in lieu of wedding cake. In keeping with the Royal Family's love of sustainable eating, Harriet shared that they served lamb raised on the Gatcombe estate for dinner.
"It was all very relaxed and informal, and there was a lot of dancing to a live band," she shared.
When asked if she gave a speech at the reception, Harriet replied, "No, I left Peter to that. He's much better at that than me. There was lots of laughter and it was an amazing family day. It finished at midnight, but everyone wanted it to carry on. That’s the sign of a good party!"
Harriet approaches the church with Georgina (left) and stepdaughter Isla.
Although they had to depart the church to immediately head to the Epsom Derby, King Charles and Queen Camilla did attend the wedding ceremony, which Harriet called incredibly "special."
"Their Majesties were there, which was a bit of a pinch-me moment, but just incredible," she told Hello! "I can't really put it into words. It was just so special. I was close to crying but I held it together."
Harriet is the mother of a 14-year-old daughter, Georgina Sperling, from her first marriage, and she said that the "very serene" teenager handled the public attention surrounding the wedding extremely well. "She takes it all in her stride," Harriet shared.
"There's nothing like a wedding day, because everyone's there for you and you're there for love," she added. "It was the happiest day of my life, apart from when my daughter was born."
