Beatrice and Eugenie join a VERY brolly wedding party: How Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s wedding unfolded, from William and Kate’s rapturous arrival to Charles’s dramatic getaway
There’s no denying that mirth has been in short supply in the House of Windsor lately.
It was such a relief that the King, Queen and the rest of the Royal Family were finally able to come together yesterday for something truly joyful: a wedding.
Naturally, the bride and groom – Harriet Sperling and the King’s nephew Peter Phillips – looked stunned with happiness. But so did everyone else.
Charles and Camilla couldn’t stop smiling. Neither could Prince William and Kate. Everyone knows the royal family skillfully masks their troubles, but the joy was real and clearly visible outside All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire.
What a much-needed show of good will, the king undoubtedly thought.
Perhaps Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie did not seem as enraptured as the other guests, and sometimes they even looked worried, as if one or the other of their parents might appear at any moment to embarrass them.
Prince William did a good job of reassuring them by kissing both of their cheeks.
And thankfully neither Beatrice nor Eugenie were wearing the stunning accessories that earned them so much ridicule when they attended 48-year-old Peter’s first wedding in 2008.
The King’s nephew, Peter Phillips, holds an umbrella over his new wife, Harriet Sperling
Jack Brooksbank, Princess Eugenie, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice arrive at the wedding
When King Charles arrives at the wedding, he waves to the crowd; royal enthusiasts gathered en masse to congratulate the happy couple
Camilla was all smiles as she waved to well-wishers in her stunning butter yellow hat and matching coat dress
The Princess of Wales looked effortlessly elegant as she joined members of the Royal Family at the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling today.
Everything and everyone that could darken this happy occasion was deleted. This included Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Fergie, as well as Prince Harry.
Invited? Would he come anyway? Was he talking to his cousin Peter?
It’s hard to keep up with Harry and his little fights and rivalries.
As it was, the gray skies and rain delivered the only negative note. But Princess Anne’s son and daughter-in-law managed to take advantage of the drizzle by taking photos under a stylish brooch.
Harriet, 45, an NHS nurse, wore a romantic white lace dress by Kate Middleton’s favorite designer, Emilia Wickstead.
With screams of ‘hurray, hurray’, she arrived at the church with her three bridesmaids, Peter’s children, 15-year-old Savannah and 14-year-old Isla, and her own daughter, Georgina.
Royal fans from all over the world came to the event and saved their loudest cheers for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who flawlessly rocked a cream-coloured boucle Roland Mouret gown that featured a folded neckline, belt and buttons, as well as a full skirt and boater-style hat.
During the ceremony, the bride was walked down the aisle by her brother Nicholas in memory of her late father, Rupert Sanders.
The Prince of Wales was seen kissing his cousin Beatrice on the cheek during the ceremony
Blushing bride was all smiles as she arrived with her bridesmaids for the royal wedding in the Cotswolds
Bride and groom shared a sweet kiss after the ceremony
The King and Queen were the first to leave and were taken by car to a waiting helicopter to fly to Epsom in time for the Derby.
When the bells of All Saints Church rang, the crowd of about 300 well-wishers cheered loudly and the assembled guests formed an impromptu umbrella guard of honor so that the bride and groom could emerge almost dry for photographs.
Peter and Harriet stood under a huge white umbrella, with their three bridesmaids behind them waving to the crowd, before heading out in a vintage Rolls-Royce.
A short time later, Kate and William also drew more cheers from the crowd as they drove away in a black Audi.
Peter and Harriet were then joined by family and close friends at the wedding ceremony at Gatcombe Park, the home of Princess Anne and her husband, Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence.
Additional reporting: Nick Craven and Nic North
