Peter Phillips’ bride, Harriet Sperling, arrived for her wedding at All Saints Church in Kemble, Cirencester on Saturday in a square-necked column gown made at the London atelier of designer Emilia Wickstead.
The dress featured a removable lace bodice with a high neckline and long sleeves, giving it a look akin to those of fellow royal brides the Princess of Wales and Grace Kelly. The lace was sourced from Sophie Hallette’s French archives and the design dates back to the early 1900s.
The look was completed by a lace-trimmed scalloped veil with a three-metre train. Underneath, she wore a tiara and earrings by Pragnell, the family-run Mayfair jeweller that also designed her engagement ring. The look was completed by high-heeled pointed slingback satin pumps by Jimmy Choo. Her hair was worn in a neat bun with a central parting.
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New Zealand-born Wickstead is a favourite with royals, particularly the Princess of Wales, who has dozens of dresses from the label. She also designed the wedding gowns of Industry actress Marisa Abela and Lady Charlotte Wellesley.
“We aligned on something authentic, traditional and modern,” Wickstead told Vogue. The gown, she added, was made from Italian ivory crepe which “moulds to the body”. The flowers featured in the lace are native to Gloucestershire, where both the bride and groom grew up.
The result was an exercise in modern, feminine elegance with just the right degree of grandeur for the occasion, and a perfect complement to the groom’s Dege & Skinner morning suit.
The NHS paediatric nurse, 45, was flanked by her daughter, Georgina, 13, and her new stepdaughters, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14. All three girls were coordinated in white, high-neck Emilia Wickstead dresses with lily-of-the-valley headpieces, Aspinal London earrings and ballerina flats.
Sperling’s daughter Georgina and her new stepdaughters Savannah and Isla wore white high-neck dresses with lily-of-the-valley headpieces and ballerina flats – Karwai Tang
Also playing a supporting role was her mother, Mary Saunders, who wore a silvery-blue brocade coat, matching sateen dress and grey suede clutch, all by Lalage Beaumont, teamed with a hat by milliner Jane Taylor. The bride’s sisters, Louisa Speakman and Rebecca Elder both wore Beulah dresses and Emmy London shoes with Jane Taylor hats.
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Sperling’s “bowl of cream” bouquet was a poignant tribute to Elizabeth II, her new husband’s grandmother, with whom he was said to be very close. It comprised seasonal roses, sweet peas, astilbe and jasmine.
The greatest meaning was conveyed through fragrant lily of the valley, which was carried by the late Queen in her wedding bouquet, and has featured in those of countless royal brides ever since, among them the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Sussex. It also contained myrtle, a symbol of love, beauty and peace, and a constant in royal bridal bouquets.
It’s a bridal look that’s very much in keeping with what we’ve seen of Sperling’s personal style. We know from her public appearances over the past couple of years that she favours an elegant yet youthful aesthetic.
For her first appearance with the royals at the Badminton Horse Trials in May 2024, she wore a blue printed Zara dress, but as with anyone entering into a more public-facing life, her choice of designers has become more considered.
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Over the course of her relationship with Phillips, she has assembled a wardrobe of tasteful go-to outfits by independent British brands for the gamut of equestrian events enthusiastically attended by her new family-in-law.
We’ve seen her in several looks by Beulah, the Princess of Wales-approved label that has become a staple for stylish society occasions. Natasha Finch, co-founder of the brand, was a guest at the wedding. “[Sperling] is a wonderful ambassador for British brands and always looks effortlessly chic in our pieces,” she told the The Telegraph earlier this year.
Harriet Sperling’s wedding dress had a scalloped veil – Karwai Tang
Co-ords by Wiggy Kit are another go-to, feminine yet modern, with an effortless feel to them. For her debut appearance last year in the carriage procession at Royal Ascot, Sperling wore a cream balloon-sleeved jacket and skirt by Suzannah London.
For the more relaxed setting of the polo, she chose an ivory cotton St Clair sundress. She likes to complete her outfits with a reliable line-up of British brands including Penelope Chilvers wedges, Anya Hindmarch bags and Finlay & Co sunglasses.
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Speaking to the The Telegraph last year, personal stylist Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey only had good things to say about Sperling. “I can vouch that she is stunning in the flesh and charming too, so there is a genuine ease to her demeanour, allowing her to wear clothes well,” she said.
“I truly believe she is also happy, and that brings so much to an outfit, a person’s stance and their confidence,” added Chadwyck-Healey, who is also the founder of The Fairground, a sustainable fashion marketplace.
Sperling’s shift in style parallels that of the Princess of Wales, who also had a largely high-street wardrobe as Prince William’s girlfriend. Since marrying into the Royal family in 2011, Catherine has become a master at navigating formal dress codes, serving as an ambassador for British fashion, and imbuing each look with layers of meaning.
While Sperling won’t be a working royal, or, like her new husband, have a title, she is now a public figure, and a very chic one to boot.