Princess Anne’s Son Peter Makes Rare Appearance With  Girlfriend Harriet Sperling on New Year’s Day 

Peter Phillips was joined by his new girlfriend, Harriet Sperling, at the annual New Year’s Day Racing Meet in Cheltenham, England.

Peter, the son of exes Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, attended the equestrian race on Wednesday, January 1, wearing a long black coat. Sperling, for her part, sported a black-and-white houndstooth jacket with a mustard-colored hat. They were seen reading a program for the Cheltenham race together from their perch on a balcony.

Peter, 47, and Sperling were joined by the royal’s sister, Zara Tindall, and her husband, Mike Tindall. Zara, 43, and Mike, 46, also brought their three children: Mia, 10, Lena, 6, and Lucas, 3. (Peter is the eldest of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s eight grandchildren and his 18th in line for the British throne.)

Peter has been dating Sperling since early 2024, and they made their public debut at May’s Badminton Horse Trials. Sperling, a nurse in England, however, did not join her boyfriend at the royals’ annual Christmas morning service late last month.

Peter was pictured arriving at Sandringham Estate on December 25, 2024, with Zara, her three children and his two daughters. Peter shares Savannah, 13, and Isla, 12, with ex-wife Autumn Kelly.

Peter and Kelly, 46, split in 2019, two years before finalizing their divorce. He later moved on with Lindsay Wallace in 2021, but they broke up last year.

Sperling was also previously married and shares a daughter with her former spouse.

“In the earlier years of my journey as a single mother to my daughter, resources were scarce, and the future was uncertain,” Sperling wrote in a March 2024 essay for Woman Alive. “Yet, in the absence of material security, I discovered the strength and life that comes from true selfless love. A love that is able to be solely devoted to your child.”

She continued, “My daughter and I journeyed 10 years with only each other. I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island. But of course, beauty comes from relationships, relationship with our maker and relationship with each other. It is often tough parenting alone but although there is a stigma to endure, God is able to step in and turn it for good.”

Sperling further detailed the “unique relationship” between a single mother and their child, citing that it’s forged “in the fires of struggles and victories.”

“It’s a bond characterized by a love and survival against the odds,” she said. “As a Christian, I see this bond as a reflection of God’s unwavering love for us. It teaches us about sacrifice, about the depth of love that is costly and willing to give without expecting anything in return. This journey has deepened my faith, teaching me to trust in God’s plan and to find strength in his love.”