Peter Phillips: 5 Things To Know About Prince William & Harry’s Cousin

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Learn more about Peter Phillips, the cousin of Princes William and Harry who will walk between them during the procession of their grandfather, Prince Philip’s, funeral on April 17.

On April 15, Buckingham Palace shared more about Prince Philip‘s funeral, which will take place on Saturday, April 17. Of the details the public learned, one stood out the most. Prince William and Prince Harry will not walk side-by-side in their grandfather’s funeral procession, which will be led by their father Prince Charles. Instead, the two brothers will be separated by one of their cousins: Peter Phillips. Here are five things to know about the member of the British Royal Family.

Peter Is Princess Anne’s Son

Peter Phillips was born on November 15, 1977 and is the son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s only daughter, Princess Anne, who is the Queen and late Duke of Edinburgh’s second child after Prince Charles. Princess Anne welcomed Peter with former husband Captain Mark Phillips at St. Mary’s Hospital. Peter wasn’t an only child for long. His parents welcomed their daughter, Zara Phillips Tindall, in May 1981, just under four years after Peter’s birth. Princess Anne and Captain Phillips sadly divorced in 1992. Peter and Zara have two half-siblings — Stephanie Phillips and Felicity Tonkin, both on their father’s side.

Peter Is Queen Elizabeth II’s Oldest Grandchild

Upon his birth, Queen Elizabeth II officially became a grandmother! Peter is Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandchild, among her eight grandchildren. At the time of his birth, Peter became the fifth in line to the British throne. Of course, that all changed when Prince William was born in 1982. As of now, he is 15th in line to the throne. But as the oldest grandchild, Peter has quite a close relationship to the queen. “I’ve always been very close to my grandmother, and we speak often. She has been an inspirational person throughout my life,” he said in a 2016 interview with the Telegraph.

Peter Does Not Have A Royal Title

When Peter was born his parents turned down an offer from the queen to give Peter a royal title. Instead, Princess Anne and Captain Phillips felt that the lack of title would give Peter a more “normal” life. “Both the princess and her husband are said to have rejected an offer from the Queen of titles which would have enabled their children to be born into the peerage,” the BBC penned in 1977, after Peter’s birth.

Peter Was Married & Has Two Children

Peter got married in 2008 to Canadian Autumn Kelly at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Savannah Phillips, in 2010, and had a second daughter, Isla Phillips, in 2012. Unfortunately, the couple made the decision to separate in 2019. “After informing HM The Queen and members of both families last year, Peter and Autumn jointly agreed to separate,” a statement from the couple read.

“Both families were naturally sad at the announcement, but fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co parent their children. Both Peter and Autumn will remain in Gloucestershire to bring up their two children where they have been settled for a number of years.”

Peter Is A Different Kind Of ‘Working Royal’

Much like his cousins Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, Peter has been a working royal in that he’s had a full career outside of royal duties. Among his notable roles, he’s held positions with Jaguar, Williams F1 racing team, the Royal Bank of Scotland, and was recently employed by SEL UK. Peter’s line of work is far different than that of his cousin, Prince William, who has dedicated his life to service of the British Monarchy through public engagements, philanthropy, and more.