Princess Anne’s son is preparing for his wedding

Peter Phillips marks his 48th birthday today, the record-breaking eldest grandson of the late Queen Elizabeth II has had a year to remember.

The son of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips has long stayed away from royal traditions, but has rejoined the public spotlight when he announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling in August.

Born on 15 November 1977, Phillips arrived the day after his parents celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary. His uncle King Charles III celebrates his own birthday on November 14, the back-to-back birthdays often brought joint festivities to Gatcombe Park.

His arrival, however, became notable for another reason. Princess Anne and Captain Phillips declined the offer of a title for their son, making Peter the first grandchild of a reigning monarch in more than five hundred years to be born without a style or courtesy title.

Peter Philips turns 48 today | GETTY

It was an early indicator of the Princess Royal’s determination to give her children a life grounded in normality rather than in royal environments.

Former royal gardener Jack Stooks, reflecting on the royal’s forthcoming wedding, suggested that the same focus on normality will be seen at the wedding.

He said that Phillips is a “down-to-earth chap” who will prefer a more intimate ceremony than a high-profile royal event

Stooks added “Yes, I do think this wedding will be very low-key. If there’s anything to go by, like The King’s wedding when he got remarried, it wasn’t as big as a royal wedding normally would be. It was a lot more low-key.”

He went on to say “He’ll probably have a very private ceremony” either at Sperling’s home or at Gatcombe Park.

Princess Anne decline to give Peter Philips a royal title | GETTY

Philips spent his early years between the Princess Royal’s Gloucestershire estate and the formal surroundings associated with royal family life, before attending school in Dorset.

From there, he followed his grandfather the Duke of Edinburgh to Gordonstoun in Scotland, where he became head boy and represented Scotland in rugby at youth and junior level.

After graduating from the University of Exeter he pursued a career unassociated with the royals, taking positions at Jaguar, the Williams Formula One team and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Phillips first married in 2008 after meeting Montreal-born Autumn Kelly at the Canadian Grand Prix in 2003.

Their engagement, announced four years later, was accompanied by relaxed photographs showing the pair laughing together.

They welcomed daughters Savannah and Isla before divorcing in 2021.

Peter Philips is said to have played a key role when Prince Harry and Prince William reunited | GETTY

He has remained a steady and trusted presence within the wider Royal Family.

He was seen as a calming influence during difficult periods, most visibly when the Prince William and Prince Harry were reunited for the funerals of their grandfather and later the late Queen.