How Kate Middleton Influenced Harriet Sperling’s Royal Wedding Dress

Harriet married Peter Phillips while wearing a lace-embellished gown by West London designer Emilia Wickstead on June 6

Harriet Sperling arrives for her Royal wedding to Peter Phillips at All Saints' Church; Catherine Middleton arrives to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey
Harriet Sperling on June 6, 2026; Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011.Credit : Chris Jackson/Getty; Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Harriet Sperling’s bridal look was a perfect fit for a royal wedding.

The NHS nurse married Peter Phillips on Saturday, June 6, with the posh-but-intimate ceremony taking place at All Saints’ Church in Kemble, a village in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England.

Royal attendees included King Charles and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Prince Edward and Sophie, as well as Peter’s mother, Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and Peter’s sister, Zara Tindall, and her husband, Mike Tindall.

For her walk down the aisle toward Peter, 48, she wore a floor-length Emilia Wickstead gown with a long train and lace overlay. Harriet, 45, completed her ensemble for the big day with a lace veil, custom ivory satin heels by Jimmy Choo and a tiara and earrings by Pragnell, the same Mayfair jeweler that designed her engagement ring.

A wedding couple standing outside under an umbrella while the brides train is held by three bridesmaids in white dresses

Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling leave their royal wedding alongside bridesmaids Georgina Sperling, Savannah Phillips and Isla Phillips at All Saints’ Church in Kemble, England, on June 6, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Her choice of dress designer was notable as Wickstead is a favorite of the royal family, in particular, of Harriet’s new royal cousin-in-law Kate.

Princess Kate is frequently seen in pieces by the West London-based atelier, including the purple coat dress she wore to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day in London in May 2025.

Wickstead created the entire look using her signature silhouette: “a statuesque column gown defined by clean lines and a dramatic train.”

“Crafted from Italian crêpe, the gown and train are internally structured with French lace, creating a sculptural hold that allows the train to extend into a striking linear shape,” read a press release about the details of Harriet and Peter’s wedding. “The clean, elongated train serves as a defining design element, lending the gown a timeless elegance while maintaining a distinctly modern sensibility.”

“The dress itself features a square neckline and a low back, sculpted closely to the body to create a refined silhouette. Layered over the gown is a removable sheer lace bodice with a high neckline and transparent sleeves, adding softness and dimension to the overall look.”

The lace bodice and long, flowing veil certainly call to mind Kate’s 2011 wedding gown, though the Princess of Wales was outfitted for her nuptials by Sarah Burton, who was, at the time, the creative director of Alexander McQueen.

Catherine Middleton waves to the crowds as her sister and Maid of Honour Pippa Middleton holds her dress before walking in to the Abbey to attend the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.

Kate Middleton and her maid of honor, sister Pippa Middleton in London on April 29, 2011.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Wickstead also designed the gowns for Harriet’s three bridesmaids, who were a special symbol of her and Peter’s newly-blended family. The trio consisted of Peter’s two daughters — Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14 — from his previous marriage to Autumn Kelly, as well as Harriet’s 13-year-old daughter, Georgina, from her relationship with fitness instructor Antonio St. John Sperling.

The designer even added an extra special detail, creating the girls’ dresses from the same Italian crepe she used for Harriet’s gown, according to Vogue.

While she looked every bit the royal bride, Harriet’s decision to wear a tiara to her second wedding did buck modern royal tradition.

Queen Camilla chose not to wear a tiara for her 2005 nuptials to the future King Charles. Instead, she wore a white hat for their civil ceremony before donning a golden feathered headpiece by Philip Treacy for their religious blessing.

For her first wedding to Mark Phillips in 1973, Princess Anne wore Queen Mary’s Russian Fringe tiara, the same royal headpiece that Queen Elizabeth wore at her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip. When Anne tied the knot for a second time, marrying Sir Tim Laurence in 1992, she went without a royal headpiece but accessorized with flowers in her hair.

CRE: https://people.com/how-kate-middleton-influenced-harriet-sperling-royal-wedding-dress-11992636