Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips and wife ‘to separate’
THE Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips is splitting from his Canadian wife Autumn after 12 years, it was reported last night.
The monarch is said to be ‘upset’ after Peter, 42, was told by his 41-year- old wife she wants to separate.
It is thought no other party is involved in the break-up.
The pair married in 2008 after meeting at the Canadian Grand Prix. They have two children – Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven.
Peter, the son of Princess Anne – and seen as the Queen’s favourite grandson – is 15th in line to the throne. It was suggested last night Prince Harry and Meghan’s departure from royal life to live in Canada, Autumn’s home country, may have hastened the decision.
A friend told The Sun: ‘Peter is absolutely devastated by this and just didn’t see it coming.
‘He thought he was happily married and had the perfect family with two lovely daughters. But he is now in total shock.
‘Autumn is a wonderful wife and mother and a very intelligent woman but she’s been telling her friends for some time that there were issues. She is a favourite of the Queen and I’m sure Her Majesty will be very upset by this.
‘It’s the last thing she needs after all her recent troubles and you get the feeling that the Royal Family is falling apart a little bit.’
It comes weeks after Peter was ridiculed as being a royal for hire
The Mail, January 21
after appearing in a Chinese advert for milk. The Mail revealed he was promoting a state-owned dairy farm. In the advert, he held a glass of milk in front of an image of a stately home – Longleat in Wiltshire – and boasted that the royals were brought up on Jersey milk from the herd of cows around Windsor Castle.
However, Longleat did not give permission for the house to feature. Peter has recently been pointed to as an example of how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex could support themselves after stepping back from royal duties.
The Queen’s eldest grandson met management consultant Autumn Kelly while he was working for the Williams Formula 1 team. However, she did not realise he was a royal until weeks later. Raised Catholic, Autumn had to convert to the Church of England so Peter could stay in the line of succession. The pair married at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, but Peter was accused of cashing in on his royal status by selling photos of the wedding to Hello! magazine for a reported £500,000.
A royal source told The Sun last night: ‘ The Queen must wonder what she has done to deserve this. Peter Phillips has always been a favourite of hers and Prince Philip and she will be crestfallen by this.’ Peter’s former loves include British Airways hostess Tara Swain and US cod liver oil heiress Elizabeth Lorio. He and Autumn got engaged in 2007.
More than 300 guests, including the Queen, attended the wedding including 70 members of Autumn’s family who flew from Canada.
After tying the knot, Autumn and Peter lived in Hong Kong for two years until 2010.
Their daughters reportedly have UK and Canadian citizenship.
Peter and sister Zara, 38, were brought up without a royal title. Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips wanted their children to make their own way rather than relying on their royal status.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment last night. Peter could not be reached for comment.
‘ROYAL PETER’ FOR HIRE... IN CHINA ‘He’s always been Queen’s favourite’