Peter Phillips’ upcoming wedding is putting his relationships with Prince Harry and Prince William back in the spotlight amid the ongoing royal family rift.
Phillips, who is 48 years old, is set to marry his fiancée, Harriet Sperling. However, there is a very notable name missing from the guest list.
While Prince William was extended an invitation for the occasion, his brother, Prince Harry, was not.
Royal commentator Emily Nash is now shedding some insight into why, explaining that Phillips has sided with Prince William within the family feud.
“I think it comes down to interpersonal relationships, doesn’t it?” Nash said. “What we were told was that Peter hadn’t spoken to Harry for the last few years. And so it sort of has been a natural cooling off, and he wasn’t invited as a result.”
Nash further explained that Phillips is “very close” to the Prince of Wales.
“[Peter is] very loyal; he’s very protective. He’s been a very good sounding board to his cousin over the years,” Nash said. “So it absolutely makes sense that I think had both Wales brothers been there, it would have put a completely different slant on the whole event.”
“And that’s not what you want on what should be the happiest day of your life, right?” she added.
Nash added that Phillips has been considered the “peacemaker” of the family and has tried to smooth things over between the two brothers.
“Peter was positioned between the two warring brothers,” Nash said. “He was sort of put right in the middle of them as the older cousin, and that must have been a really difficult moment for him. Of course, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then.”
Nash cited Harry’s tell-all memoir, Spare, as a factor that has contributed to the tension between the two princes.