Peter Phillips is all smiles at Royal Ascot after finalising his divorce to Autumn Phillips
Peter Phillips is all smiles as he visits Royal Ascot for the second time this week after finalising his divorce to Autumn Phillips
- Peter Phillips, 43, cut a handsome figure in a black tailcoat and top hat as he arrived at the Berkshire meet
- He had also attended the Royal Ascot on Thursday in his first public outing since his divorce was finalised
- The royal’s attendance today coincided with the Queen making her return to Royal Ascot since 2019
The Queen’s eldest grandson Peter Phillips looked to be in good spirits as he arrived for Day Five of Royal Ascot.
Peter, 43, cut a handsome figure in a black tailcoat and top hat – which he paired with a grey waistcoat, yellow tie and purple boutonnière – as he strolled toward the racecourse with his entourage.
It was not the royal’s only appearance at the famous Berkshire meet this year after being spotted on Thursday in the Royal Box alongside F1 presenter Natalie Pinkham – a close friend of his sister Zara Tindall.
It had been his first public outing since his divorce was finalised just days earlier.
Peter officially split with wife Autumn, 42, – with whom he has daughters Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven – after telling their families of their ‘amicable’ decision to end their marriage two years ago.
His attendance today coincided with the Queen making her return to Royal Ascot since 2019 after missing last year’s race which was held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Peter Phillips, 43, cut a handsome figure in a black tailcoat and top hat – which he paired with a grey waistcoat, yellow tie and purple boutonnière – as he strolled toward the racecourse with his entourage
The Queen’s eldest grandson looked to be in good spirits as he arrived for Day Five of Royal Ascot after finalising his divorce earlier this week
Peter was seen beaming as he made his way toward the racecourse earlier today.
He was one of twelve thousand racegoers, made up of owners and the public, permitted to attend the meeting as part of the Events Research Programme set up by the Government amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Queen, who had been a no-show at Royal Ascot since the festival began on Tuesday, also attended the races today.
Her smile was wide for all to see as she waved at the cheering crowd while leaving the event on Saturday afternoon – appearing to have had an enjoyable day.
The monarch was not seen in the royal box during the day, opting to watch the races privately, but had the chance to inspect her four horses in the Parade Ring after they crossed the finish line.
Peter was one of twelve thousand racegoers, made up of owners and the public, permitted to attend the meeting as part of the Events Research Programme set up by the Government amid the coronavirus pandemic
The royal was seen beaming and laughing with his entourage as the group made their way toward the racecourse earlier today
Peter (pictured arriving) officially split with wife Autumn, 42, – with whom he has daughters Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven – after telling their families of their ‘amicable’ decision to end their marriage two years ago
She had arrived at the racecourse to applause and cheers in a beige car at 2pm wearing an Angela Kelly outfit, including a pleated mint coat and matching hat, with a pink and mint floral dress.
Punters like to bet on the colour of the Queen’s hat – and this year bookmakers had said the most popular predictions were blue and green due to the change in weather.
Nicola McGeady, of Ladbrokes, said: ‘Punters could finally enjoy a flutter on the colour of the Queen’s hat after waiting patiently for her arrival all week.
‘Green was the colour that attracted the majority of bets, so plenty of punters have got the day off to a great start.’
Peter’s attendance today coincided with the Queen making her return to Royal Ascot since 2019 after missing last year’s race which was held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic
Her smile was wide for all to see as she waved at the cheering crowd while leaving the event on Saturday afternoon – appearing to have had an enjoyable day (pictured alongside Racing Manager John Warren)
The outing comes after Peter, who will continue living in Gloucestershire to co-parent his daughters, announced the finalisation of his divorce from Autumn on Monday, and said it was ‘the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship’.
A statement, released by a spokesperson on behalf of the couple, said: ‘Mr Peter Phillips and Mrs Autumn Phillips are pleased to be able to report that the financial aspects of their divorce have been resolved through agreement, the terms of which have been approved and ordered by the High Court today.
‘Whilst this is a sad day for Peter and Autumn, they continue to put the wellbeing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla first and foremost.
‘Both Peter and Autumn are pleased to have resolved matters amicably with the children firmly at the forefront of those thoughts and decisions.
‘Peter and Autumn have requested privacy and consideration for their children as the family adapts to a new chapter in their lives.’
Last year, Autumn and Peter announced they had split at the end of 2019, and confirmed they would continue to live in Gloucestershire and co-parent their children Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven (pictured together last June)
In March this year it was revealed that Peter had driven to Aberdeenshire from Gloucestershire to see mother-of-two Lindsay Wallace, 40, (pictured wearing a cream-coloured top and a pink hat at Zara’s wedding to rugby star Mike Tindall in 2011)
The breakdown of Autumn and Peter’s marriage will be particularly painful for the Queen, 95, who enjoys a close relationship with her grandson’s wife.
Last year an unnamed friend of the couple told the Sun: ‘Autumn is a favourite of the Queen and I’m sure Her Majesty will be very upset by this as well. 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.’
Peter and Autumn, who stay largely out of the media spotlight, were last seen publicly together when they joined the Queen and Prince Charles at the annual Highland Games Gathering at Braemar in September 2019.
They did not join the royal family for the Christmas Day church service at Sandringham. Peter Phillips was seen without his wife as he arrived at church on the Norfolk estate during a stay in January 2020.
Peter has enjoyed a decidedly more low-key life than his cousins Prince William and Prince Harry that started with his mother Princess Anne’s decision not to give him and his younger sister Zara, now married to Mike Tindall, any royal titles.
In March this year it was reported that Peter had driven to Aberdeenshire from Gloucestershire to see mother-of-two Lindsay Wallace, 40, a close friend of his sister Zara who knows them both from their £40,000-a-year boarding school.
Furious locals called the police when Peter appeared at Wallace’s £475,000 home in the village of St Cyrus near Montrose. Lindsay has also separated from her spouse – but it is not known when the pair started seeing each other.
The royal said the trip to Scotland was made as a marketing consultant for company XF Medical, set up last June to provide rapid Covid tests and antibody tests for businesses. Peter has denied they are a couple.
Peter is reportedly ‘besotted’ with Lindsay, who he has known for ‘quite some time’ having been three years above her at private boarding school and he understood to have made a trip to her home last August. There is no suggestion he broke Covid rules during that journey.
Wallace is the daughter of a well-off oil tycoon and is thought to have split from her husband Andrew, who she married in 2010. She was pictured at Zara’s wedding to rugby star Mike Tindall in 2011.
She attended Aberdeenshire private school Gordonstoun – which was also attended by Prince Philip and Prince Charles – in the same year as Zara, 40. She and Peter are believed to have been reacquainted at a school reunion.
