Latest news with #Sperling
Sky News AU
4 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips gives NHS nurse Harriet Sperling $20,000 diamond engagement ring
Royal family member Peter Phillips chose a "timeless" engagement ring to propose to his now fiancée, Harriet Sperling, that is worth upwards of $20,000 AUD. Princess Anne's only son is set to marry for the second time to Ms Sperling, a nurse working for the UK's National Health Service (NHS). The happy couple announced their engagement last week, but a date has yet to be officially set for the wedding. "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement,' the couple said in a statement. Ms Sperling's engagement ring appears to feature a central oval or round diamond, flanked by trapeze-cut or triangular side stones. Royal jewellery expert Tobias Kormind, co-founder and managing director of 77 Diamonds, pegged the value of the sparkler in the ballpark of about £10,000 (approximately $20,000). However, the ring could be worth significantly more depending on cut and carat. "While an exact valuation would require a clearer image and knowledge of its provenance, a similar design with diamonds of comparable quality and size crafted at 77 Diamonds would typically be priced from around £10,000, with the final price reflecting individual choices in cut, carat, and craftsmanship," he told the Express newspaper. The rough valuation of Ms Sperling's rock would place the ring at the lower end of royal engagement rings. Mr Phillips proposed to his first wife Autumn Phillips with an estimated £80,000 ring featuring a central oval diamond, with two additional diamonds on either side, all set on a platinum band. Princess Catherine's engagement ring is one of the most famous pieces in the royal jewellery box and was previously Princess Diana's engagement ring. The iconic sapphire ring – said to resemble the late Diana's unforgettable blue eyes – is conservatively estimated to be worth $USD500,000. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle's engagement ring is worth an estimated $600,000 following a series of upgrades and alterations since her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. Most recently, the Duchess of Sussex reportedly swapped out the cushion-cut centre diamond for a larger emerald-cut diamond.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
How paediatric nurse Harriet Sperling became a royal fiancee
Sperling studied at St Mary's University in Twickenham, and became an NHS nurse specialising in paediatric care at Evelina London Children's Hospital. The Princess of Wales has been a patron of the hospital since 2018. Despite finding such an admirable vocation, in a 2009 interview with the Daily Mail for an article about young women and faith, Sperling confessed that her faith had become 'dormant' when she moved to the capital. She said: 'Somehow it didn't seem relevant to my life in London, going to famous nightclubs and spending a lot of time in Ibiza during the summer. I was a real party girl.' But the end of a seven-year relationship marked a turning point: 'I went to church as I felt there was something missing.' She chose St Paul's in Onslow Square, west London, Sperling said, because of its 'intimate feel' and its active engagement with the wider community. It had brought her a sense of fulfilment and peace, she said, adding: 'I pray not only on Sunday, but all the time, often just quietly to myself.' That helped her with her job, which could be 'quite stressful and emotionally engaging'. Sperling once told a magazine she had a particular passion for 'early brain development', and in 2010 she was part of a heroic medical team that helped save the life of critically ill baby Phineas, who had been struck down by a deadly virus. Speaking in 2012, Sperling said: 'Just 20 minutes after receiving the call to collect Phineas, the retrieval team were on our way in an intensive care ambulance.' In 2012, Sperling, who was previously married to fitness instructor Antonio St John Sperling, gave birth to her own child: daughter Georgia. But, writing for Christian magazine Woman Alive in March last year, she revealed that she had brought Georgia up on her own. 'Resources were scarce and the future was uncertain,' she said. 'Yet, in the absence of material security, I discovered the strength and life that comes from true, selfless love.' She said: 'My daughter and I journeyed 10 years with only each other. I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island.' However, at around this time, someone new did enter her life. Sperling reportedly met Phillips, 47, at a sporting event involving their similarly aged children. Phillips has two daughters, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, with his Canadian ex-wife Autumn Kelly (the pair divorced in 2021). Phillips and Sperling's public debut in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials was also a family affair, attended by Phillips's daughters, his sister Zara Tindall and her husband Mike, and the Queen. It was Sperling's first time in the media spotlight, yet she appeared to take it all in her stride. A friend of Phillips told The Telegraph the pair were 'enjoying each other's company and spending time together like any normal couple', while an onlooker said of Sperling: 'She looked very happy and relaxed in his company and pleased to be shown off at one of the biggest social events in the equestrian world.' Sporting occasions played a large part in the couple's summer of love. In the June, they were spotted in the VIP tent at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, and that month they also attended Royal Ascot, where Sperling met the King and Queen. One year on from their first public outing, Sperling and Phillips returned to the Badminton Horse Trials, this time cheering on Zara Tindall, who was being awarded the event's Armada Dish. Sperling also joined the family at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, where she spent time with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; in Wimbledon's royal box, alongside the Queen; and at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, in support of Prince William. But it was another event that truly cemented Sperling's place as a future royal bride. In June, she made her royal carriage debut in the procession at Ascot, accompanying Phillips in carriage three. That suggested Sperling, who appears to have slotted naturally into the Firm, had been given the official seal of approval. Even so, it was a surprise on Friday when she and Phillips announced their betrothal. The news came via Hello! magazine, which published two photographs of the couple (in which Sperling showed off her diamond engagement ring, estimated by one expert to cost at least £10,000) shortly after Phillips and Sperling had spoken to the King and Queen. The choice of magazine prompted reminders of Phillips's first wedding, in 2008, when he caused controversy by selling the exclusive photographic rights to Hello! for a reported £500,000, allegedly angering the late queen, who had not been consulted in advance. The pictures marking Phillips' and Sperling's engagement, however, are said to have been taken privately and it is understood no commercial arrangement was made with Hello! or any other publication. The couple have yet to announce a date for their wedding. Leading designers will surely be champing at the bit to dress Sperling. She has won praise for the elegant way in which she mixes high street brands such as Zara with royal-approved British designers. In her engagement photos, Sperling is wearing a white cheesecloth top and skirt set by Me+Em, a home-grown label favoured by the Princess of Wales. Loading It's likely that the couple's new blended family will be highlighted in the ceremony, perhaps with their three daughters acting as bridesmaids. Savannah and Isla previously took that role at Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018. As both an elegant figure, coolly unfazed by public duties, and a hard-working NHS nurse and single mother, Sperling is the ideal fit for a gradually modernising institution. It appears she's not just a great match for Phillips: she could be the royal family's shining new star.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
How paediatric nurse Harriet Sperling became a royal fiancée
Sperling studied at St Mary's University in Twickenham, and became an NHS nurse specialising in paediatric care at Evelina London Children's Hospital. The Princess of Wales has been a patron of the hospital since 2018. Despite finding such an admirable vocation, in a 2009 interview with the Daily Mail for an article about young women and faith, Sperling confessed that her faith had become 'dormant' when she moved to the capital. She said: 'Somehow it didn't seem relevant to my life in London, going to famous nightclubs and spending a lot of time in Ibiza during the summer. I was a real party girl.' But the end of a seven-year relationship marked a turning point: 'I went to church as I felt there was something missing.' Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling at The Royal Charity Polo Cup. Credit:She chose St Paul's in Onslow Square, west London, Sperling said, because of its 'intimate feel' and its active engagement with the wider community. It had brought her a sense of fulfilment and peace, she said, adding: 'I pray not only on Sunday, but all the time, often just quietly to myself.' That helped her with her job, which could be 'quite stressful and emotionally engaging'. Sperling once told a magazine she had a particular passion for 'early brain development', and in 2010 she was part of a heroic medical team that helped save the life of critically ill baby Phineas, who had been struck down by a deadly virus. Speaking in 2012, Sperling said: 'Just 20 minutes after receiving the call to collect Phineas, the retrieval team were on our way in an intensive care ambulance.' In 2012 Sperling, who was previously married to fitness instructor Antonio St John Sperling, gave birth to her own child: daughter Georgia. But, writing for Christian magazine Woman Alive in March last year, she revealed that she had brought Georgia up on her own. 'Resources were scarce and the future was uncertain,' she said. 'Yet, in the absence of material security, I discovered the strength and life that comes from true, selfless love.' She said: 'My daughter and I journeyed 10 years with only each other. I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island.' However, at around this time, someone new did enter her life. Sperling reportedly met Phillips, 47, at a sporting event involving their similarly aged children. Phillips has two daughters, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, with his Canadian ex-wife Autumn Kelly (the pair divorced in 2021). Phillips and Sperling's public debut in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials was also a family affair, attended by Phillips's daughters, his sister Zara Tindall and her husband Mike, and the Queen. It was Sperling's first time in the media spotlight, yet she appeared to take it all in her stride. A friend of Phillips told The Telegraph the pair were 'enjoying each other's company and spending time together like any normal couple', while an onlooker said of Sperling: 'She looked very happy and relaxed in his company and pleased to be shown off at one of the biggest social events in the equestrian world.' Sporting occasions played a large part in the couple's summer of love. In the June, they were spotted in the VIP tent at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, and that month they also attended Royal Ascot, where Sperling met the King and Queen. One year on from their first public outing, Sperling and Phillips returned to the Badminton Horse Trials, this time cheering on Zara Tindall, who was being awarded the event's Armada Dish. Sperling also joined the family at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, where she spent time with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; in Wimbledon's royal box, alongside the Queen; and at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, in support of Prince William. But it was another event that truly cemented Sperling's place as a future royal bride. In June, she made her royal carriage debut in the procession at Ascot, accompanying Phillips in carriage three. That suggested Sperling, who appears to have slotted naturally into the Firm, had been given the official seal of approval. Even so, it was a surprise on Friday when she and Phillips announced their betrothal. The news came via Hello! magazine, which published two photographs of the couple (in which Sperling showed off her diamond engagement ring, estimated by one expert to cost at least £10,000) shortly after Phillips and Sperling had spoken to the King and Queen. The choice of magazine prompted reminders of Phillips's first wedding, in 2008, when he caused controversy by selling the exclusive photographic rights to Hello! for a reported £500,000, allegedly angering the late queen, who had not been consulted in advance. The pictures marking Phillips' and Sperling's engagement, however, are said to have been taken privately and it is understood no commercial arrangement was made with Hello! or any other publication. The couple have yet to announce a date for their wedding. Leading designers will surely be champing at the bit to dress Sperling. She has won praise for the elegant way in which she mixes high street brands such as Zara with royal-approved British designers. In her engagement photos, Sperling is wearing a white cheesecloth top and skirt set by Me+Em, a home-grown label favoured by the Princess of Wales. Loading It's likely that the couple's new blended family will be highlighted in the ceremony, perhaps with their three daughters acting as bridesmaids. Savannah and Isla previously took that role at Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018. As both an elegant figure, coolly unfazed by public duties, and a hard-working NHS nurse and single mother, Sperling is the ideal fit for a gradually modernising institution. It appears she's not just a great match for Phillips: she could be the royal family's shining new star. The Telegraph, London
The Age
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
How paediatric nurse Harriet Sperling became a royal fiancée
Sperling studied at St Mary's University in Twickenham, and became an NHS nurse specialising in paediatric care at Evelina London Children's Hospital. The Princess of Wales has been a patron of the hospital since 2018. Despite finding such an admirable vocation, in a 2009 interview with the Daily Mail for an article about young women and faith, Sperling confessed that her faith had become 'dormant' when she moved to the capital. She said: 'Somehow it didn't seem relevant to my life in London, going to famous nightclubs and spending a lot of time in Ibiza during the summer. I was a real party girl.' But the end of a seven-year relationship marked a turning point: 'I went to church as I felt there was something missing.' She chose St Paul's in Onslow Square, west London, Sperling said, because of its 'intimate feel' and its active engagement with the wider community. It had brought her a sense of fulfilment and peace, she said, adding: 'I pray not only on Sunday, but all the time, often just quietly to myself.' That helped her with her job, which could be 'quite stressful and emotionally engaging'. Sperling once told a magazine she had a particular passion for 'early brain development', and in 2010 she was part of a heroic medical team that helped save the life of critically ill baby Phineas, who had been struck down by a deadly virus. Speaking in 2012, Sperling said: 'Just 20 minutes after receiving the call to collect Phineas, the retrieval team were on our way in an intensive care ambulance.' In 2012 Sperling, who was previously married to fitness instructor Antonio St John Sperling, gave birth to her own child: daughter Georgia. But, writing for Christian magazine Woman Alive in March last year, she revealed that she had brought Georgia up on her own. 'Resources were scarce and the future was uncertain,' she said. 'Yet, in the absence of material security, I discovered the strength and life that comes from true, selfless love.' She said: 'My daughter and I journeyed 10 years with only each other. I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island.' However, at around this time, someone new did enter her life. Sperling reportedly met Phillips, 47, at a sporting event involving their similarly aged children. Phillips has two daughters, Savannah, 14, and Isla, 13, with his Canadian ex-wife Autumn Kelly (the pair divorced in 2021). Phillips and Sperling's public debut in May 2024 at the Badminton Horse Trials was also a family affair, attended by Phillips's daughters, his sister Zara Tindall and her husband Mike, and the Queen. It was Sperling's first time in the media spotlight, yet she appeared to take it all in her stride. A friend of Phillips told The Telegraph the pair were 'enjoying each other's company and spending time together like any normal couple', while an onlooker said of Sperling: 'She looked very happy and relaxed in his company and pleased to be shown off at one of the biggest social events in the equestrian world.' Sporting occasions played a large part in the couple's summer of love. In the June, they were spotted in the VIP tent at the Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire, and that month they also attended Royal Ascot, where Sperling met the King and Queen. One year on from their first public outing, Sperling and Phillips returned to the Badminton Horse Trials, this time cheering on Zara Tindall, who was being awarded the event's Armada Dish. Sperling also joined the family at the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, where she spent time with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie; in Wimbledon's royal box, alongside the Queen; and at the Royal Charity Polo Cup in Windsor, in support of Prince William. But it was another event that truly cemented Sperling's place as a future royal bride. In June, she made her royal carriage debut in the procession at Ascot, accompanying Phillips in carriage three. That suggested Sperling, who appears to have slotted naturally into the Firm, had been given the official seal of approval. Even so, it was a surprise on Friday when she and Phillips announced their betrothal. The news came via Hello! magazine, which published two photographs of the couple (in which Sperling showed off her diamond engagement ring, estimated by one expert to cost at least £10,000) shortly after Phillips and Sperling had spoken to the King and Queen. The choice of magazine prompted reminders of Phillips's first wedding, in 2008, when he caused controversy by selling the exclusive photographic rights to Hello! for a reported £500,000, allegedly angering the late queen, who had not been consulted in advance. The pictures marking Phillips' and Sperling's engagement, however, are said to have been taken privately and it is understood no commercial arrangement was made with Hello! or any other publication. The couple have yet to announce a date for their wedding. Leading designers will surely be champing at the bit to dress Sperling. She has won praise for the elegant way in which she mixes high street brands such as Zara with royal-approved British designers. In her engagement photos, Sperling is wearing a white cheesecloth top and skirt set by Me+Em, a home-grown label favoured by the Princess of Wales. Loading It's likely that the couple's new blended family will be highlighted in the ceremony, perhaps with their three daughters acting as bridesmaids. Savannah and Isla previously took that role at Princess Eugenie's wedding in 2018. As both an elegant figure, coolly unfazed by public duties, and a hard-working NHS nurse and single mother, Sperling is the ideal fit for a gradually modernising institution. It appears she's not just a great match for Phillips: she could be the royal family's shining new star.
South Wales Guardian
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Peter Phillips announces engagement to girlfriend Harriet Sperling
Peter and his partner were pictured in photographs released to mark the occasion with Ms Sperling showing off her engagement ring. The King, Queen and senior royals have been told the news but a date has yet to be officially set for the wedding. A statement released on the couple's behalf said: 'Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement. 'Both families were informed jointly of the announcement and were delighted with the wonderful news of their engagement. 'Their Majesties the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales have been informed of the announcement. No date has been officially set for the wedding.' Speculation about the relationship first began more than a year ago when they were spotted together at social events. More recently Peter and Harriet, an NHS nurse, were guests of Charles and Camilla on the first day of Royal Ascot in June. The couple were invited to take part in the traditional carriage procession the royal family make onto the famous Berkshire racecourse to signal the start of the day. Mr Phillips has two daughters, Savannah and Isla Phillips, from his first marriage to Autumn Phillips. They couple married at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2008 and divorced more than 11 years later.
