Wedding in the British Royal Family: Peter Phillips Marries Harriet Sperling

Among the guests were also Beatrice (37) and Princess Eugenie (36), daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. According to media reports, the two sisters had come together with their husbands. William reportedly greeted his cousin Beatrice with a kiss on the cheek at the wedding of Peter Phillips (48).

NAO Report Encumbers Beatrice and Eugenie

The attendance of Beatrice and Eugenie casts a spotlight on the ongoing discussions about their position within the royal family. As a report by the British National Audit Office (NAO) revealed, Charles's brother not only lived rent-free for years in the luxurious Royal Lodge estate in Windsor but also generated income from subletting outbuildings. According to the report, Beatrice and Eugenie also have very favorable rental contracts for their royal properties; however, they do not have to pay, as uncle Charles settles the bill. And this, despite the fact that they do not perform any official duties for the royal family.

The NAO report had been published on Friday before the wedding. According to media reports, Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have been living rent-free in royal residences for nearly two decades. King Charles is said to settle the rent for Beatrice and Eugenie, even though neither of them is a working member of the royal family.

Shadows of the Past: Andrew and Ferguson

The sisters' presence at the wedding came against the backdrop of the ongoing affair surrounding their father. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor fell into disrepute in the course of the scandal involving the deceased sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein. In the course of time, all his titles and honors were stripped from him. Most recently, he was temporarily arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office, and the police continue to investigate him. Their mother Sarah Ferguson had also disappeared from public life following revelations about her long-standing friendship with the convicted sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Royal Observer Interprets the Gestures

Royal expert Tom Sykes analyzed William's greeting of Beatrice in his newsletter "The Royalist." The gesture shows that King Charles is having success with his approach within the family. Sykes also emphasized that William, for whom the reputation of the royal family is reportedly particularly important, had made clear that he "will ultimately bow to the wishes of his father, entirely in keeping with the military basic structures of the royal family."

Despite the shadows of the past, the wedding celebration proceeded in a festive atmosphere, according to reports. With the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling, who works as a nurse, the royal family once again gains a new member from outside the closest royal circle. The private nature of the ceremony in the small church in the Cotswolds underscored the family's wish for a celebration in the closest of circles, even though the guest list was filled with high-ranking names.