Peter Phillips is Princess Anne’s only son, and Peter is big brother to Zara Phillips (Tindall). Anne did not want either of her children to have titles, and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, declined a peerage offered to him by the Queen when he married Anne. Both Anne and Mark Phillips were obviously quite sporty and horsey, so it’s not shocking that Zara would turn out to be quite sporty and horsey too. Zara is an Olympic-medal-winning equestrian, and like so many Olympic-level athletes, Zara makes the bulk of her income from her sponsorships and endorsements. She’s got sponsorships with Rolex, Land Rover and Musto among others, and she reportedly makes about $1-2 million a year. To me, that’s all above-board: many athletes make the bulk of their money from sponsorships rather than prize money. Of course, companies are more interested in Zara because she’s the granddaughter of the Queen, but Zara has proven herself as an equestrian too so…??
Obviously, it’s a bit different for Peter Phillips, who is not a professional athlete and does not need “sponsors” to support an athletic career. Peter and Zara have both made money selling photo exclusives to magazines, like their weddings or first-photos of their babies. That has been considered tacky by people in and around the royal family, but it’s still “allowed.” But is this allowed? Peter Phillips getting paid big bucks to star in a milk advertisement in China?
Is this a vision of Prince Harry’s future? @richardaeden reports The Queen’s grandson Peter Phillips is using his royal connections to sell milk on Chinese TV https://t.co/Z7MZJotNQy pic.twitter.com/MGH6vhuUn3
— Mail+ (@MailPlus_) January 21, 2020
This whole thing was amplified by the Sussex Squad over the past few days as Prince Harry and Meghan negotiated their freedom and negotiated their way towards making their own money. There are so many people who think that, like, Harry and Meghan will end up doing this kind of weird advertising for cash? Please. I could see Meghan doing some kind of sponsorship deal with a beauty company or a low-key advertising deal with a fashion company even. I seriously doubt that they would be this f–king tacky. As for Peter… like, he’s always done this kind of thing? And it was never that big of a deal because A) he doesn’t have a title and B) no one really cares about him anyway.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Whoa. Where’s he been hiding?? He is… hot.
I see a little of his cousin William’s face in that golf pic – pass!
Yep, a beefier, more rugged William. I see it.
Really?
pass. i only see anne in his face, especially eyes and nose. the closed mouth smile is covering the giant mouth and teeth most of the windsors have (william, zara, edward, beatrice, etc). the beard is flattering on him, though!
He’s not my type, but a handsome man for sure! In the video, where he tilts his head to the side and smiles (0:45 in the clip above), it’s hard to deny that he is a cutie.
Ewww gross, really? He looks exactly like William to me. He’s just not bald and has the scruffy facial hair.
I’ve always thought Anne was so pretty when she was young. Both of her children are attractive. Maybe the Phillips genes dominated the Windsor ones.
I’m not complaining!
+1, in the thumbnail pic he looks like Liam Hemsworth.
Don’t let the beard fool you!!!!!! Don’t fall for it!
He’s not bad! Golf pic ruined it though for me. But I would still do him. He is the grandson of the Queen, I can see myself in that circle 😝
Good for him! I bet he had some advance warning of Sussexit. He realized he’d better get out there and get his piece of the market while he still can!
This was completely ignored until it became a possible move for the Sussexes. So now the media is condemning it? They know people have been comparing the life the Sussexes will live to Zara and Peter and other royal adjacents, so instead of admitting there is precedent, now they’re attacking those members to seem “fair”? Exhibit obvious as to why the Sussexes left.
How many times has it happened in the past?
I can think of Fergie shilling for Weight Watchers and a very bad reality show she did on Oprah’s channel. But I remember a fair amount of eyerolling at that too.
There is a shady HK businessman who has been documented as paying various royals (including Fergie and Zara) for unknown services. The reports seemed to indicate that they were “Royal Ambassadors” to this dude — so paying for access.
Wasn’t she divorced when she did all that and had lost her HRH?
Fergie was broke and divorced at that time though
Fergie was literally caught on tape brokering access to Andrew on his behalf in return for cash as well, lest we forget.
This is entirely about Harry and Meghan. Peter does not drive clicks. The tabs are letting H&M know they intend to attack all of their money making activities, even though they complained relentlessly about their use of tax dollars. It’s so obvious and so ugly.
Really? I think this is the rest of the royals now in the crosshairs of the tabloids. The tabloids have a huge appetite for blood and they are so coming for the rest of the family. It sells. It gets clicks. Sure, Meghan’s name will be included in every article, but it still is going to make the rest of them uncomfortable too.
The advert seems to revolve around the palace/royalty tho I’m shocked no one cares. It’d be different if he were selling himself without the royal aspect. How is this not cashing in on his royal ties?
It’s super tacky and gross and hope that he’s told not to do this kind of thing ever again. It’s definitely cashing in. You would think that he learned his lesson after the Queen got so pissed off about his deal with Hello for his wedding. The weird part is that most people in the UK probably wouldn’t know who he is. Why would people in China know or care? It’s the most random endorsement ever.
Speaking from mild experience – China and some other countries in Asia have issues with food quality control. For example, baby formula on China was doctored with fertilizer to increase the apparent protein content. After that many people would only buy western produced baby formula. There is a severe lack of trust depending on the scandal and product. So it makes sense to me that a Chinese company wants to sell their product by having Pete Phillips say “this food is so trustworthy even the grandson of the queen of England drinks it.” Maybe I am wrong though and I am being open to being told if I am.
He’s not a working royal either and no HRH
@ Onomo : No, you’re right. I lived in China for four years and I don’t think people there trust the food safety system in China. Milk was always imported from places like Australia or Germany in tetra boxes. I heard of the scandals too.
Agree, it’s fine for him to earn a living but the ‘royalty’ aspect of this is wrong. Whether the royal family like it or not, the institution of the Monarchy is an asset and tool of the UK state (and therefore UK citizens) and so to leverage it for personal profit is bordering on corruption.
Exactly. Either you can cash in if you’re not doing royal duties or you can’t. I don’t think not being titled is an excuse when he has direct ties the monarchy. Neither is his level popularity. He’s the Queen’s first grandchild. Picking and choosing who to drag for using their royal connection to make money is unfair imo.
such a cringe worthy commercial. does he have an actual job?
He has a business of some sort. I don’t care about him enough to look for the details.
Me neither lol.
According to his linkedin he’s a managing director at a entertainment agency. Before that he worked at Royal Bank of Scotland so he does work, it’s just not as high profile.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-phillips-0b305621
The dad was hot in his day, if I recall.
Mark Phillips was quite the handsome man & he can really ride a horse.
There needs to be a standard. If those without royal titles, regardless of their rank, (i.e 1st grandchild or son of heir) can make a professional salary then there you have it. Whether his choices are tacky or not the point is getting to make your own choices. I believe that was what the Sussexes want. To make their own choices.
Yeah his dad was hot, but supposedly so stupid the family nickname for him (coined by Charles) was FOG.
How stupid do you have to be for the British royal family to call you ‘stupid’?
I don’t know if it’s still a thing, but apparently at one point some US/European celebrities who wouldn’t do ads in the Western countries would do them in Japan because that didn’t “count,” somehow. Probably a similar dynamic.
George Clooney and Leo DiCaprio made a second career out of them. Real good money.
I see George Clooney’s face plastered on ads in Europe and Asia.
@Ina, that is why I was shocked that he agreed to the Nespresso ads here in the states. He worked his hardest to make sure we never saw them here.
Harrison Ford, Bill Murray, Paul Newman etc. they all do or did it. As long as it isn’t seen in the Western world, they’re on board with it. ChaChing. 💲💲
That was pretty much the side-plot of Lost In Translation.
Before the internet, Hollywood stars could get away with doing commercials in Asia, particularly Japan, and Western audiences would never know about it. The internet, particularly YouTube, changed all of that.
Part of the reason for this was that movie stars/actors though appearing on TV in any way was “beneath” them. Yeah, there was a *very* distinct line drawn between TV Actors and Movie Actors. And it was rare – *very rare* for a TV actor to transition to film. And a movie actor doing TV work, especially commercials, would see their list-status drop a ton.That’s another reason why doing ads in Japan “didn’t count,” because it was a foreign country, no the West and particularly not the US.
Again, the internet changed all of that, and by the 2010s, so many “movie” actors started doing TV, (and more TV actors were crossing over into film) that it didn’t matter anymore.
He is the grandson of a queen and is not living off the public purse. Boyfriend’s got to werk, so who am I to begrudge him his shilling.
At least he’s working right?
Never heard of him.
Heard of him, have never seen him.
Tacky? Yes. Surprising after all he’s done before (see the queen’s jubilee lunch thing)? No.
If the queen’s all worried about her brand, maybe she should take a long look at Andrew. I’m sure the deals they get on automobiles (and quick replacements after Phil crashed one) aren’t considered tacky, either. They pay their servants pennies, but an untitled grandson makes a buck and that’s considered tacky? Puh-lease.
He’s been doing this for a while (this specifically – the milk ads) – and the actual commercials are very bizarre, lol. I don’t blame him for making money but it does make me laugh that people think this is the kind of stuff H&M are going to be doing.
The Brits are a BITTER people. The man has to earn a living so does Harry/Meghan. If they aren’t paying for it the Brits should ZIP IT. Really who knew the Brits would be this CRAZY. They should focus on the cost of their goods and services because of Brexit
Are all British people bitter? All 66 million of us?
The vast majority of the UK are not in the Royal Family. The vast majority of the UK do not read The Daily Express, The Daily Mail et al.
The vast majority of you watch BBC and read telegraph, Guardian, Tatler and the like. The vast majority of you watched silently as Harry and his family was abused….so stop. The whole word saw the racism and abuse but for some reason the vast majority of Brits are clueless…really! Please that only flies with the vast majority of BITTER BRITS
Lol Myra is a racist and is stereotyping an entire nation and clearly knows nothing about Britain based on the pronouncement that we all read The Tatler!
Myra, he is cashing in on his royal connections though, he can get a normal job like most people. Also, name calling is not helpful and just lowers the tone. The majority of the British public don’t feel like they have a voice when it comes to traditional right wing media and feel pretty powerless. Plenty Brits were not silent on Twitter and appalled by the tabloid treatment of Meghan but unless you have some kind of power then you’re not going to be heard. Of course the right wing have a hold over a lot of our media right now which makes life difficult here, but I still believe their views don’t represent the majority so these generalisations aren’t helpful.
Alyse: What would be a normal job for a Royal. You Brits give one family the ability to rule over the rest of you yet limit their ability to be financially independent and break away from this ridiculous system. The fact that Harry was willing to get away from the toxic UK speaks volumes. I don’t believe “the majority of Brits was against racism abuse” because the majority would have a voice not be silent to said abuse. The fact of the matter is that you Brits are afraid to have a discussion about racism. You pretend it doesn’t exist. In the US we have issue of racism but we don’t pretend it doesn’t exist. When William stated out loud “I’m tired of racism” and has a mixed race sister in law being abused by racism Daily that caused me pause about the UK and I began to see how your country truly felt about Meghan. When I watch your reporters on American TV state foolish things like Meghan couldn’t handle the pressure because she wanted to preach climate change yet take private jets knowing fully well that was a lie again strengthen my belief in your countries inability to acknowledge racism. So let’s call this what it is: The Brits abused Meghan because of her race. At some point you need to acknowledge the truth.
The guy makes an honest living, tacky or not, and I respect him for that. He’s not trafficking teenagers for sex.
When the Monarchy goes away (which I believe it will), the untitled sons/daughters who are working in real life (not cutting ribbons and smiling for the plebes) will come out on top because they know how to make a living. That includes Meghan, and hopefully Harry. K&W on the other hand………
I was under the impression he and his sister and their families live on their mother’s compound?
They have housing there, but it’s probably not their only home.
apparently his family moved off her estate and lives in london now. zara’s family are still there.
The Queen is incredible. She has the uncanny ability to get worried about everything – Peter selling his wedding pics to the press, Katie Keen not having a proper job, Meghan being biracial, etc. – everything save for Andrew’s acquaintance with sex traffickers and convicted sex offenders. You know what’s tacky Queenie? Abusing sex trafficked teenagers. THAT is very tacky.
Zara also has ad money off her baby. I think a stroller was endorsed. If tied to just athletics I could see the difference, but Zaras aren’t. There’s lifestyle sponsorships as well.
I’m kind of like he can do whatever he wants as long as it’s legit. He minds his business and I don’t know who he is. I think his sister is obnoxious but that’s neither here nor there. However, speculating about what the Sussexes do and tut tutting over the appropriateness of their future income is just ridiculous. They already have a lot to do, still have their patronages, and a foundation to launch. If anyone is hyper aware of how they’ll be scrutinized and everything they do analyzed and picked apart, it’s Harry and Meghan.
I don’t have a problem with this. What I have a problem with is the sanctimonious position the Firm is now taking with the Sussexes on working for a living. It’s two-faced to know and accept that every other member of the family does this sort of stuff but that it is detrimental for the Firm if the Sussexes do it.
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (Michael is the Queen’s first cousin) use their HRH titles when they author books etc., so they are trading in on their royal connections. There needs to be clear rules, you either can or you can’t. All the outcry because Harry and Meghan have escaped this toxic instituation and may make money from their connections but others get barely any attention for doing the same thing.
I think the bigger scandal in this whole mess is that the company that devised this ad used a stately home – Longleat, the home of Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymouth, and her family – without asking for permission.
Oh, and Emma is biracial, like Meghan. There might be a pattern here, otherwise there are hundreds of these places they could have used…
I find this curious: how do you use a stately home without permission? How do you even get inside? Pay for a ticket like any other tourist & bring in your cameras under sheets or something?
Poor Autumn has Anne for a MIL, what must that be like? As far a Peter’s ad, I second the comment above about celebs thinking it doesn’t count if it’s in Japan, China, etc.
The British subjects cannot have their cake and eat it. They whinge about the the relatively little money that goes to the upkeep of BRF via the press. Noting that there are mainly three ways to earn a living unless one has inherited funds.
The first type of earning a living is through employment in the commercial or governmental sectors, funding provided by the state or self-employment.
For instance 2018 the Crown Estates received £82 million – 25% of what it remitted to the government. In actual fact , the monies attained in that time through sales , visits , etc was £328 million. (The £2.4 used to renovate Frogmore Cottage was allotted from the £82)
The treasury spent £67 million making it about 1£ per taxpayer.
Peter is a minor royal without titles with no funds from the state chooses to (in this case) earn money via commercial means. He became collateral in the cultural on the Sussex as a member of the squad noted the silence of the toxic press.
If the taxpayers do not pay towards their upkeep , it is none of their business. They should learn to mind their manners.
Kaiser mentioned make-up and clothing endorsements as a possibility. How about a baby, toddler line of items, without Archie being the only model?
Then the media would holler about how they are exploiting Archie “for profit!!”. If I were them though I would keep Archie under wraps just like they have been doing. The less the media sees of him the better, let him have a somewhat normal like. The Kardashian/Jenners are always parading their kids on the internet, Beyonce too for that matter and I don’t think it’s right.
If B&E can get jobs that are dignified and earn a living and no one says “Boo” about it, why is it assumed that H&M would do something tacky? This media is so bitter. But H&M need to keep right on doing what they are doing and ignore the noise.
I know! I’m constantly shaking my head as people are suggesting that she’s going to go back to acting (no, she’s not), that they’ll end up doing a reality show, that they are going to shill products with their pictures on them. No! They are not going to do these measly, tacky things – they have bigger objectives and that is borne out again and again and again by the projects they have thus far chosen in their lives – both before and after meeting.
That’s because the line the media is selling is that the Sussexes are just a 2.0 version of the Kartrashions.
Teehee “royal peter!”
Yeah, I thought that was funny too!
I caught that too! 😊
You know, maybe if the Windsors had some sort of genuine talent or intellect, they wouldn’t have to resort to tacky means of earning money when they’re not on the royal grants. That includes those that have recently walked away as well.