Peter Phillips’ engagement thunder was sort of stolen by the Prince and Princess of Wales, correct? Peter announced his engagement to Harriet Sperling on August 1st. The gossip about the engagement and wedding lasted less than a week, then the royalists moved on swiftly to talking about the Sussexes’ Netflix contract and the Waleses’ move to Forest Lodge. In any case, Peter and Harriet are still quite happy, and for the first time in their relationship, Harriet has been invited to Balmoral. She will have to survive the infamous Balmoral Test, where members of the Windsor clan “test” a woman to see if she’s horsey, sporty, outdoorsy and interested in shooting animals. Part of the test is also wardrobe-related – a woman is expected to know how to dress at any given point of the day. To be fair, I think the Balmoral Test is more lowkey these days, especially considering that King Charles doesn’t give a sh-t and he’s probably just staying in Birkhall, not the big house.
Future Royal bride Harriet Sperling is undergoing the “Balmoral Test” after being invited to the Scottish Highlands for the first time. The NHS nurse is set to marry the King’s nephew Peter Phillips, 47, after the royal revealed this summer he had already popped the question after just over a year dating.
Mum-of-one Harriett, 45, has joined the King and Queen in Scotland and has thrown herself into the famous family exam held at Balmoral’s 53,000 acre estate ahead of her Royal wedding. Insiders reveal she had been bonding with Zara Tindall and her children while enjoying rides on trips on electric-powered mountain bikes around the estates. She also joined the royals while horseriding in the estate this week.
Balmoral allows the extended Royal Family to gather for several weeks during August in one of only two times a year along with Christmas that they all enjoy a work-free get-together. The Balmoral Test lives in folklore within royal circles and Princess Diana’s wooing of the late Queen and Prince Philip was immortalised in Netflix show The Crown.
A source said: “Everyone knows Peter is smitten and his family have accepted Harriett into the set up so she will likely pass the infamous Balmoral Test with flying colours.”
“…To gather for several weeks during August…” During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she loved to be in Scotland every summer for at least two months, which allowed the extended family to travel there at their leisure, and it wasn’t some big rush to ensure that everyone was in residence at the same time. Charles only arrived in Balmoral in the middle of August, but it looks like the whole family is there at the same time right now. As for Harriet passing the Balmoral Test… as I said, it’s not as rigid and bum-clenching as it was in QEII’s day. My guess is that the younger royals and royal-adjacents have the run of the big house, and so of course they’re having a nice vacation with little drama.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- Ascot, UNITED KINGDOM – Members Of The Royal Family attend day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Pictured: Peter Phillips BACKGRID USA 17 JUNE 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Zak Hussein / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Londres, UNITED KINGDOM Peter Phillips and his partner Harriet Sperling were seen attending the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London, enjoying the high-level competition and relaxed summer atmosphere together during one of the sport’s most prestigious events Pictured: Peter Phillips, Harriet Sperling BACKGRID USA 9 JULY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Arrivals on Day 4 of Royal Ascot. Featuring: Peter Philips, Harriet Sperling Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 21 Jun 2024 Credit: Cover Images
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- Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips attend the tenth day of the Wimbledon tennis championships held at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Featuring: Harriet Sperling, Peter Phillips Where: London, United Kingdom When: 10 Jul 2024 Credit: Ray Tang/Cover Images **STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY**
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- Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips attend the tenth day of the Wimbledon tennis championships held at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club Featuring: Harriet Sperling, Peter Phillips Where: London, United Kingdom When: 10 Jul 2024 Credit: Ray Tang/Cover Images **STRICTLY EDITORIAL USE ONLY**
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- Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling during the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup 2024 at Guards Polo Club in Windsor, Berkshire Featuring: Harriet Sperling, Peter Phillips Where: Windsor, United Kingdom When: 12 Jul 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Royal guests during day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse Featuring: Harriet Sperling, Peter Phillips Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Royal guests during day one of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse Featuring: Harriet Sperling, Peter Phillips Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 17 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
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- Members of the royal family on Day Three of Royal Ascot Meeting 2025 Featuring: Harriet Sperling and Peter Philips Day Three of Royal Ascot Meeting 2025 Ascot, United Kingdom 19th June 2025 Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 19 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
Run Harriet Run!!
😂 I agree. But hey, she wants to surf this wave, good luck to her. I’d be wary with Peter’s reputation send the rest of the clan but she’s English, white and has some blue blood in her. Lazy will be jealous.
@Blogger I wonder how Kate gets on with Zara and Thug Tindall?
Lazy isn’t into horses but she’s into rugby players 😏
You don’t actually see photos of them interacting much. I would like to think Zara’s rolling her eyes over Lazy’s vacuousness but then again she rebounded on that cheating thug after her messy break up with that jockey.
I think the jockey was the love of her life but they fought publicly too much. So in other words, Zara has her own shitshow to sort out, so she’s probably glad she’s not scrutinised like Lazy.
Jessica Palmer was the woman Thug cheated with. She was his ex. He likes blondes.
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/mystery-blonde-caught-kissing-mike-tindall-revealed-as-exflame-jessica-palmer-who-currently-lives-in-sydney/news-story/c1c4f29b0f6b31dce83d9041ede9a60b
That was 14 years ago before they married. I doubt it’s still an issue. I don’t think there’ve been rumors since. About cheating anyway, not the rest of his behavior. I think they’re solid. Mike probably gets along with Kate okay but I just don’t see Zara clicking with her. Personality, interests, work experience—they don’t really have anything in common but young kids.
@BQM He has form.
This was three years ago. He’s very touchy feely. I can imagine he’s worse indoors and out of the camera.
https://www.celebitchy.com/791892/mike_tindall_grabbed_groped_a_young_woman_on_the_crew_of_his_reality_show/
Zara married her father…
I mean who is left to test her? I don’t think either Camilla or Charles gives a sh*t. Anne probably minds her own business. I don’t think Zara is that kind of a person. Do W&K even spend time with others?
I also think people simply do not care because peter is what number in the line of succession? She can hardly be called a royal bride and i don’t think she’ll be in the presence of charles very often.
Yes to all of this, I’m sure there’s still plenty of protocols (particularly if Charles actually shows up) but the vibe at Balmoral will be very different to when the queen and Philip were spending their summers there.
Also – charles had been in london getting treatment at royal Brompton this summer. I live in the hood and always makes me sad when I see the motorcades. He was there often in July.
I’m pretty sure Anne cares. The woman is marrying her son. But she doesn’t have to prove herself to anyone else. Peters a middle-aged man. He can do as he pleases. Nobody really gives a damn as long as she poses for the paps.
I feel like the Balmoral test isn’t even a thing anymore, not really. Don’t forget the infamous episode with diana was in, what, 1980? The QM was still alive and very much involved in family events like that, Margaret was still alive, there were few kids running around because only Anne had children at that point, etc.
Right now it just sounds like an extended vacation in the Scottish highlands to me, I dont think theres any kind of “test” at all. if Mike Tindall can pass the wardrobe part of it, then I’m sure Harriet will be fine, especially if Zara is helping her at all.
True. But at this point, marrying into the Windsors is like marrying into the Kennedys — the women who do tend to end up drunk, divorced, or dead.
yeah the men seem to do okay, at least so far with the grandsons-in-law of QEII. Its the women who get chewed up and spit out in one form or another.
But maybe Harriet will be far enough removed that she’ll be able to enjoy the perks without the chewing, so to speak.
I thought the test was you had to be white to pass and if that’s the case, and I believe it is, she has passed with flying lily white color.
Ding ding ding ding! You nailed it! Imagine she was a POC and a single mum, she’d be ripped to shreds! Omg she’s a nurse she MUST be a gold digger etc. The attacks would be never ending. She passed the test before she came through the door.
This family is just awful.
Yeah, I feel like this type of stuff was most important to people like Margaret and the QM. I can’t imagine that Zara, Beatrice, or Eugenie would care, and I don’t think C&C would either. And honestly she’s marrying a divorced guy, whose brother-in-law grabs his sister’s ass in public. Hardly the type of family that I will be worried about passing some etiquette test for.
Whoever wrote yesterday that Lazy dyed her hair blonde because of Harriet…yes, I can see that point. 😉
She has the confidence and ease – no doubt brought by years of being a WORKING SINGLE MOTHER – to carry herself. Her style is flowy like Rose.
And we know how much Lazy hates other females. 😏 Harriet, Carole and the Rottweiler will try to have you for breakfast. Best of luck navigating that snake pit.
Lol, we had the same realization – I pulled up these photos today of Harriet looking happy and sun-kissed and went OHHHHHHH. Maybe Harriet will take pity on Keen and give her the number of her colourist. The real question here is, how long do we think it will take for Kate to arrange a photo op with her new sister-in-law, taking her out shopping or out for tea in a way that she pointedly did not for Meghan. After all, WLM is coming up fast – wouldn’t it be nice to get some candid photos of the two blondes laughing and having fun as Kate “welcomes her to the family” and “shows her the ropes” lol. It writes itself.
“We’ll be besties! Twins! Shopping!”
But I hope Harriet is smart enough to keep on working. If she takes on patronages, the NHS would be the right fit her. I bet Anne is pleased.
Only a social climbing family like the Middletons think they’re above having their children work. Or serve the people.
Lol, it writes itself, but Kate still won’t do it.
I guess it all depends on how much flak KP is feeling behind the scenes from the rota. They have had two bad weeks of press. This is usually the time of year when they try to reset the narrative to “The Keens are taking their children to school and finally ready to step into their roles” for the seventh year in a row.
Hmmm, does this explain Kate’s new blonde hair? Trying to steal the spotlight of the new blonde focus of media attention?
Where is her child while she’s being tested?
With its father?
How furious must Lazy be that an older, single mom with a real job (a NURSE, no less!) looks better and breezier than she does?
A nurse,no less. Not sure how to take this; at first read I felt you were being snobbish, in that being a nurse was somehow beneath being adjacent to the RF. However, on second and third read, it may not have been intended as such. Could be taken both ways.
I think she more meant that being a nurse isn’t easy and depending on the type of nurse she is, she may work long shifts that she can’t just cancel bc she’s going to balmoral or wherever on a whim.
Oh, I mean it with the utmost respect! I have a couple of chronic health problems that require long-term monitoring and occasional hospitalizations, so nurses are a big part of my life, and I’m always in awe of how the vast majority of them handle a physically and emotionally exhausting job with patience and compassion. To do that as a single mom is even more incredible. Basically, I think the RF should be the ones desperately trying to impress Harriet, not the other way around.
I would think at this point that Harriet and Zara already know each other somewhat. Aren’t they all neighbors on Anne’s estate? So to say they’re just now bonding? I’m thinking that would have already started. I bet the kids are a handful. I only say that as I’m surrounded by 4 and it feels like a lot.
you know, there’s a false duality that people attribute to women or expect them to vindicate in some way, that you can’t be “breezy” or blonde and chic and yet be effective at a job, or, another one, if you’re effective at a job, how do you cope as a mum, or, it’s always some version of, if you do *this* thing, you can’t do *that* and Kate and William have reinforced this dubious cliché by making motherhood a pretext for her not to work, even though she had world-class childcare and domestic staff. But the truth is, as a parent, I often feel it’s precisely the mums who *do* have a life outside of motherhood, who are breezy and brisk and take it in their stride and there’s a no-nonsense vibe to it, but not in a hard way, just, in a get-up-and-go way, which is *life-affirming*. Most people look and feel better for *not* dwelling in their own mood, space, getting stuck in a rut, most people function better for getting out and work is part of that. Parents who never leave home are not actually coping well, necessarily, it’s like that U2 song, you’re stuck in a moment, and you can’t get out of it. So. I’m all for Harriet joining this family simply to reset their expectations of what is *normal* ….and as some 50% of marriages tend to end in divorce, maybe slightly less, and let’s say 75% of marriages produce children, she’s hardly in a demographic fringe. She’s a lot more capably representative of the UK — robustly so — than Kate, the famed middle class Home Counties girl next door. I mean. Really. Here’s to Harriet.
Yes indeed. To Harriet!
Kate will no doubt show her ugly side towards this lady, just watch and wait.
Could have sworn there was something about her going last year, but then she had to bail because she needed to work, and then they said that she didn’t need the Balmoral test because she had already met the King. 🤷♀️ Don’t know what happened there but it sounds like she’s having fun.
I’m also going to say that something smells off to me about this relationship. I can’t quite put my finger on it but it doesn’t quite pass the sniff test. I’ll just leave it at that.
Peter’s on the rebound and maybe she’s sick of being single.
I think Harriet doesn’t need to marry Peter – let’s face it, the Windsor shitshow is unattractive – and they could just live together.
This looks like a boost for Peter. I don’t get what she’ll get out of it – rent-free home on Anne’s grounds and connections I guess. But sacrificing one’s privacy and being sold off to the rats by family members who hate you is giving me more minuses than pluses for her.
But all the best to her and her kid. Maybe her kid will be treated like Wolfie. But Beatrice plays the tabloid game. The question is, will she? My preference for her would be going down the Duchess of Gloucester route but Harriet could be a total social climbing bitch like Lazy. So who knows.
The only person that matters is Peter. He and Harriet are both divorced with children and I doubt any one of the royal family has significant influence over his decision to marry.
They dated one year before the engagement. So where is peggs telling peter to slow down and don’t rush into marriage
Exactly what I was thinking! I guess Incandescent is too busy obsessing over Harry’s every move to spare a thought for Peter.
Kate was not invited to Balmoral until she was married. But Meghan and Harriet were??
Interesting, right? Tells you what they thought of Kate.
Harriett, please burn those wedgies. Even Kate doesn’t wear them anymore (I hope).
She’s certainly passing the frumpy dresses and fugly shoes test.
Waited patiently for someone else to say it first.
The Balmoral Test = does your wardrobe allow your spouse to stash his ill gotten briefcases of Saudi cash in your purse and oversized hat.