Harriet Sperling’s 17-page interview with Hello! has prompted criticism from some supporters of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, after it appeared during King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Caribbean visit.
Ms Sperling, a former NHS nurse who married Peter Phillips in June, appears in a six-outfit photoshoot and discusses her new role as patron of Home-Start Cotswolds, which supports new parents across six English counties.
The interview has been compared with the criticism directed at Prince Harry and Meghan when their media appearances have coincided with major royal occasions. However, Buckingham Palace is understood not to have raised any concerns about Ms Sperling’s feature.
“No one is remotely bothered about the interview,” a royal source said. “Not only are the couple low-key but it’s a very positive article, focusing on her charity work.”
Mr Phillips, 48, is the eldest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth and is 20th in line to the throne. He and Ms Sperling, 45, live on a farm at Gatcombe Park, the Gloucestershire estate owned by his mother, Princess Anne.
Ms Sperling has a 14-year-old daughter, Georgina, from a previous marriage. Mr Phillips has two daughters, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14, with his former wife, Autumn.
The couple were introduced to members of the Royal Family at Royal Ascot in 2024 and married at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, in June. The King and Queen attended the wedding, along with the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In her interview, Ms Sperling said she could turn to Catherine for advice and guidance, describing her as “very open-hearted” and saying she would feel comfortable asking her for help.
The comments have drawn comparisons with Meghan’s early period as a member of the Royal Family. At the Royal Foundation Forum in London in February 2018, shortly after her engagement to Harry, Meghan attracted attention for her remarks about the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.
Catherine, who was heavily pregnant at the time, allowed William to lead the discussions, while Meghan took a prominent role in the public conversation.
The controversy over Ms Sperling’s interview comes amid a wider contrast between the couple’s low-key public profile and the attention that has surrounded the Sussexes’ media appearances. Her feature focused on her charity work and her relationship with her new family, rather than criticism of the Royal Family or the press.
