‘Little Known’ Royal Is ‘Key Part’ of King Charles’ Family but Faces Uncertain Future
One royal family member who stays out of the spotlight is garnering headlines now thanks to his upcoming nuptials.
Princess Anne‘s son, Peter Phillips, is set to marry his fiancée, Harriet Sperling, on June 6 in Gloucestershire, England. Phillips has flown under the royal radar for so many years that many people don’t know much of anything about him, but he is a key part of King Charles‘ family behind closed doors. However, when the head of the family switches, will Phillips have any role behind the scenes or otherwise?
Here’s what someone who used to work for the king and knows Phillips has said about that.
Grant Harrold was King Charles’ personal butler for seven years. During his time working for the now-monarch, Harrold’s duties also included those of valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver. Since leaving the royal household, he’s become one of the U.K.’s leading etiquette experts, a best-selling author, and a commentator. In 2025, he published his first book, The Royal Butler, which became an Amazon bestseller. He regularly appears on TV offering royal commentary on both current and historic news stories.
Speaking on behalf of OLBG, Harrold told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “[Phillips] is very close to his uncle, the king. The king enjoys spending time with Peter and his sister Zara, which we see whenever they attend public events together. The king has a lot of time and love for him.
“Princess Anne purposely didn’t give him a title when he was born so that he didn’t have such a public profile. Even though he’s a member of the royal family and he’s in the line of succession, he doesn’t have any official responsibilities. But he’s still a close family member and a key part of the more private side of the family’s life.”
So will that remain the same when Prince William becomes king, as the heir apparent has been clear that he will run things a different way? Well, Phillips still will not have an official, state-recognized role within the monarchy when his cousin ascends the throne. As a non-working royal without a title, he will remain a private citizen. However, he is expected to serve as an unofficial confidant, trusted advisor, and supportive family sounding board.
Harrold noted, “[Phillips] had quite an active role in royal events over the years. He was on the committee for the late Queen’s Jubilee celebrations. When it comes to family activities, he’s also very involved. When Prince William talks about a slimmed-down monarchy, that’s definitely a branch that will go in a different direction. But he will be absolutely fine with that. He’s a businessman, he does his own thing and enjoys his own life away from the spotlight.
“He’s very calm and very cool, and he has a great sense of humor. He’s very unassuming. He’s almost an unknown member of the family, and he keeps out of the spotlight a lot. He had a very similar sense of humor to Prince William and Harry; they all have really good banter. They all love practical jokes. I remember getting the train up to London with him and he would just talk about his ‘granny’, who was of course the late Queen [Elizabeth].”
