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Prince Harry‘s cousin, Peter Phillips, has announced the date that he is marrying his partner, Harriet Sperling. Princess Anne‘s son and the pediatric NHS nurse will tie the knot on June 6.

Because of how close Phillips and Prince Harry have been over the years, it’s very likely that he and Meghan will receive an invitation. But will they attend? Here’s what someone who used to work for the royal family thinks about the possibility of the Sussexes making the trip for Phillips’ big day.

Grant Harrold was King Charles’ butler for seven years. During his time working for the now-monarch, Harrold’s duties included those of valet, housekeeper, house manager, and driver. He also looked after Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate whenever they stayed at Highgrove House. Since leaving the royal household, he’s become one of the U.K.’s leading etiquette experts, a best-selling author, and a royal commentator.

Speaking on behalf of Casino Hawks, Harrold told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “I think it’s very likely that Peter will invite Harry and Meghan to the wedding. Weddings are a chance to bring the family together. All the cousins were very close growing up, of course, they were all sharing this very unique experience of growing up in royalty. They spent a lot of time together.”

Harrold added, “They’re not as close now of course, but they still share that family bond. But if Harry and Meghan accept the invitation is another story altogether.” 

The former royal butler acknowledged that an appearance by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would be awkward and may not even happen because of how fractured their relationship still is with Prince William and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton).

“This event will definitely bring the family closer,” Harrold said. “If Harry and Meghan do attend the wedding, there will of course be tension. I wouldn’t say Prince William and Kate will be happy about a reunion, but it is just a chance for the whole family to get together for a positive event.

“It could be a good opportunity for this first reunion, when there is so much happy celebration around them and they’re not the focus of goings on. Regardless, I am sure the king will be happy to see his son. We know there is work going on behind the scenes to repair that relationship.”

Harrold also explained how Phillips’ wedding will differ from past weddings of royal family members.

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“This will be a smaller-scale occasion compared to other royal weddings,” he shared. “But there will still be excitement surrounding the event. While still a much-loved member of the royal family, Peter isn’t a senior member and is low down the line of succession, so it won’t be anything like what we saw for Harry or Eugenie.

“However, it’s still a royal wedding, and we’ll still have the family out together — so there will be a lot of interest and media attention. Royal events in that area are normally quite low-key — unlike the massive events we’ve seen at Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle. I imagine we’ll see photos of them arriving and leaving the event, and there will be official pictures released.”

This will be Phillips’ second marriage. He was previously married to Autumn Kelly from 2008 to 2021. They share two daughters, Savannah and Isla Phillips.

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