Princess Anne’s children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall are part of one of the most famous families in the world, but few people know about their half-sister Stephanie Phillips, who has chosen a quiet life away from the Royal Family
His uncle is the King, his mum is the hardest-working royal and his brother-in-law husband is a World Cup-winning rugby player turned I’m A Celebrity contestant. So it’s safe to say that Peter Phillips has no shortage of relatives with instantly recognisable faces.
Yet there is one family member — someone he is incredibly close to — who you’ve more than likely never come across before.
Peter and his younger sister Zara Tindall also have a largely overlooked non-royal half-sister named Stephanie, who appears to live a quietly private life well away from the public eye. The 25 year old is the daughter of Zara and Peter’s father, Captain Mark Phillips — Princess Anne’s first husband.
Anne and Mark were married from 1973 to 1992, and five years after their divorce, in 1997, Mark married his second wife, Hawaiian equestrian Sandy Pflueger. The couple welcomed their daughter Stephanie later that same year, and the family settled on Anne’s Gatcombe estate in Gloucestershire.
Stephanie attended the fee-paying Dean Close School in Cheltenham before going on to earn a degree in business management from the University of Worcester. She even quietly topped up her income during her studies by working as a barmaid. And despite the age gap between Zara, 42, and Peter, 45, and their younger sibling, the three appear to share a remarkably close bond.
Stephanie served as a flower girl at both their weddings and has previously delighted fans by sharing cherished family photographs on her Instagram account. One previously posted snap shared on social media showed her giving Zara’s husband Mike a piggyback.
In another, she poses at a fancy dress party with Peter and his former wife Autumn, while in a third she describes Peter as “the best big brother”.
A previously shared image of her royal niece, Isla Phillips, featured a message from Autumn which read “she loves her Aunty Steph”, highlighting just how close-knit the family truly are.
Much like her mother, father and elder sister Zara, Stephanie is also an equestrian, with her Instagram account packed with photos of her alongside her horses and at various riding events.
Stephanie’s strong bond with Anne’s children was on full display when they all gathered together for her wedding last year – despite the potential for some awkwardness.
Stephanie wed husband William Hosier in a sun-soaked ceremony at St Mary The Virgin Church in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in 2022. Naturally, big brother Peter was in attendance, with his daughters Savannah and Isla both serving as bridesmaids – and he brought along his then girlfriend Lindsay Wallace to the occasion.
Yet proving there was absolutely no ill feeling with his ex-wife Autumn, the mother of his two daughters, she was also present at the ceremony, accompanied by her new partner, property developer Donal Mulryan.
Meanwhile, Peter’s mother Anne watched her ex-husband Mark walk Stephanie down the aisle, while Zara and Mike attended with daughters Mia and Lena, who also served as bridesmaids.
It is believed that Stephanie will be attendance when her brother Peter ties the knot with his fiancé Harriet Sperling on Saturday. The couple will marry on June 6 at All Saints Church, Kemble, Cirencester, with many senior members of the Royal Family expected to attend.
