Inside Prince William's Relationship With Peter Phillips

Prince William and Prince Harry are obviously Queen Elizabeth II's most famous grandchildren, but they are not the oldest. Born in November 1977, Peter Phillips became the first grandchild of the late Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. When Princess Diana and King Charles III welcomed Prince William into the world five years later, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips' son's gained a cousin and lifelong friend.

When Peter was born, he was 5th in line to the throne. Of course, that changed once William was born — but it seems safe to assume Peter didn't mind. Peter and his sister, Zara Tindall, were not given royal titles upon their births, and they've more or less been able to enjoy the freedom that comes with being a nonworking royal. As of this writing, Peter is 18th in the line of succession; Prince William is the heir to the throne (and all of the royal responsibilities).

However, despite his lack of a royal title, Peter has established himself as an integral part of the Windsor family through his appearances at staple royal events. On top of that, rumor has it he was the late queen's favorite grandson. Though the paths they've taken have been markedly different, the two cousins remained a tight-knit pair from boyhood to fatherhood.

Close in age, the two oldest grandsons of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip shared many formative experiences in childhood. Though fate had very different plans for them — Prince William is the future king and Peter Phillips is the first grandchild of the royal family to be raised without a royal title in over 500 years — they both knew what it felt like growing up in the royal family. What's more, they both watched their respective parents go through very public divorces.

As boys, they frequently crossed paths at public events, experienced holidays at some of the most historically significant locations to the crown, and learned how to grow up in the public eye. Together, the two royal cousins accompanied their families to ceremonies such as the Trooping of the Color — which they observed from the balcony as the perfect image of two friends in June 1985. Standing next to each other, Peter Phillips seems to be keeping an eye on his younger cousin as they struggle to stay focused on the day's events. 

Still, even as members of one of the most visible families in all of history, Prince William and Peter Phillips knew how to have fun. For example, during one visit to Sandringham in 1988, the cousins were joined by Prince Harry and a young Zara Tindall in achieving what all kids dream of: sitting in and playing on a fire engine. 

Although royal children must follow an extensive list of rules, Prince William and Peter Phillips still managed to cause their fair share of mischief when they were younger. On a 2016 episode of "Good Morning Britain," Phillips described the trouble that he and his cousins used to get in on shared holidays in the spacious estates of Balmoral and Sandringham. With a smile on his face, Phillips recalled, "It was a lot of fun. We caused quite a bit of mayhem and chaos but fortunately, we don't think we broke too much."

Like his cousin, Prince William also remembers causing mischief as a kid — especially one instance that resulted in a royal scolding from Queen Elizabeth II herself. Sitting down with Sky News in 2016, the Prince of Wales recalled the time he and Peter Phillips almost caused a major accident while playing around at Balmoral. Apparently, the boys, who were on a quad bike, chased Zara Tindall, who was driving a go-kart, into a lamppost. "The lamppost came down and nearly squashed her," William told the outlet. "I remember my grandmother being the first person out of Balmoral, running across the lawn in her kilt and came charging over and gave us the most mighty bollocking." According to Prince William, he took the queen's scolding to heart and will never forget that day. Hey, who can blame him?

As one of several royals who work a regular job, Peter Phillips' "normal" life is a world away from Prince William's life as a working royal. Still, the tight-knit bond between the two royals has not faded over time, even as they have each taken their own path toward success. William's relationship with his actual brother, Prince Harry, may be fraught, but his bond with his older cousin is another story. As a source once told The Telegraph, "He's always been that sort of slightly older brother to William."

Whenever the royal cousins see each other out in public, the joy is apparent on each of their faces. Lighting up in smiles and laughs, the brotherly bond between the two royals is further cemented by their striking resemblance to each other. Greeting each other with undeniable affection in the form of a tight embrace or a beaming smile, Prince William and Phillips truly seem to brighten the other's day. 

In July 2023, Phillips showed his support for his younger cousin when he attended Prince William's charity polo match in Windsor. Smiling with his cousin-in-law Princess Catherine on the sidelines, Phillips' presence on that summer afternoon further confirmed the pair's friendship. 

Whenever Peter Phillips and Prince William are reunited, antics are sure to ensue. Though each has a serious side to their personalities — Prince William as the heir to the throne and Peter Phillips as an entrepreneur and businessman — the royal cousins seem to bring the inner child out of each other. 

During the Festival of British Eventing in 2010, the Prince of Wales looked to have a downright marvelous time reuniting with his cousins, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. In a playful moment caught by cameras, Prince William grabbed Peter Phillips' face and squished his nose with his thumbs as Phillips and Tindall laughed. Though we have no idea what prompted this move, it sure did entertain the onlookers. Three years later, Peter Phillips got his younger cousin back outside of Sandringham when he successfully perfected the "bunny ears" prank behind the Prince of Wales' head. The future King of England was none-the-wiser as a mischievous grin grew on Phillips' face. Afterward, they roped Prince Harry into their antics as Prince William appeared to tease his younger brother for his new facial hair as Peter Phillips giggled nearby. Who said that royals couldn't have fun? 

In addition to their shared physical resemblance, Prince William and Peter Phillips are guided internally by shared principles. To no one's surprise, their grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, shaped their drive and integrity in a major way. What's more, Elizabeth's grandsons admired her and strived to reach the high bar she set. As Peter Phillips said on a 2016 episode of "Good Morning Britain," "Her work ethic and dedication is something that I think the whole family has always aspired to at least get somewhere near, let alone be." What's more, there was never any question about who called the shots when Elizabeth was still alive. As Prince William once told reporters (via NBC News), "She may be my grandmother, but she is also very much the boss."

Beyond the work ethic of their grandmother, Phillips and William seem to value responsibility, generosity, and politeness. They also share interests in sustainability, charity, and the outdoors. With their shared values, Phillips has been able to listen and advise William throughout his life. As a royal expert told Hello!, "[Phillips] has a pragmatic, common sense approach to things and can be a trusted sounding board for the future King." 

While this particular pair of royal cousins have been by one another's side during significant moments, Prince William raised a few eyebrows when he did not attend Peter Phillips' wedding to his now ex-wife Autumn Kelly in May 2008. Held at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II's firstborn grandchild was attended by 300 guests — including Peter Phillip's sister with whom he shares a sweet bond, Zara Tindall. Alas, Prince William was not in attendance.

Instead, William was in Kenya as a guest at the wedding of ex-flame Jecca Craig's brother. Despite rumors, however, a source assured The Telegraph that there was no tension between the royal cousins because of Prince William's absence, saying, "It is an unfortunate clash but he spoke to his cousin Peter and he is fine with the situation." Prince William's future wife, Princess Catherine, appeared at Peter Phillips' wedding in his spot.

After Phillips and Kelly split the former moved on with Lindsay Wallace. Things seemed to get serious between the two, and there were even engagement rumors. However, when the pair sadly announced their separation in April 2024, it became clear that Prince William would not get another chance to attend another of his cousin's weddings in the near future.

While some of his relatives are professional public figures, Peter Phillips seems content away from the spotlight. Sure, stories like his split from girlfriend of three years, Lindsay Wallace, will make headlines from time to time, but for the most part, he lays low. Princess Anne went to great lengths to give Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall "normal" childhoods, and evidently, that approach stuck to some degree. 

Prince William, on the other hand, is without question one of the most famous people on the planet. Even so, William's cousin admires his ability to maintain some level of privacy. In a 2024 chat with Sky News Australia, Phillips remarked on William and Princess Catherine's ability to maintain balance, saying that the royal pair have been "bang on" in their ability to balance public and private life. He continued, "As history has taught us and anyone knows that you want to be there for your children when they are of a certain age... You want to be a part of their school lives." And, in Peter Phillips' opinion, the Prince and Princess of Wales have perfected that balance.

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from royal life in 2020, there was no shortage of speculation about how it would impact the relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William. Reports of building tension between the two brothers seemed to be confirmed during the funeral of Prince Philip in April 2021 — a day that also marked the first time the brothers would be seen in public together since Prince Harry moved away.

As Prince Philip's coffin began its procession towards St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, onlookers noticed that Prince William and Prince Harry were not walking next to each other and were instead separated by cousin Peter Phillips. According to the Daily Mail, it was Prince William who requested cousin Peter Phillips to stand between them, fueling the rumors of a rift between the brothers.

Since Phillips has always represented a brotherly figure in Prince William's life, it seems likely that their relationship would only have strengthened when Prince Harry took his controversial step back from royal life. And, like Princess Catherine, Phillips appears to take up a peacemaking role between the brothers — such as when he adjusted his pace during the procession so that the brothers would be in line with each other. After the ceremony, Phillips passed the peacemaking torch onto cousin-in-law Princess Catherine, who accompanied the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex as they were seen speaking to each other at last.

In addition to being the first of Queen Elizabeth II's grandchildren to marry, Peter Phillips was also the first to have children. Though his daughters Savannah Phillips, born in 2010, and Isla Phillips, born in 2012, spend most of their time out of the spotlight just as their father once did, they occasionally steal the show alongside their cousins, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Just as Peter Phillips and Prince William were raised to be friends, they seem to inspire friendships between their own children. There is immense joy in watching Queen Elizabeth II's great-grandchildren smile and enjoy each other's presence. Nowhere is this more evident than on the iconic balcony where the family gathers to watch the Trooping of the Colour. In a 2018 balcony moment that became a royal meme, the ever-playful Savannah Phillips clapped her hand around little cousin Prince George's mouth who giggled behind her hand as she stared down cameras. 

It's a sweet bond, indeed. As Majesty editor Joe Little told People, "There is a closeness with the Phillips' kids, which is great to see. William and Peter Phillips were close when William was a teenager and that has continued into the next generation." 

Peter Phillips obviously gets along well with Prince William, but, over the years, he has also developed a deep admiration for his cousin-in-law Princess Catherine. During public outings such as Day 4 of the 2012 Olympic Games in London as well as a charity polo match in July 2023, both Peter Phillips and Prince Catherine were spotted laughing together and generally having a grand time. It is with this obvious camaraderie in mind that his 2024 statement of support for Princess Catherine and Prince William is made all the more touching.

After Princess Catherine's cancer diagnosis was made public, Peter Phillips spoke to Sky News Australia to publicly voice his support for her healing journey. He voiced his admiration for the Waleses, telling the outlet, "She is remarkable in herself, and without any question, her and William make a fantastic team together." He then went on to acknowledge that the outpouring of support for Princess Catherine and King Charles III has been "hugely heartening." 

Phillips also noted how much it means to see so many of the royals band together during this particular period. As he told the outlet, "Family time together is so important. And certainly in tough times, it's really important."