This week, we learned that Peter Phillips has now split with Lindsay Wallace, the woman he began dating around the same time as his marriage to Autumn fell apart in 2020. Lindsay Wallace was also married, and she left her husband around the same time as Peter and Autumn’s divorce. While Peter rarely gets a lot of media focus, I found it interesting that he openly carried on with a still-married woman, attending royal events and society events with her. During the Jubbly in 2022, Lindsay Wallace was even seated just behind then-Prince Charles. Anyway, now that Lindsay and Peter are done, it looks like someone thought it was a good idea to have Camilla Tominey investigate his romantic and professional life. Pity there’s no appetite for this kind of reporting on the Middleton family. Some highlights from Tominey’s latest:
The split shocked their friends: The split has come as a surprise to Mr Phillips’s nearest and dearest, who have seen less of him since he has been travelling around the world with his job working in Formula One racing. As one friend of the couple told Hello! Magazine: “It obviously came as a shock as most people thought they were absolutely rock solid,” adding that he had been “away and travelling non-stop” because of business commitments, while she was based in Scotland. Another pal confirmed: “He’s just been phenomenally busy. Both have their own children and they live very far apart and it all took its toll on the relationship. It is a shock because she’d been introduced to everyone – and that wouldn’t have been taken lightly from Peter’s point of view. But it’s just one of those things.”
Appearing in that tacky ad for Jersey milk: Although an insider said he “saw the funny side” amid accusations of “cashing in” on his royal connections, the incident sparked some embarrassment. “He was asked to do it and he didn’t really see it as being a major issue,” said the source. “People have done far worse. Peter can have a laugh at himself – he’s not up his own backside. He regularly gets offers for reality shows but he doesn’t see himself as a famous person.”
He’s on good terms with Autumn & Autumn’s new man. At one point Ms Kelly thought she might return to her native Montreal but she remains in Gloucestershire, close to Mr Phillips’s home on his mother’s Gatcombe Park estate… Ms Kelly has since found love with multi-millionaire Irish property tycoon Donal Mulryan, and they made their public debut as a couple at the Cirencester horse trials in March 2022. “Peter’s met Donal quite a few times, it’s all very amicable,” said one insider.
Why Peter got a job: Last year, Mr Phillips attempted to set up “London’s largest ice rink” at Kensington Palace – but the launch had to be postponed by a year over security concerns. “He needed to get a job because none of the business ventures have been that successful,” added the source.
The royal peacemaker: Things have also been difficult on the family “Firm” front. Having borne witness to the growing acrimony between his cousins, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, Mr Phillips soon found himself cast into the role of royal peacemaker during the “Megxit” saga in a bid to get the royal brothers back on speaking terms. Friends say he was “as horrified as anyone” at the outpourings from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on Oprah Winfrey in March 2021, not least as the couple took the decision to appear on prime time television in the US while Prince Philip was being treated in hospital, aged 99. When the Prince died just over a month later, Mr Phillips was left “bereft”. According to one friend: “He was extremely fond of his grandfather. They loved the shooting together and were incredibly close.”
The royal chaperone: It was out of respect for his late grandfather that Mr Phillips agreed to chaperone the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex at the Duke’s funeral at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, to ensure the solemn event was not overshadowed by sibling rivalry. Less than a year later, Mr Phillips lost his darling grandmother, whom he “very much looked up to and admired”. Again he was required to take the lead at the funeral, walking in front of the royal brothers in the procession to avoid any conflict between the warring brothers about their own positioning.
Royal support: Friends say he is also trying to support the Prince and Princess of Wales through Kate’s cancer diagnosis. “He’s always been that sort of slightly older brother to William,” said one, “ever more so since Harry moved to America”.
I wonder how Mike Tindall is feeling right now – Tindall was supposed to be Prince William’s surrogate brother and Harry stand-in, and now Peter is supposedly filling that position? As for Peter being “horrified” about the Sussexes… what truly horrifies all of these people is that Harry and Meghan found financial success after walking away. If Peter could make millions from his connections, he would. He can’t figure out how to do it. Instead, he’s doing milk advertisements in China and trying to create ice rinks on royal property. Also: the Sussexes filmed the Oprah interview before Philip’s hospitalization, just an FYI for Tominey.
There’s also a lengthy discussion about Peter’s failed businesses, some of which was news to me. He was head of a sports company which traded on his royal connections and then basically went bankrupt. He’s currently the head of partner acquisition at CSM Sports & Entertainment, which has been his job for less than a year (news to me).
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.