Peter Mark Andrew Phillips Born: 15 NOV 1977 St Mary's Hospital, Paddington, London, ENGLAND Sex: M Baptized: 22 DEC 1977 Music Room, Buckingham Palace, England
Relationship: 25/27/28/30/31 cousin, etc.
Ancestors:
Marriage(s) and Relationships:Notes: Peter Phillips (b. 15 November 1977) was christened Peter Mark Andrew
Phillips on 22 December 1977 in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace by the
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Donald Coggan. His godparents were: his uncle
the Prince of Wales; the Rt Rev. Geoffrey Tiarks; Captain Hamish Lochare;
Lady Cecil Cameron of Lochiel; and Mrs Timothy Holderness-Roddam.
Source: Brian Tompsett.
Who is Peter Phillips? By Aaron Gilmer.
Mr. Peter Mark Andrew Phillips is ninth in line of inheritance to the
British throne. He is the oldest child and only son of Captain Mark
Phillips and Princess Anne. Anne, in turn, is the second oldest child
and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Since Mark and
Anne wished for Peter and his sister Zara to lead as normal a life as
possible, under the circumstances, neither child was given a royal title.
Peter is the queen's oldest grandchild. It is said that when he was
born, at 10:46 a.m. on November 15, 1977, the Queen was so
overcome with emotion that she had to postpone an investiture by 10
minutes in order to recover (something that had never before occurred).
Peter was born in the Lindo wing of St. Mary's Hospital, London, and
weighed seven pounds nine ounces at birth. He was christened on December
22, 1977, in the music room of Buckingham Palace.
Mark and Anne lived a generally quiet farming life on the 730-acre
Gatcombe Park estate. It was in this environment that Peter and his
sister grew up. His parents tried to instill in their children the simple
values of a rural life, along with their passion for riding and hunting.
Peter could often be seen trotting about the fields on his pony, as the
adults worked on the crops. Both he and his sister learned to ride as
soon as they could walk, and could ride without a leading reign by age
four.
Relationship with His Parents:
Mark and Anne were both very "hands-on" parents, taking an active role in
raising their children, instead of leaving the task to a succession of
nannies and other hired servants. The atmosphere at Gatcombe Park was
usually relaxed and informal, with everyone participating in the work of
the farm. On weekends, Peter and Zara went with their parents wherever
they went. This usually meant to riding events, horse shows, or sports
events. Since his parents tried to shield him from the media limelight as
a child, there are relatively few photographs of
him early in life, and most of those come from these weekend events. Anne
had a no-nonsense approach to raising her children. It is said that she
often treated them like "mini-adults". But, like all royals, Anne
attempted to teach her children good manners. The general consensus is
that she succeeded, though both Peter and Zara are sometimes outspoken
and bluntly honest (like their mother). Mark and Anne were divorced in
1992. Mark then moved into nearby Ashton Farm (which is still on the
estate). Anne, in turn, married
Commander Timothy Laurence in December 1992, and both children seemed to
adapt well to the change.
Education:
Peter was the first royal child (at least in modern times) not to begin
his education with private tutors at a royal palace. He first attended a
private nursery school in Minchinhampton, near his family's estate. He
then was enrolled at Blueboys school, also in Minchinhampton. At age
seven, he became a boarder at Port Regis prep school, near Shaftesbury,
Dorset, and in September 1991, he was sent to Gordonstoun. Peter, who
always excelled in sports, settled into Gordonstoun far better than his
uncle Charles (Prince of Wales), who found
the sports-oriented institution a miserable experience.
Relationship with the media:
Like most royals, Peter sometimes has a strained relationship with the
media, finding them too invasive. As a child, he is said to have once
turned on a pack of photographers, yelling at them, "Shove off, you
spastics."
Relationship with Prince William:
By all accounts, Peter is a favorite cousin of Prince William. There
exact relationship is very much a mystery, but it is said that Prince
William admires and looks up to his older cousin. What is known is that
Gatcombe Park is near Prince Charles' country estate of Highgrove. In
early life, Peter and his sister would often have tea with William and
Harry. Despite Princess Diana's best efforts to keep William and Harry
clean, the two would romp about the farm and stables with their cousins,
and often end up messy and muddy by the end of the visit.
Peter Phillips Today:
Peter is now 20, and has become something of a rugby star. He is very
popular in Britain, and in much of the rest of the world, where his
rugged good looks and athletic ability have attracted the admiration of
many people (particularly women). One British poll placed him ahead of
his cousin, Prince William, as favorite royal for the British public.
Summary:
At the end of the day, we have a young man who has grown to maturity
within the best of both the world of royalty and of the commoner. He
seems to be able to balance elements from both cultures to create for
himself a life that is at once his own, and one that presents a modern
view of royalty. With his influence both on the Queen and Prince William,
Peter could well be the one to watch as a model for the modern monarchy,
as the institution struggles to redefine itself for the 21. century.
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