Queen Elizabeth's grandson Peter Phillips and wife to divorce

[webfact]

Queen Elizabeth's grandson Peter Phillips and wife to divorce

By Michael Holden

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Peter Phillips (R) and Canada's Autumn Kelly leave St George's Chapel after their marriage in Windsor, southern England on May 17, 2008. REUTERS/Sang Tan/Pool

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Peter Phillips, the grandson of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, and his Canadian wife are to divorce after 12 years of marriage, the couple announced on Tuesday.

 

Phillips, the eldest of the British monarch's eight grandchildren, and Autumn had informed the queen and their family last year, their statement said. The couple, who married in 2008, have two children, Savannah, 9, and Isla, 7.

 

"They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship," their spokesman said.

 

"The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one. The couples' first priority will remain the continued well being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah and Isla."

 

Buckingham Palace said it had no comment as it was a private matter. The statement said both families were saddened by the news.

 

Phillips, 42, son of Elizabeth's daughter Princess Anne and 15th-in-line to the throne, and Autumn, 41, met in 2003 at the Montreal Grand Prix, when he worked for the Formula 1 racing team BMW Williams and she worked at the BMW hospitality suite.

 

They married at the queen’s Windsor Castle residence near London, the scene for a number of recent royal weddings including that of another of Elizabeth's grandsons, Prince Harry to his American wife Meghan.

 

Phillips has no royal title and has tended to stay out of the limelight. He did, however, organise a giant street party in front of Buckingham Palace to celebrate the queen's 90th birthday in 2016.

 

The Sun, newspaper which first reported the split, said the monarch, 93, would be very upset by the news which comes on the back on a series of major setbacks for the royal family.

 

Harry and Meghan plunged the Windsors into crisis last month when they announced they wanted to cut back on official duties. That led to a deal which means they will retire as working royals to spend more time in Canada and the United States.

 

Meanwhile, the queen's second son Prince Andrew also stepped down from public duties in November over his connections to sex scandals involving late U.S. financier Jeffrey Epstein.

 

"The queen must wonder what she has done to deserve this," the Sun quoted an unnamed senior royal source as saying.

 

"Peter Phillips has always been a favourite of hers and Prince Philip and she will be crestfallen by this, especially on top of all the other bad news. It makes you wonder what’s going to happen next."

 

(Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-12

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[pegman]

So, do we Canadian taxpayers have to cover her bodyguard expences too when she and the kids move back here?

[tonray]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship," their spokesman said.

 

1 hour ago, pegman said:

So, do we Canadian taxpayers have to cover her bodyguard expences too when she and the kids move back here?

Let's not forget the salary of their spokesman....ha ha ha

[Sydebolle]

So what; they divorce for private reasons. Not a public affair and nobody's business. I assume that the wedding twelve years ago was not footed by the British tax payer (hopefully). 

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Phillips has no royal title

Will that change after the divorce?

[Matzzon]

looks like a tough start of the year for the Brittish royal family. First one do not want to  be active with their work, and now another one is divorcing. Not to forget, the old price connected with the dead US millionaire that had fun with sex. What´s next, before they finally close the curtain?

[VocalNeal]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Buckingham Palace said it had no comment as it was a private matter.

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Phillips has no royal title

Slow news day?

[sawadee1947]

Wow..... very important. First page of news papers.... ????????????????

[ThaiBunny]

It sells newspapers - that's all that matters to the newspaper owners

[Jane Dough]

"Royal Couple to Stay Together for Second Week after Marriage"

 

 

Now that night be news. 

 

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