The Queen’s divorced grandson Peter Phillips sparked fresh speculation he has found love again after he arrived for his nephew’s christening with an old school friend he visited in lockdown.
Peter, 44, was accompanied by oil tycoon’s daughter Lindsay Wallace, 40, as he drove to the Royal Lodge, Windsor, for the joint christening of Zara and Mike Tindall’s son, Lucas, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son, August.
The service was attended by close family including Mr Phillips’ grandmother the Queen, who was able to see her great-grandsons christened despite fears she might be forced to pull out due to health reasons. Close family friends, including Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas, were also present.
It emerged today Princess Eugenie’s father-in-law George Brooksbank, 72, died days before the Christening at All Saints Chapel, with a royal insider telling MailOnline he ‘has not been the same’ since being admitted to hospital with Covid.
Princess Anne’s son Peter, who finalised his divorce from wife Autumn in June, made headlines when he was spotted visiting Ms Wallace’s home in St Cyrus, near Montrose, Aberdeenshire, in March this year, sparking concerns he had breached lockdown restrictions to make the 460-mile round trip from his Gloucestershire home.
At the time the royal insisted the trip to Scotland was made as a marketing consultant for company XF Medical, set up last June to provide rapid Covid tests and antibody tests for businesses, although sources said he was ‘besotted’ by Ms Wallace.
It is not known whether Autumn, the mother of Peter’s daughters Isla, nine, and Savannah, 10, attended the christening. The pair continue to live together on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate for the sake of their children.
Peter, 44, was accompanied by oil tycoon’s daughter Lindsay Wallace, 40, as he drove into Windsor Great Park yesterday for the joint christening of Zara and Mike Tindall’s son, Lucas, and Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s son, August
Daughter of a well-off oil tycoon, mother-of-two Ms Wallace, left, who has also split from her husband, is a close friend of Zara (right together) from their days at £40,000-a-year Gordonstoun and was invited to the royal’s wedding
Ms Wallace is understood to be separated from her husband. She was was pictured laughing and cheering (at the back wearing a cream-coloured top and a pink hat) at Zara’s wedding to rugby star Mike Tindall in 2011
Meeting granny: It is likely Ms Wallace would have been introduced to the Queen, given how few guests were in attendance at yesterday’s christening. The monarch, 95, pictured arriving, was able to see her great-grandsons christened despite fears she would pull out after being forced to miss the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph due to a sprained back
Daughter of a well-off oil tycoon, mother-of-two Ms Wallace, who has also split from her husband, is a close friend of Zara from their days at £40,000-a-year Gordonstoun and was invited to the royal’s 2011 wedding to rugby star Tindall.
Peter Phillips was three years ahead of them at the school and has known Ms Wallace for ‘quite some time’. It is thought the pair reconnected at a school reunion.
Speaking in March, a source said the pair have been ‘keeping things under wraps’ and ‘only the inner circle knew about this friendship’.
The ‘friendship’ first came to light when furious locals called the police on seeing Peter’s car at Ms Wallace’s £475,000 home in the village of St Cyrus in March.
Officers ‘issued advice’ but Peter said he was staying there overnight while on business, leading Police Scotland to conclude he was not breaking lockdown rules that only allowed ‘essential travel’ to the country. He had reportedly visited Ms Wallace in August 2020.
Peter announced the end of his marriage to Canada-born Autumn, 41, in February 2020 and finalised their divorce in June.
Zara Tindall appeared to opt for a black ensemble and pearl dangling earrings as she drove herself to the venue
Zara’s smiling husband Mike (pictured) arrived in a separate vehicle dressed in a smart blazer and white shirt
Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive at All Saints chapel for joint christening baby, August Phillip, and Zara Tindall’s son Lucas
Elegant in a cream coat and black hat, Ms Wallace was in the front seat by his side as he drove his 4×4 into the grounds at Windsor yesterday and looked down at her lap as cameras snapped photos of the royal arrivals.
Zara and Mike Tindall arrived in two separate cars for their son’s christening, with Zara opting for a black ensemble and pearl earrings.
The couple, who have daughters Mia, seven, and Lena, three, welcomed son Lucas in March, weeks before the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.
Princess Eugenie, 31, cut a stylish figure as she arrived alongside husband Jack Brooksbank. Their son, August, arrived in February.
Beaming Eugenie looked glamorous in a silk white dress featuring embroidered detail which she paired with a statement headband and blue pendant necklace, while her husband Jack looked dapper in a navy suit, crisp white shirt and light blue, patterned tie.
Although the Queen has carried out an engagement at Windsor Castle, this marks the first engagement outside a royal residence in a number of weeks.
Commentator Penny Junor told the Sun attending the baptism of her great grandsons would have been very important.
She said: ‘I’ve never heard of two royal babies being christened together like this. The Queen is very spiritual, a christening is a very important occasion for the head of the Church of England and being there will be of great importance to her. She’s very fond of Zara and Mike, and Eugenie too.’
Prince Harry’s ex Cressida Bonas, who accessorised with gold hoop earrings and a glittery gold headband, and was spotted heading to the chapel alongside her husband, Harry Wentworth-Stanley. Pictured, together
Pictured: Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas arrives at the double royal christening at All Saints chapel at Windsor
Princess Eugenie wore her auburn hair loose as she arrived in Windsor alongside husband Jack Brooksbank (pictured)
The royal babies were reportedly christened in Holy Water Prince Charles picked up on his recent trip to Jordan.
It emerged today George Brooksbank passed away in the week of August’s Baptism at the All Saints Chapel in Windsor Great Park, which was attended by the Queen.
A royal insider told MailOnline: ‘George had been in hospital with covid and had not been the same after that. He had been unwell for some time. It’s been a difficult time for Jack losing his father before the Christening’. Another source said it had been a ‘miracle’ George survived Covid last year after five weeks on a ventilator and that it had been ‘wonderful’ that he had been alive to see August born.
Mr Brooksbank’s cause of death has not been confirmed. Buckingham Palace has been asked to comment.
The tragedy hit the Royal Family just before the double Christening of the Queen’s two great grandsons, August and his second cousin Lucas Tindall, the son of Zara and Mike Tindall. Despite the bad news, Jack and Eugenie decided the event should still go ahead.
August, born in February, is Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank’s first child and a first grandchild for Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York, and Jack’s parents George and Nicola. He is also the ninth great-grandchild for the Queen. The baby is 13th in line to the throne.
It is not known whether Autumn, the mother of Peter’s daughters Isla, nine, and Savannah, 10, attended the christening. The pair continue to live together on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate for the sake of their children. Pictured, the family at Trooping the Colour in 2019
The couple both put on a brave face yesterday despite suffering the secret heartbreak of Mr Brooksbank’s passing. He had been battling ill health having caught Covid last year and spent a period in ICU.
Mr Brooksbank, a retired chartered accountant and company director, split his time with his wife of 36 years Nicola at their homes in Wandsworth, south London, and Bordeaux, France. He had suffered from poor health having been in intensive care with coronavirus at the start of the pandemic last April.
The old Etonian, whose son Jack married the Queen’s granddaughter in 2018, was in a ‘serious but stable’ condition in hospital after getting the virus but battled through. His wife Nicola, 68, also caught Covid but was able to recuperate at home.
Eugenie and Jack were warned to ‘prepare for the worst’ when Jack’s father was put on a ventilator for five weeks. But he recovered from the life-threatening battle with the virus and left hospital last June.
From selling milk to Covid-19 testing, the VERY varied business interests of ‘entrepreneur’ Peter Phillips
Princess Anne’s son is one of three founding directors of XF Medical Limited, a company established to exploit the commercial openings presented by the coronavirus outbreak.
XF Medical Ltd, which is based in the King’s Road, Chelsea, aims to meet the demand for speedy and accurate testing.
Last year it was revealed that Peter was using his royal connections to sell milk on Chinese TV.
In a fresh twist to the row over Harry and Meghan seeking ‘financial independence’, Peter Phillips appears in two adverts for a state-owned dairy firm.
‘British royal family member Peter Phillips’ — how Anne’s son is presented on the ad he signs off
The 42-year-old son of Princess Anne is seen holding a glass of milk in front of a stately home, with the caption: ‘British Royal Family member Peter Phillips.’
Mr Phillips, who grew up on his mother’s estate in Gloucestershire, boasts in the advert of being brought up on Jersey milk from the herd at Windsor.
Mr Phillips and his sister Zara have never had HRH status, and both have come under scrutiny in the past for the way they make money.
He and his Canadian wife Autumn Kelly sold their 2008 wedding to Hello! magazine.
And in 2019 he held meetings with colourful Chinese entrepreneur Dr Johnny Hon over a possible launch of a horse-racing private members’ club in Hong Kong.
Thirsty work: Phillips takes a swig of milk after a ‘Palace’ footman serves Phillips his drink on a silver salver
It emerged that the latest scheme for Mr Phillips – a first cousin of William and Harry – has been to promote ‘Jersey Fresh Milk’ in advertisements shown on television in Shanghai.
The potentially lucrative promotion could be worth tens of thousands of pounds. Mr Phillips did not respond to questions, including as to whether he was paid.
Two videos have been shown on Dragon TV. Filming appears to have been last year. The makers have spliced together footage of Longleat House with a replica of the state coach used by the Queen on state occasions, giving the film a regal feel.