Peter Phillips is the son of Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandson. He is currently 18th in line for the throne.

The birth of Peter Phillips marked a milestone in the Royal Family as he became the first royal baby born a commoner in more than 500 years – he holds no title and is 18th in line for the throne.

The first child of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips was Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest and favourite grandson and dubbed “the winner” by her late husband, Prince Philip because of his striking independence.

The 46-year-old was born on November 15, 1977, and a former Buckingham Palace press secretary, Dickie Arbiter told The Sun it was a “masterstroke of the Princess Royal” when she decided not to give her children titles.

Away from royal life, and similarly to his sister, Zara Tindall, Mr Phillips has enjoyed a successful career in business, working for companies such as Jaguar Racing, Williams F1 racing teams, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Richard Kay in the Daily Mail describes him as “handsome, polite, confident and dependable” and a figure that “enjoyed every advantage of his birthright without the inconvenience of actually having to work for the Royal Family”.

The 45-year-old was born on November 15, 1977, in London as the first child of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips. His sister, 41, was born a few years later on May 15, 1981. In the official photos, Queen Elizabeth II gently plays with a newborn Peter. As Princess Anne’s ex-husband Captain Phillips was a ‘commoner’ his children were never expected to hold titles. The decision not to adopt titles was considered a “masterstroke of the Princess Royal” according to a former Buckingham Palace secretary, Dickie Arbiter.

Prince Philip, Prince Edward, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and a toddling Peter Phillips holding his mother’s hand are all captured out on a dog walk. Queen Elizabeth II was often photographed with one or more of her corgis sitting at her feet or trailing behind her. At the time of her death, she owned two dogs. Sarah Ferguson and her ex-husband Prince Andrew, who both live at Royal Lodge in Windsor, have since adopted her four-legged furry friends.

The late Queen once visited Port Regis School where Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall both attended. Queen Elizabeth is pictured studying a science project that Peter Phillips has created. On the day, Peter escorted the Queen around the grounds of the school. Later in his educational journey, Peter attended the University of Exeter. Away from royal life, Mr Phillips has enjoyed a successful career in business, working for companies such as Jaguar Racing, Williams F1 racing teams, and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

A young Prince William, Prince Harry and Peter Phillips are pictured at Sandringham Museum in Norfolk for a photo call with the press in January 1988. Peter has previously opened up about growing up as the Queen’s grandson, revealing how he and his cousins would often cause mischief. Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in 2016, the son of the Princess Royal and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips admitted that, just like any normal family, the youngsters used to get up to no good when the adults weren’t around. He spoke of his time with the late Queen as a young child on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in 2016: He said: “We had great fun growing up on our holidays, going to stay with her at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor and we were incredibly lucky to be able to share a lot of our childhood time with her.”

Prince Philip was laid to rest following a private funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor in April 2021. Prince Philip had faced numerous health struggles in the month leading up to his death, including a month-long stay in hospital. Peter Phillips was dubbed “the winner” by the late Prince Philip, showing their close relationship. Peter walked in front of Prince Harry and alongside Prince William, separating the two brothers. The Palace declined to comment on his inclusion in the procession but said it was signed off by the Queen. The procession travelled from Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel.