The royal wedding of the summer happened this weekend—and the bride, Harriet Sperling, broke tradition by wearing a tiara as she married Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips.

Not only did Sperling not wear one of the tiaras in the Princess Royal’s collection as she walked down the aisle on June 6, but the fact that she wore a tiara at all is noteworthy. In a precedent set by Queen Camilla (then Camilla Parker Bowles) when she married King Charles (then Prince Charles) in 2005, Camilla opted to forego a tiara—even though she was marrying the future king—instead choosing a white hat for their civil ceremony and a golden feathered headpiece by Philip Treacy for their religious blessing. As it was Camilla’s second wedding, she eschewed a tiara; this was also a second wedding for both Phillips and Sperling.

When Anne married her second husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, in 1992, she too skipped wearing a tiara, as she did when she married her first husband Mark Phillips in 1973. Instead, she wore flowers in her hair for her second wedding.

As the two married at All Saints’ Church in Kemble on Saturday in a private ceremony, Sperling wore the Pragnell family tiara—the jewelers who designed her engagement ring (and who, movingly, also designed the engagement ring of Phillips’s late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth). Sperling also wore Pragnell earrings, along with her stunning lace Emilia Wickstead wedding dress and Jimmy Choo heels, her blonde hair fashioned into a low chignon.

In a description of the gown shared with InStyle, the couple’s spokesperson described Sperling’s wedding dress as “a statuesque column gown” with a dramatic 10-foot train, crafted from Italian crêpe and internally structured with French lace. The gown, with a low back and a square neckline, was layered with a removable sheer lace bodice with a high neckline and transparent sleeves. The lace on the gown—sourced from Sophie Hallette’s French archives—dates back to the early 1900s and features romantic floral motifs and intricate detailing.

“We aligned on something authentic, traditional, and modern,” the designer told British Vogue.

Emilia Wickstead is a favorite designer of the Princess of Wales, who was at the wedding yesterday along with her husband, Prince William. Other royals in attendance included the king and queen, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, the Princess Royal, and Zara Tindall, the groom’s sister, and her husband Mike Tindall.

Sperling, whose father Rupert Sanders died in 2023, was walked down the aisle by her brother, Nicholas; her bridesmaids, also wearing Emilia Wickstead, were her daughter, Georgina Sperling, and Phillips’s daughters, Savannah Phillips and Isla Phillips. The three teenagers also wore earrings by Aspinal of London.

Sperling’s choice to wear a tiara was a surprise, Tatler reported—not just because it is her second marriage, but also because of the bride’s “understated nature,” per the outlet. The pearl and diamond tiara bears a resemblance to a tiara owned by Anne and worn in an official photograph celebrating her 50th birthday in 2000. The Pragnell tiara, though not a part of the royal collection, does have a royal history—it was present at the coronations of both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Sperling arrived at the church just before 1 p.m., The Times reported, with the day’s rain stopping briefly to usher her in. The crowd of well-wishers lined outside—numbering about 300, according to The Daily Mail—shouted “Hip, hip, hooray,” cheering on Sperling, her daughter, and two stepdaughters as they entered the church.

As the newlyweds exited the church and headed towards their waiting car, “an impromptu umbrella guard of honor” (per The Daily Mail) was assembled “so that the bride and groom could emerge almost dry for photographs outside,” the publication wrote. After posing for photographs beneath a large white umbrella, Phillips and Sperling waved to the crowd before exiting in a vintage Rolls Royce, headed off to their wedding reception at the Princess Royal’s Gatcombe Park estate.

Speaking of Sperling’s wedding dress, fashion stylist Oriona Robb told Hello!, “There are subtle parallels with the Princess of Wales in the choice of Emilia Wickstead and the commitment to timeless elegance.”

“Rather than following fleeting bridal trends, Harriet has chosen a look rooted in craftsmanship, sophistication, and tradition,” Robb continued. “The addition of the Pragnell family tiara makes the ensemble feel both deeply personal and beautifully regal.”

“What strikes me most is how effortless she looks,” Robb added. “The dress is undeniably grand, yet she wears it with such grace and ease that the overall effect feels timeless rather than formal. It’s a beautiful example of confidence and elegance working hand-in-hand. For me, the most beautiful thing about this look is that you see her before you see the dress. The gown, jewelry, and tiara are exquisite, but they never overwhelm her. She looks poised, graceful, and genuinely happy, which is ultimately what makes a bridal look unforgettable.”