Peter Phillips’ & Autumn Kelly’s £500,000 deal
Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and his fiancee have been paid £500,000 (nearly USD$1M) by a celebrity magazine for an exclusive interview and photoshoot ahead of their wedding.
Phillips and Canadian-born Autumn Kelly — who didn’t know she was dating a prince until six weeks into their relationship — will appear in a 20-page spread in Hello! magazine when it hits the shelves this weekend.
The move has caused friction in royal circles as Phillips — who holds no regal title but is still 11th in line to the throne — has previously claimed to be a private person and avoided the spotlight that falls on his sister Zara and his cousins.
“I honestly can’t believe that they would ever countenance anything quite so vulgar,” one Buckingham Palace source told the conservative British Daily Telegraph broadsheet amid reports Hello! would be locked out of the wedding ceremony itself.
But Phillips was true to form with Kelly: she didn’t realise she was dating a member of the British royal family until she saw footage of Phillips in a documentary about Prince William.
“Suddenly there was a film clip and a mention of ‘Peter Phillips’,” she told Hello! “‘Hey mum,’ I said, ‘that guy looks a lot like Peter’ (but) she told me to be quiet.”
Kelly then confirmed Phillips’ identity on the internet and told her mother, who said: “Oh Autumn, what have you gotten yourself into?”
Phillips and Kelly met at the 2003 Montreal Grand Prix, where he was working for the Williams F1 team.
The proposal was also — quite literally — down to earth: Phillips had intended to take Kelly up in a hot air balloon to pop the question, but a cancellation due to rain meant he went down on one knee while the pair were walking his dog.
Kelly, who is two years older than Phillips and lives with him in a cottage on his mother’s estate, is believed to be a good fit with the Windsor clan.
She’s an accomplished horsewoman like her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and has already joined the family — including the Queen herself — on a summer cruise around the Hebrides. (via NineMSN)
May 7th, 2008 05:59
She looks really pretty in that photo shoot in the cover of Hello Mag.
I understand from the ‘interview’ within the pages of Hellos Mag that the best men are to be two of his best friends from a long time ago (highschool) and they were the ones who “organized” Peter’s stag do.
May 7th, 2008 06:07
Wow, so fabulous both of you cause can paid 50000 poundsterling! so rich to both of you, so excellence for the marriage! someday i want to be a grandchild-inlaw at Royal family too Amien.
May 7th, 2008 06:11
Ahh ok that would probably make more sense. Not sure just how close Peter Phillips and William are.
I am scouring the internet to see if there is any mention of any sort of broadcast of the wedding or a television special taking place – but so far have drawn a blank.
Anyone else know if there’s any royal wedding related television happenings?
Steven
May 7th, 2008 06:16
mariska, I’ve heard of other royals who’ve cashed in and have ended up regreting it. I guess the press whom have paid the royals in the past for an exclusive puts them up in a pedestral to put them down really bad years later. One day your up, next day your down, that sells.
I hope its televised. Is todays Royal Salute to be televised, what time is that one ?
May 7th, 2008 06:23
City Salute with Princes William and Harry
BBC2 – Wed 7 May, 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm 60mins
The City of London plays host to the Navy, Army and Air Force for a unique event to raise awareness of the sacrifices made throughout the world by British servicemen and women, and their families at home.
The event, supported by Princes William and Harry, features the Band of the Royal Marines, Household Cavalry Armoured and Mounted detachments and a fly-past of RAF Eurofighter Typhoons and Chinook Helicopters.
May 7th, 2008 06:24
I just checked, The Royal Salute will be televised tonight BBC at 8:00 p.m.
The P&A wedding, don’t know yet, I hope so.
May 7th, 2008 06:25
Oh thanks Steven !
May 7th, 2008 06:29
What do you think about the article of W&K not attending ? you think its a smokescreen ? and will show up.
I just find it odd that at least PW doesn’t attend. If this is true, I have a bad feeling this would be the end for KM, I have to say that it will look very bad, and there is no way for her to gain RF or public acceptance if at the least PW doesn’t show up.
May 7th, 2008 07:01
i agree with me
May 7th, 2008 07:44
I find it a little odd that two royals who managed so well to stay out of the limelight would suddenly seek it so openly. I guess a lot of money changed hands and it’s sort of sad that Autumn and Peter would sell out like that, but then I still enjoy looking at the pics etc.
I cannot imagine that William would miss Peter’s wedding – not to go on vacation at least. They are reportedly very close and William would still have almost two weeks left after the wedding to holiday before his navy attachement (if he indeed plans to vacation). How reliable is the Sunday Express as a source? Sounds like a smaller gossip paper to me.
May 7th, 2008 08:07
It would be great if that donated that money to a charity. I wonder Me if it is a smokescreen and they will appear anyway.
May 7th, 2008 08:23
do you think the reason they sold their story to a magazine is so that they’re left alone? Maybe they feel that once everyone finds out some personal information about the two of them, they can be left alone to enjoy the rest of their lives. Anything after this would be considered old news then. No reason to hunt them down for pictures and such.
Just a thought.
May 7th, 2008 08:33
Noone would ever bother to hunt for pictures of Peter and Autumn. I haven’t seen a single pap pic of Autumn or Peter only offical one’s from polo matches etc and there haven’t been a lot of gossip articles about them either. There was no real media interest in them before (except for the wedding and only really because Kate and/or Chelsy might attend) and I don’t think there would be after the wedding. This is egging on media interest not avoiding it, IMO. I think they did it for the money.
May 7th, 2008 15:04
I like the cover of Autumn Kelly and Peter Philips in Hello Magazine it looks nice though.
May 7th, 2008 16:57
Beautiful couple and lovely Cover.
The wedding will be wonderful.
Looking forward to seeing a few photos of bride and groom upon leaving the church, hopefully.
May 8th, 2008 03:24
im looking forward to have those wedding pics, theyre both nice. when will be the hello magazine be available?
May 8th, 2008 06:26
Its available since May 6
May 8th, 2008 13:45
MISSFINE – I’ve seen your book on Amazon.com numerous times and was always tempted to buy it. If I bought about 5 copies directly from you, could you autograph each one since I’d like to give them as gifts and of course have one for myself. Please let me know how we can do this.
Thanks so much – it sounds like a fun and interesting book.
May 8th, 2008 13:57
she must have a contact in her website, maybe the above is a “fan”
May 8th, 2008 14:15
ME – I would rather buy the books and have them signed by her. When I buy books as gifts or cds, whenever possible I try to get them signed by the author or artist since it’s a nice touch when you give the item as a gift. I have quite a few items even signed by Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana as well as autographed guitars and other autographed memorabilia so I guess you could say I am an autograph collector. Wish I could get something signed by the Queen, William and Harry though.
May 8th, 2008 14:20
Oh my God, thats totally a cool hobby. Congrats to that Jade !
I have no collection of anything at all. LOL well perhaps clothes, but I also donate them to the needy poor (via charity at my local church) clean the closet once or twice a year.
May 8th, 2008 21:54
thanks for the info Me!
May 16th, 2008 23:53
I have been reading story about Peter Phillips since he was 24. Finally he got married lol