In Photos: 5 Royal Wedding Blunders to Revisit Ahead of Peter Philips’ Big Day

The countdown has officially begun for King Charles’ eldest nephew Peter Phillips's second wedding. Philips is set to marry pediatric nurse Harriet Sperling on June 6, 2026. The upcoming Cotswolds ceremony at All Saints Church will be an intimate, low-key affair with only their close friends and family in attendance. With the growing excitement around the wedding, let's take a look back at some of the monarchy’s most memorable wedding-day mishaps. From wardrobe troubles and broken heirlooms to awkward gaffes, these blunders have only added to the charm of royal nuptials over the decades, proving that even the royals are not immune to slip-ups.

One of the most talked-about royal wedding controversies came at Phillips’ first wedding to Autumn Kelly in 2008. The couple sparked criticism after selling exclusive photographs of their big day to HELLO! As per reports, the couple kept everyone in the dark about the deal, including Queen Elizabeth II, who was said to be very disappointed after finding out the truth. Phillips and Kelly were said to have signed the contract for £500,000 ($673,000), which at the time caused a major uproar, with many criticizing them for minting their royal status. As a result, the Palace was forced to establish strict new rules against the commercialization of royal family events.

Even the late Queen faced a major bridal emergency on the morning of her 1947 wedding to Prince Philip. Her wedding nearly began with disaster when the Queen Mother’s beloved Fringe Tiara was accidentally snapped by a hairdresser as she attached it to Elizabeth's bridal veil. With the ceremony just hours away, a panicked Palace aide rushed the broken heirloom via a strict police escort to the royal jewelers at Garrard, who thankfully got it repaired just in time.

Princess Diana’s 1981 wedding gown remains one of the most famous fashion statements in history, but its arrival at St. Paul’s Cathedral featured a major blunder. Designers David and Elizabeth Emanuel failed to realize just how tightly folded the massive, 25-foot silk taffeta train would be inside the glass carriage. When Diana finally stepped out wearing the gown, the spectacular dress looked severely wrinkled as millions watched the ceremony across the world. However, even with the mishap, the gown still remains iconic decades later.

Even Prince William and Princess Kate's dreamy 2011 wedding was not without its own small hiccup, which the duo covered with laughter and grace. During the ring exchange, William visibly struggled to slip Kate’s wedding band onto her finger. Having previously altered the ring to prevent it from slipping off.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding delivered its own light-hearted moment when the Duke of Sussex appeared momentarily unsure about how to handle Markle’s veil. After lifting it during the ceremony, Harry seemed briefly puzzled about where to place the fabric. Harry looked adorably confused as he attempted to lift and fold back her lengthy, custom-designed silk tulle veil before finally smoothing it out.