More Wedding Bells? Another One of Prince William and Harry’s Cousins May Be Getting Engaged Soon
The royal family may soon have another reason to celebrate, hot on the heels of Peter Phillips announcing his engagement to Harriet Sperling. Rumors are swirling that Prince William and Prince Harry’s second cousin, Samuel Chatto, might be ready to pop the question to his long-time partner, Eleanor Ekserdjian. Samuel, the eldest son of Lady Sarah Chatto, daughter of Princess Margaret, has been dating Ekserdjian since 2021. The couple has stepped out together at several royal family events, sparking whispers of incoming wedding bells.
Engagement rumors between Samuel and Ekserdjian began in 2024, when she joined him and the rest of the royal family for the traditional Christmas Day walk to church at Sandringham. As reported by Marie Claire, Meghan Markle was the only other royal to do so before her wedding to Harry. Speculation grew recently on August 2, when Ekserdjian attended another royal outing, joining her boyfriend, Lady Sarah, and King Charles at the Mey Highland Games in Scotland. The couple was spotted exploring the grounds and enjoying the annual festivities together.
As for William and Harry, the brothers’ long-standing royal rift shows no sign of healing, with reports claiming the Prince of Wales remains firmly opposed to reconciling with his brother. On August 1, as Phillips announced his engagement to Sperling, public attention turned to the Duke of Sussex, who is rumored to attend the wedding, potentially marking a rare reunion with his family. If Harry’s appearance at Phillips and Sperling’s wedding helps thaw tensions, then the rumored future nuptials of Samuel and Ekserdjian could offer yet another chance to help him cool things off with William.
Phillips and Sperling announced their engagement a day before Samuel and Ekserdjian’s public outing with Charles, after a year of dating. In a statement to HELLO!, they shared, "Mr Peter Phillips, the son of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and Ms Harriet Sperling, daughter of the late Mr Rupert Sanders and Mrs Mary Sanders of Gloucestershire, have today confirmed their official engagement." The couple met in 2024 and made their public debut at the Badminton Horse Trials in May that year. Sperling’s engagement ring, from the prestigious Mayfair jeweler Pragnell, features a classic three-stone diamond design.
As for Samuel and Ekserdjian, the pair both attended the University of Edinburgh and later the Royal Drawing School. They share a deep passion for the arts, with Ekserdjian’s website bio describing her as "a painter and film artist whose practice blends moving images with rapid mark-making." Interestingly, Samuel's mother, Lady Sarah, is also a trained artist and regularly exhibits her paintings and sketches at London’s Redfern Gallery. While there has been no official confirmation of an engagement, one might well anticipate royal church wedding bells ringing in the not-too-distant future.