Princess Anne has welcomed her newest step-granddaughter, 13-year-old Georgina Sperling, into the family "with open arms." This comes after her son, Peter Phillips, married Harriet Sperling, an NHS pediatric nurse specialist, in June. Georgina is now the stepsister to Phillips' daughters, Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14.
According to a source, Anne has embraced Georgina's arrival, viewing her as an "amazing mother and grandmother" with a knack for making people feel at ease, reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth II. This introduction further integrates Georgina into Anne's close-knit family at Gatcombe Park, her 700-acre estate in Gloucestershire, where Peter and his sister Zara Tindall also reside with their families.
Life at Gatcombe Park is described as refreshingly informal, a contrast to the Princess Royal's public engagements. The estate is characterized as a lived-in family home filled with personal mementos. Ailsa Anderson, a former communications secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, referred to Gatcombe as Anne's "bolthole," where she can shed her royal title and simply be "Anne." Anderson noted Anne's pragmatic nature and her desire to see her children happy, adding that the Princess "adores them and it's touching to see her with her grandchildren at horse trials, showing them things and looking relaxed in her jeans."
Royal author Robert Hardman described Gatcombe as Anne's "happy place," highlighting her fundamental connection to country life. He characterized her relationship with her grandchildren as "very non-nonsense" and "very normal," without "standing on ceremony." He added, "She's a very good grandmother. She's hands-on, but like all grandchildren, I think they can get away with things. She dotes on them."
This familial warmth contrasts with Anne's demanding public schedule. Having turned 76 on August 15, she has undertaken a significant number of official engagements, completing more than 290 by mid-August this year, in addition to 478 in 2025. Her travels have included visits to Italy for the Winter Olympics, Greece for the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Crete, France for the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and extended trips to South Korea and Thailand with her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence. Despite her packed diary, Anne reportedly makes time for her family and attempts to ride daily.
Anderson commented on Anne's work ethic, stating, "She does not pause for breath." She suggested that "retirement" is not a concept in Anne's vocabulary, attributing her continued dedication to duty and service, inherited from her parents.