Peter Phillips
The first grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, he carved a public-facing business career while navigating life as a senior royal without a title.
Born 1977 (age 49)·British businessman·Birthday: November 15·Generation X
Biography
Born in 1977 to Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips, Peter Phillips entered the world as the Queen's eldest grandchild, a position that placed him in the public eye from the start. Unlike many in his family, he carried no royal title, a decision made by his parents that afforded him a degree of normalcy. He was educated at the University of Exeter before embarking on a career that blended corporate sponsorship with his royal connections, working for Jaguar Racing and later the Williams Formula One team. His most notable public role was as a global ambassador for the management company ISM, where he leveraged his unique status to broker deals. Phillips has often been described as the most 'ordinary' of the Queen's grandchildren, yet his life has been a constant exercise in balancing personal ambition with the unspoken duties of his birth.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Peter was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He was the first British royal to appear in a television advertisement, for the milk company Dairy Crest in 2001.
- Served as a board director for the sports management company ISM, focusing on global sponsorship.
- Organized the 'Party at the Palace' concert in 2002 as part of the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Did You Know?
He is the only maternal grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.
He did not receive a royal title at birth because his mother, Princess Anne, declined the offer of one from the Queen.
He worked as a track commentator for the Chinese television channel CCTV during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
“My normal is probably not the same as your normal, but it's my normal.”
