Princess Anne's Granddaughters Savannah And Isla Are All Grown Up
Over the years, the public has seen young members of the royal family grow into regal adults, taking on roles within The Firm to keep the monarchy relevant. In addition to juggling their public duties, the young generation of royals has also been busy raising the next generation that will succeed them. While Prince William and Princess Catherine are prepping Prince George to be king, other members of the royal family are also preparing their children for a life in the spotlight. Two of those kids are Princess Anne's granddaughters, Savannah and Isla Phillips.
Born in 2010 and 2012 respectively, Savannah and Isla are the daughters of Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, and Autumn Kelly. Aside from their appearances at notable royal events, Savannah and Isla tend to make headlines for their close relationship with their relatives. And just like their more popular family members like the future monarch, Prince George, the public has watched Savannah and Isla grow from tiny toddlers to placid preteens.
Savannah Phillips' birth marked new milestones for the royal family
On December 29, 2010, Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly introduced their firstborn, and 12th in line to the throne at the time, Savannah Anne Kathleen Phillips. Born in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, Savannah's birth was initially clouded in mystery. With her name being withheld from the public, it would take a church service in Sandringham for her name to be revealed to the world. Despite this, Buckingham Palace released a statement following her birth revealing their elation at the arrival of a new family member. "The Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal, Captain Mark Phillips and Autumn's family have been informed and are delighted with the news," the statement read (via the BBC).
Savannah's birth also marked two new milestones within the royal family. Savannah was the first great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, marking a new generation of royals with Prince George and Princess Charlotte to follow. Moreover, Savannah is also the first in the royal line of succession to have both Canadian and British citizenship with her mother being from Montréal. Royal genealogy expert Rafal Heydel-Mankoo told CTV News that this was a remarkable moment for the royal family as it heightened their association with the country. "The Royal Family has never been more Canadian and I think that's quite important in strengthening the connections between the Canadian people and the Crown," Heydel-Mankoo stated.
Savannah Phillips made headlines for her playful interactions with Prince George
Since her birth, Savannah Phillips has maintained a relatively normal life. Unlike other family members, this allowed her to focus on being a child. As a result, Savannah has been known to be a troublemaker during public appearances. According to body language expert, Judi James, Savannah is easily the most rebellious of her relatives. "With royal rebels Zara and Mike as her aunt and uncle, stoic Princess Anne as her granny and a whole gang of younger royal children to ring-lead the fun with, it's no wonder that Savannah Philips [sic] is currently leading an exclusive but competitive set of runners when it comes to winning the title of the most rebellious young royal," James told Express.
Examples of this can be seen through her public appearances with Prince George. The two had a viral moment in 2018 when she and George bantered with each other on the Buckingham Palace balcony viewing the Trooping of the Colour ceremony. Savannah was spotted covering George's mouth during the National Anthem, as well as mimicking the orchestra and making funny faces. This wouldn't be the only time she'd make headlines for her silliness with George; the following day, the Daily Mail published a video of her jokingly pushing George down a small hill during a polo event.
Isla Phillips' middle name connects her to her royal lineage
Born on March 29, 2012, Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly introduced their secondborn, Isla Elizabeth Phillips, to the world. Like her older sister, Isla was born in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Although sisters, Isla and Savannah Phillips are drastically different. Along with leading a relatively normal life as children, Savannah is deemed the more rebellious sister while Isla is more reserved. Despite this, the two have shared numerous adorable moments alongside each other, further proving their strong sisterly connection.
Born Isla Elizabeth Phillips, Peter and Autumn made sure that their second daughter's middle name was connected to their royal lineage. While Savannah's middle name is an ode to her grandmother, Princess Anne, Isla's middle name pays homage to her late great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. Given the queen's influence on the royal family, Isla shares this middle name with other several relatives.
Princess Beatrice's daughter Sienna Elizabeth Mapelli Mozzi, Zara and Mike Tindall's daughter Lena Elizabeth Tindall, and Prince William and Princess Catherine's daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, all have the same middle name. Isla just so happened to be the first of the younger generation to uphold this tradition.
Savannah and Isla Phillips do not have royal titles
Being born into the royal family comes with a list of privileges and responsibilities, like being within the line of succession to the throne. An example of this can be seen with future monarch Prince George, who still enjoys his life as a growing child but is also learning how to adjust to the immense responsibilities he will likely have in the future.
In 2020, Princess Anne explained to Vanity Fair that she chose not to grant royal titles to her children, Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall, because of the intense commitment required by royal duties. "I think most people would argue that there are downsides to having titles," Anne told the publication. "So I think that was probably the right thing to do."
Though they are still in the line of succession, Savannah and Isla Phillips don't carry out the same amount of responsibilities as their relatives with royal titles. While this doesn't necessarily have to be a permanent decision, it certainly is one their dad Peter has continued to uphold. As of 2024, Savannah went from 12th in the line for the throne to 19th, while Isla went from 13th to 20th.
Savannah and Isla Phillips were bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie's wedding
From making their balcony debut in 2017, Savannah and Isla Phillips began to make several public appearances alongside their royal family in 2018. After years of remaining relatively unknown to the public, the two — mostly Savannah — made headlines for their colorful personality. This only continued in October 2018 when Savannah and Isla played a major role in Princess Eugenie's wedding.
On October 12, 2018, Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. With her sister Princess Beatrice as the maid of honor, Eugenie had a long list of bridesmaids at the ceremony, including Princess Charlotte and Savannah and Isla Phillips, who wore stunning white dresses with green sashes at the waist.
At the wedding, Savannah and Prince George made headlines again for their viral moment. Similar to her mimicking the conductor at the 2018 Trooping the Colour event, Savannah mimicked a trumpet during the wedding, causing George to laugh. Given their differing personalities, Isla appeared more stoic as opposed to her rebellious older sister. Nonetheless, their outing served as another glimpse into their private lives.
The sisters had no problem engaging with their younger cousin following her birth
Given Savannah Phillips' close relationship with Prince George, it's no surprise that she and Isla Phillips maintain a strong connection with their other cousins. As the eldest of Queen Elizabeth II's great-grandchildren, it's important for the two sisters to develop strong bonds with their relatives and set the tone for their generation of royals. Luckily, Savannah and Isla are more than welcoming to new arrivals in the family. An example of this can be seen in 2019 when Savannah and Isla welcomed Zara and Mike Tindall's second daughter with open arms during an outdoor playdate.
Born June 18, 2018, Zara and Mike introduced Lena Tindall to their ever-growing family. While it was expected for their firstborn Mia Tindall to be drawn to her new little sister, observers were surprised at how welcoming Savannah and Isla were to their baby cousin. Savannah, Isla, Mia, and Lena all enjoyed a day outdoors during Zara's lengthy weekend at the Gatcombe Park Horse Trials in 2019. During the event, photographers snapped several photos of the royal children interacting with each other. One, in particular, showed Savannah giving Mia a piggy-back ride through the park. Additionally, an onlooker told People that Savannah and Isla got along with Lena. "They all seem very close," they explained. "The Phillips girls seem very taken with their new little cousin and I am sure they will with their new extra cousin when Meghan's baby arrives."
Savannah and Isla Phillips' parents divorced in 2020
After meeting at the 2003 Montréal Grand Prix, Peter Phillips strung up a lengthy relationship with Autumn Kelly. Although she was initially unaware he was a royal, the two seamlessly gravitated toward each other and got married in 2008 in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Following their nuptials, the two welcomed Savannah and Isla Phillips into their family, but it wouldn't be long before their marriage took a turn.
After amicably splitting in 2019, Peter and Autumn ultimately decided to divorce each other a year later, ending their 12-year marriage. Given their dedication to privacy, not much is known about why they went their separate ways. While it was a hard pill to swallow for numerous royal fans, a spokesperson told People that Peter and Autumn felt it was the best decision for them and the well-being of their children.
"They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship," the source said. "The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one." Luckily, their divorce didn't affect the livelihood of their children too much since Savannah and Isla have remained close to each parent following their split. As Peter and Autumn went on to build separate lives and see other people, Savannah and Isla were seemingly comfortable with this transition.
Savannah and Isla Phillips seem to get along with their mother's partner
Following Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly's divorce, it was only a matter of time before they'd move on to finding new partners. Peter began a short-lived relationship with Lindsay Wallace in 2021, which appeared to go over well with the rest of the royal family as Wallace made several appearances at royal events after their relationship went public. It's safe to assume Savannah and Isla Phillips were comfortable with her presence given the rest of the royal family's acceptance of Peter's new girlfriend. This wouldn't be the only step-parent the two girls would potentially get along with as the sisters were spotted with their mother and her new partner in 2022 looking like the picture-perfect family.
In March 2022, Autumn Kelly began to make public appearances with her Irish beau, Donal Mulryan, with close sources confirming their friends-turned-lover relationship. According to body language expert Judi James, Mulryan, Savannah, and Isla make quite the trio. One month after the couple's first public appearance, Autumn and her two daughters were photographed with Mulryan at the Cirencester horse trials, sharing laughs, and with Isla hoisted onto Mulryan's shoulders. James told the Daily Mail Mulryan appeared to fill the step-dad role efficiently. "The trio look so comfortable and bonded here that it almost looks as though it is Donal who is the dad introducing his girls to their future step-mum," James quipped.
Savannah and Isla Phillips paid respects to their late great-grandmother in 2022
The royal family prioritizes quality time with each other. For Savannah and Isla Phillips, this has been the case ever since they were born. From regularly visiting their grandmother Princess Anne to spending time with their cousins Mia and Lena Tindall, it's clear how important family is to the two sisters. With Peter Phillips deemed Queen Elizabeth II's favorite grandson, it's plausible Savannah and Isla had a strong relationship with their late great-grandmother. This became apparent when Savannah and Isla paid their respects to the queen following her death.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at 96. Given her influence, the royal family was left stunned as they mourned her death, and Savannah and Isla joined their family to celebrate her legacy at a vigil at Westminster Hall. During the ceremony, photographers captured Savannah and her father sharing a special moment. While Isla stood alongside the two watching the ceremony, Savannah turned back to her father to check on how he was doing. As the two locked eyes, Savannah gave a comforting smile, which Peter then reciprocated (via Hello!). Though Savannah is usually playful, it's clear that both she and her sister felt exactly what the entire room was feeling as they mourned the loss of their queen.
Royal fans couldn't get over how grown up the sisters were at a 2023 Christmas event
In December 2023, Peter Phillips attended the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey with his daughters Savannah and Isla Phillips, and his sister Zara Tindall. Photographers captured the four walking to the service and fans were quick to comment on how grown up the two preteens looked.
Far from her reputation as the mischievous kid who often teased Prince George, Savannah appeared composed and poised as she entered the church, hinting at her maturity. The young royal also showed off her incredible height with one X, formerly Twitter, user commenting, "Look at that girlie — almost as tall as her Auntie!" while another tweeted "Wow ... they've grown up so fast!"
Both Savannah and Isla gave fans a glimpse into what we can expect to see from the young women in the future as they attend more royal events and become comfortable in the spotlight. Some royal watchers have even noticed their stylish sense of fashion suggesting they take pride in representing the royal family. "Those girls are about to take the fashion and beauty world by storm," one user tweeted. Could we be looking at the next popular women of the royal family?