THE Princess Royal’s son Peter Phillips is to marry his girlfriend, Autumn Kelly, Buckingham Palace announced last night.

Kelly, 31, described by a friend as “the nicest and most down to earth person”, met Phillips, 29, in 2003 at the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal.

The Queen’s eldest grandson, who is 10th in line to the throne, already shares a cottage with his fiancée on his mother’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire. He is the first royal grandchild to marry.

Born in Montreal, Kelly graduated from McGill University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree before embarking on a corporate career. Described by her mother Kathleen as a “very serious and intelligent young woman”, she even attracted headhunters from the Canadian intelligence service, who once approached her to join the organisation.

Her mother has approved the match. “I’ve met him a few times and he’s a great guy, a really nice person,” she said.

Kelly caught the eye of Phillips when he was working in marketing for the Williams Formula One team. Soon after they started dating, she left Canada to join her royal boyfriend. She now works for an American computer distributor.

Phillips, who does not have a royal title nor carry out any official royal engagements and generally maintains a low public profile, now works for the Royal Bank of Scotland. After graduating with a degree in sports science from the University of Exeter, he worked for both the Jaguar and Williams F1 racing teams.

He was the sponsorship accounts manager at Williams F1 until September 2005 when he left to work at the global headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh. He previously dated the American cod-liver oil heiress Elizabeth Iorio.

Kelly and Phillips share a passion for sport and are frequently seen together – often dressed in coordinated outfits – at equestrian events. The couple often support Peter’s champion rider sister Zara, who has become close to Kelly.

While media attention has focused on his cousins’ relationships, Phillips has managed to keep his romance largely hidden from the public. Kelly joined other members of the royal family, including the Queen, on a cruise around the Hebrides on a converted ferry last summer. The trip was seen as a sign that the Queen has already accepted her as part of the family.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips are pleased to announce the engagement of their son Peter Phillips to Autumn, daughter of Mr Brian and Mrs Kitty Kelly.”

Kelly has quickly settled into British traditional rural life, throwing herself wholeheartedly into the country pursuits so loved by the royals.

She was also present for the Queen’s 80th birthday celebration at the Ritz in London.

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