Princess Catherine Comes Face to Face With Her Ex at a Royal Family Wedding

Jun 09, 2026 by apost team

Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling's wedding on June 6, 2026, was always going to attract attention. A private royal ceremony in the Cotswolds, attended by King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and roughly 150 guests — the kind of intimate, countryside occasion that makes for compelling photographs. But the detail that ended up generating the most conversation had nothing to do with the bride or groom.

Among the guests at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, was Rupert Finch — a London solicitor, the husband of Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, and the man who briefly dated Catherine, Princess of Wales, more than 25 years ago. The two were students at the University of St Andrews in 2001, before William entered the picture. The relationship lasted less than a year. Finch has declined to discuss it, saying only: "It's not something I'll ever talk about. It was a long time ago." 

Their story was depicted onscreen in the sixth and final season of "The Crown," with Finch played by actor Oli Green and Catherine played by Meg Bellamy. Tatler described Finch at the time as "considered the ultimate catch" by Catherine's friends at university — a tall, dark, aspiring lawyer in his final year. He went on to become a solicitor in London. 

The two have remained on friendly terms. Finch was invited to Catherine and William's royal wedding at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011. Now, 15 years later, they found themselves at the same family wedding again — she as the Princess of Wales, he as a guest with his wife of 13 years. 

No reports of any direct interaction between the two emerged from the event.

Catherine arrived at the wedding in a blush-hued Roland Mouret dress with drop-waist pleating and a button-down notched collar, accessorized with a matching hat and a pearl bracelet that once belonged to Princess Diana. She arrived beside Prince William, born June 21, 1982, who wore a traditional morning suit. He was photographed holding an umbrella over her head to shield her from the Gloucestershire rain — an image that circulated widely and generated considerable warmth online. 

Finch, who is 47, arrived with his wife Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs — who also attended St Andrews and has known Catherine for years. The two appeared relaxed and composed throughout the day. Body language experts, quoted in several outlets, noted that Catherine's demeanor showed no signs of awkwardness — a characterization several commentators described as unsurprising given the length of time and the entirely different lives both have since built.

The broader guest list included King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Anne, and Zara and Mike Tindall. The reception was held privately at Gatcombe Park. The whole occasion was, as intended, an intimate and joyful family celebration. The Finch angle was, as most observers noted, a very old story that briefly found new oxygen at a Cotswolds country wedding. Two people who dated for less than a year at university — one of whom went on to become the future Queen of England — simply found themselves in the same church on a rainy Saturday in June, as adults tend to do.

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Did you know about this chapter of Princess Catherine's past? Do you think the way she and Rupert Finch have handled their shared history is a mark of class? Let us know in the comments and pass this on to your family, friends, and other royal fans out there!