Whether she’s flying down a slide, clambering up a climbing wall, or gallivanting with her cousins at horse trials, there’s no doubt Isla Phillips is enjoying an idyllic countryside childhood.
Isla, who turns 12 today, is the younger daughter of the Queen’s eldest grandson Peter Phillips.
She is 19th in line to the throne and enjoys all the comforts of being part of the extended royal family without the pressure of a life of duties ahead of her.
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Isla Phillips, youngest daughter of Peter Phillips and granddaughter to Princess Anne talks to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as they wait for the Coronation Concert to begin
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Isla Phillips attends the traditional Easter Sunday Church service at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle on April 17, 2022
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Isla pictured bottom left with Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, father Peter Phillips, Mother Autumn and sister Savannah in 2018
She does not have a royal title. Princess Anne turned down the Queen’s offer of titles for her children, Peter and Zara. As a result the grandchildren don’t have titles, either.
Living on Princess Anne’s 700-acre Gatcombe Park Estate, Isla and her older sister Savannah are in close proximity to their Tindall cousins – Mia, Lena and Lucas – and the boisterous posse are regularly seen in the great outdoors.
Although they’re growing up out of the spotlight, the Phillips sisters are recognisable from royal events such as the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – and they’re known for adding a touch of mischief to formal royal occasions.
At Princess Eugenie’s wedding in October 2018, for instance, Savannah entertained Prince George by imitating the trumpet fanfare to announce the arrival of the Queen, as he looked on in fits of giggles.
With only 15 months between Isla and her older sister Savannah, it’s no surprise the pair are growing up with a close bond, although the elder girl seems to be the ringleader for most of the light-hearted mischief.
Their parents, Peter and Autumn, announced they were separating in 2020, with the divorce finalised in 2021.
They have been amicably co-parenting, with pictures showing Autumn, her new love Donal Mulryan – an Irish construction company boss – and Savannah and Isla on a Mother’s Day outing to the Cirencester horse trials.
Meanwhile, Peter has found happiness with oil heiress girlfriend Lindsay Wallace.
Born at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, weighing 7lbs 4oz during the Queen’s milestone Jubilee year, it’s no surprise that Isla’s second name is Elizabeth in honour of her grandmother.
There was also sadness for Isla and her sister in recent years when they lost their beloved great-grandparents in quick succession.
Isla put on a brave face when she spent her tenth birthday attending a memorial service for Prince Philip in March 2022, held at Westminster Abbey after only 30 people could attend his funeral the previous year due to Covid restrictions.
Isla was also present for the Queen’s funeral, where she wore a riding crop and stirrup brooch to her great-grandmother’s funeral in a subtle tribute to Her Majesty’s love of riding.
It’s likely Isla will be starting secondary school next year now that she’s 11, and whatever the future holds, she has no official role within the Royal Family and will be expected to pursue her own career in the future.
When Princess Anne welcomed Isla’s father Peter, only grandchildren of the monarch born through the male line were allowed an automatic title at the time.
The Princess Royal reportedly declined the Queen’s offer to give her son a royal title, therefore allowing him to pursue a relatively normal life, and a similar path lies ahead for both his daughters.
Here, as Isla turns 11, MailOnline charts her life in pictures, from royal events to fun with her cousins.
2012
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One of Isla’s first appearances was at the Golden Metropolitan Polo Club Charity Cup polo match on June 17, 2012, when she was three-months-old
2014
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Isla has been a regular at horse trials since she was a baby. Here, she’s seen with her mother Autumn Phillips during the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park on 3 August, 2014, aged two
2015
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Peter Phillips and Autumn Phillips with their daughters Isla Phillips (right) and Savannah Phillips at the Royal Windsor Horse show in the private grounds of Windsor Castle on May 16, 2015
2016
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Smiles all round: Autumn Phillips laughing with her daughters Isla Phillips and Savannah Phillips (right) as they eat ice cream and watch the show at Gatcombe Park March 25, 2016
2017
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Isla was in high spirits after flying down the slide at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May 2017 and then showed her sporty side as she tackled the climbing wall
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Autumn and Peter with their children Isla (left) and Savannah at the Christmas Day morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2017
2018
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Cheeky Isla squeals with delight as she frolics with older sister Savannah and cousin Mia Tindall at the Land Rover Horse Trials in Gloucestershire in March 2018
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Savannah Phillips and Isla (right) dress up in Gloucestershire Fire Fighters uniforms The Magic Millions Festival of British Eventing, Gatcombe in August 2018
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Bridesmaid Isla at the royal wedding of Princess Eugenie of York to Jack Brooksbank at St. George’s Chapel on October 12, 2018. Prince George, behind, looks on in mischief
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Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank with their bridesmaids and pageboys (L-R back row) Prince George of Cambridge; Princess Charlotte of Cambridge; Theodora Williams; Isla Phillips; Louis De Givenchy (L-R front row) Mia Tindall; Savannah Phillips and Maud Windsor
2019
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Peter Phillips gives his daughter Isla a piggyback at the Gatcombe Horse Trials in 2019
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Autumn and Peter Phillips, Savannah and Isla Phillips watch a fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping The Colour, the monarch’s annual birthday parade, on June 8, 2019 in London
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Isla Phillips wraps her arms around her father, Peter, as he kneels on one knee while her sister, Savannah, beams
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Jump to it! Doting dad Peter Phillips prepares to give his daughter Isla a piggy back
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Now it’s the turn of Isla’s older sister Savannah to give her a piggyback at Gatcombe Park
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Isla Phillips tucks into an ice-cream at the 2019 Gatcombe Horse Trials
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Sweet: Mia Tindall, Savannah Phillips and Isla Phillips hold bags of candy during the 2019 Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park
2022
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Autumn Phillips and her new love Donal Mulryan are accompanied by Isla and Savannah as they make their first public appearance on Mother’s Day as they watch Zara Tindall compete in the Cirencester Park Horse Trials in 2022
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Catch me if you can! Isla chases around with younger cousin Lena Tindall at the event
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Isla Phillips attends the Thanksgiving service for the Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022 in London on her tenth birthday
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Isla with her sister and father as they left the service last year
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Isla Phillips waves the British flag and Princess Anne throws her hands up while watching the Platinum Party at the Palace to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022
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Isla Phillips (left), Peter Phillips and Savannah Phillips attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, in 2022
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