Kate giving 'advice and guidance' on royal life to Peter Phillips' new wife

Peter Phillips' new wife has revealed that Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been offering her "advice and guidance" on royal life.

Phillips, the son of Princess Anne and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, married Harriet Sperling this summer.

His bride, a former NHS nurse, said that she is grateful that her new in-laws have all been "so welcoming" towards her and towards her 14-year-old daughter Georgina.

Harriet, who has taken her new husband's surname, told HELLO! magazine: "The first time I met Their Majesties was at Ascot. There is a picture of us meeting! It was so lovely and relaxed and there was lots of laughter. You feel as though you're meeting family, but at the same time, it feels otherworldly.

"Both the King and the Queen have been so welcoming to me and Georgina. I can't thank them both enough."

Asked about meeting Prince William, his wife Catherine and their children for the first time, she added: "I've had an incredible experience being welcomed in. We happened to be on holiday at the same place in the Scilly Isles.

"It was great because the children were all jumping into the water at the same time. It was very casual but there is a clear level of respect there.

"I can look to Catherine for advice and guidance. She's very open-hearted, and I would always feel comfortable asking her if I needed advice about something."

Harriet described her first meeting with Peter's mother as "relaxed".

She said she is in awe of the Princess Royal's work ethic and passion for good causes.

She said: "There were always going to be initial nerves about meeting anyone's family members, but I am quite a calm person. We met in the garden at Gatcombe. It was really relaxed; we sat on garden benches having cups of tea. It couldn't have been nicer and was very similar to when Peter met my family.

"She sets an amazing example with her work ethic. What I've seen is her tireless attention to local charities and her genuine interests. It's important to do things that match who you are, where you live and what your passions are. She has genuine areas of interest that she follows and she's so well-respected in the family. She is incredibly loyal."

Harriet is stepmother to Savannah, 15, and Isla, 14, Peter's two daughters from his marriage to Autumn Kelly.

She said she also enjoyed the "loveliest family holiday" as part of the royals' annual summer break at Balmoral in Scotland.

She said: "It was with my daughter and was an amazing experience. It's the loveliest family holiday with an extraordinary layer.

"Scotland is our favourite holiday; we go for a week, and everyone is there together.

"It's a proper family holiday and very outdoorsy - we go walking and running, play football with the children, cycle in the hills and go wild swimming, which is fantastic."