Peter Phillips and wife Autumn plan to be neighbours after divorce, say pals

PETER Phillips and his wife, Autumn, plan to be neighbours after their divorce, pals have claimed.

The pair are set to split after 12 years of marriage, having informed an "upset" Queen during the height of the Prince Andrew scandal.

Peter's friends had expressed fears that Autumn, a native Canadian, would return to her home country and take the kids with her.

But other sources close to the couple say they plan to remain living close to each other following their divorce, with one moving to another part of Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire.

They are currently both living under the same roof in their marital home in a domestic set-up that mirrors Andrew and Fergie.

Sports marketing consultant Peter, 42, and Autumn, 41, who is a management consultant, have two children – Savannah, nine and Isla, seven.

Close friends blamed the split on constant business travel forcing them to spend time away from each other which resulted in a “drifting apart”.

Yesterday Peter issued an emotional statement, after The Sun revealed he and Autumn would split.

'ONE OF THEM WILL MOVE OUT'

And sources said: ";This is a very amicable break-up.

"They remain living in the same house together. The reality is that they have spent so much time away from each other with their various work commitments. They drifted apart.

“There is no intention to rush anything but at some point one of them will move out."

Their joint statement said: "After informing HM The Queen and members of both families last year, Peter and Autumn jointly agreed to separate.

"They had reached the conclusion that this was the best course of action for their two children and ongoing friendship.

"The decision to divorce and share custody came about after many months of discussions and although sad, is an amicable one.

"The couple's first priority will remain the continued well being and upbringing of their wonderful daughters Savannah (nine) and Isla (seven).

"Both families were naturally sad at the announcement, but fully supportive of Peter and Autumn in the joint decision to co-parent their children."

"Both Peter and Autumn have remained in Gloucestershire to bring up their two children where they have been settled for a number of years."

The couple are in the process of divorcing, and Peter - the eldest child of Princess Anne and her first husband Mark Phillips - will be the first of the Queen's grandchildren to legally split.

Peter and Autumn wed at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in 2008, and decided to split last year.

The revelation comes just two weeks after Peter sparked international controversy for advertising milk in China while being promoted as a “British royal”.

The split is the latest problem for the Royal Family after a disastrous few months, which some commentators have branded a second Annus Horribilis.

Prince Philip injured two members of the public in a car crash then fell ill, disgraced Prince Andrew had to step back from royal duties after a catastrophic interview about his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and last month The Sun revealed Harry and Meghan were quitting the UK.