PRINCE Philip calls him the winner, he is often referred to as the Queens favourite grandchild and he himself hails his grandmother as an inspirational person throughout my life.
But that didnt stop Peter Phillips starring in a tacky milk advert for Chinese television stations.
His toe-curling commercial should be a stark warning to Harry and Meghan of the perils of the commercialworld
His toe-curling promo is a stark warning to Harry and Meghan of the perils of the commercial world.
In it, the eldest child of Princess Anne and the man born fifth in line to the throne is seen being served a glass of milk on a silver platter by a footman in black tie.
He appears on the 30-second TV advert with the caption British Royal Family member Peter Phillips.
The unedifying scenes show Harrys first cousin, Peter now 15th in line to the throne in dinner jacket and bow tie staring out of the window of a palatial house as a state carriage draws up.
It suggests he is watching the arrival of the monarch at a royal palace.
The ad is spliced with images of a country pile, thought to be Longleat House in Wiltshire, and a replica of a royal carriage.
Dad-of-two Peter, 42, tells viewers: As children, we used to spend a lot of time down at the dairy. There was a herd of Jersey cattle at Windsor and we were brought up on it [the milk].
And it was always much fuller of flavour, much creamier than other milks that we had growing up.
Peter appears in two ads which were shown on Chinas Dragon TV. The Jersey milk is sold by Bright Dairies, a multinational corporation owned by the Shanghai government.
‘THE WINNER’
It is not known if he was paid for his appearance, but he could command a fee in the tens of thousands.
The ad has raised questions about royals for rent and how members of the wider family should earn a crust without tarnishing the Windsor brand.
After all, now Meghan and Harry are independent of the Royal Family there is nothing to stop them indulging in similar commercial deals.
Since leaving Exeter University, Peter has made the most of his freedom from royal life, working for the Williams F1 racing team, RBS bank in Hong Kong and now running a sports and events management company.
Prince Philip, who adores him, dubbed him the winner because of his independence.
It is not just Peter either his sister, Zara, 38, is thought to net up to 1.1million a year from brand endorsements.
Peter has made the most of his freedom from royal life, working for the Williams racing team, RBS in Hong Kong and now running a sports management company
Peters firm, SEL UK, has helped negotiate deals for his equestrian Olympic silver medallist sister to support her in achieving her huge sporting success.
Among her sponsors are Land Rover, Samsung, outdoor clothing firm Musto, investment company Artemis and Rolex watches.
In Australia, Zara, the wife of ex England rugby star Mike Tindall, signed deals with thoroughbred auction house Magic Millions, for which she is paid around 125k a year.
Musto outdoor clothing pays her around 500,000 a year for appearing on its website.
In 2018 Zara, mum to Mia, six, and seven-month-old Lena, was unveiled as an ambassador for iCandy prams 1,500 all-terrain buggy.
ROYALTIES FROM SALES
Lena made her advertising debut in a video for the firm aged just three months.
Zara also has a deal with jewellers Calleija, where her Zara Phillips Collection nets her an estimated 80,000 a year.
She designs and models jewellery for the brand including the saddle ring, which the Australian brand marketed at around 7,000. It is likely Zara receives royalties from sales.
Zara has been a Rolex Testimonee, as the luxury watch brand calls its ambassadors, since 2006. It is likely that pulls in 100,000 a year.
And it is estimated she gets 200,000 a year from Land Rover.
PR expert Mischa Joslin said: Whilst Zara is of royal blood, she isnt technically a part of the immediate firm and can therefore profit from her connections.
“This means brands can pay to give their product line a royal seal of approval without having the Palace involved.
Yesterday a representative at SEL UK declined to comment.
A source at Buckingham Palace said Peter, who has never had HRH status, was a private individual and that he had never held a royal title or been a working member of the Royal Family.
It sets an intriguing precedent for the Sussexes. The couple have chosen financial independence with no income from the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant.
Though Harry and Meghan sure to have the worlds top brands, publishers and film studios beating a path to their door would be wise to avoid a similar scenario to cousin Peters curdling adventure into dairy advertising.
In 2008 he sold Hello! magazine pictures of his wedding to Canadian management consultant Autumn Kelly for a reputed 500,000.
Meanwhile his sister Zara is thought to net up to 1.1m a year in brand endosements
She was recently unveiled as an ambassador for iCandy prams and her daughter appeared alongside her in the ads
Zara has also appeared in Hello! magazine with her husband Mike Tindall and their eldest Mia
Peter and Zara have even teamed up, as Peters firm helped negotiate deals for his equestrian Olympic silver medallist sister
The images featured the Queen and Harry and William, who were said to have been concerned their then girlfriends, Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy, featured in the glossy.
In 2016 Peters firm SEL UK was paid 750,000 to oversee the Queens 150-a-head street party in The Mall to celebrate her 90th birthday.
Its contract to organise the party was just 12,000 less than the amount received by 291 charities from the event.
Peter insisted in an interview: I was very conscious to make sure we did this properly, so we went through the normal channels of approaching the Palace.
“We had to show that this wasnt a case of trying to cut corners because the Queen happens to be my grandmother.
He also said he had discussed the event with the Queen privately.
Speaking of his admiration for his grandmother in an interview four years ago, he said: From my early childhood ever since I was causing havoc in the corridors of Windsor, Balmoral and Sandringham with my sister and cousins it was impossible to ignore the standard my grandmother set when it came to her support of her patronages. For my whole family she has led by example.
Another point of controversy has been over how Peter and Zara have benefited from the patronage of Hong Kong entrepreneur Dr Johnny Hon.
Zara was paid 100,000 a year for a non-executive directorship at the tycoons Global Group.
Recently Peter launched a horse-racing members club with Dr Hon for which he will be paid a salary for his figurehead role.
Dr Hon, who has obtained British titles including Baron of Houston in Scotland and the Lordship of Chepstow in Wales, said members of the Royal Family were brought on board because of what they can do for individual projects.
Peter and Zara never HRHs have had to carve out an income privately yet still enjoy the trappings of royalty.
Given a 41-gun salute to mark his birth, Peter wed in St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle where Harry and Meghan married.
He can jet around the world unnoticed but still watches Trooping the Colour from the royal balcony.
Home is a Cotswold farmhouse on Princess Annes Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, where he lives with Autumn and their daughters, Savannah, nine, and Isla, seven.
Harry and Meghan will be looking at any fallout from Peters misjudged foray into dairy advertising.
While still HRHs, Buckingham Palace has ruled they may not use the style nor represent the Queen.
So they will have to carefully consider whether each potential commercial venture exploits the Royal Family or tarnishes their own brand.
Or end up with a cheesy ad like Peter.
While still HRHs, Harry and Meghan can’t use the style or represent the Queen
Now they’ll have to carefully consider whether each potential commercial venture exploits the Royal Family or tarnishes their own brand
