Jemima Phillips

Jemima Phillips is an English-born Welsh harpist. She was the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales from 2004 to 2007 but was later convicted of handling stolen goods.

Jemima Phillips
BornNorth London, England
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Harp, violin, piano
Websitejemimaphillips.co.uk

Biography

Phillips was born in North London, where her father Robert was an arboriculturist in the London Borough of Camden; her mother, Jenny, was an actress. Jemima's younger brother Jerome, one year her junior was physically and mentally disabled (he died when she was aged 14); and younger sister Genevieve was severely autistic.[1]

The family moved to a farm in Gloucestershire when Phillips was seven, and from the age of nine she was raised in Ebbw Vale and Monmouth, Wales.

Phillips played Suzuki violin from aged three, and piano from aged four. She started playing the harp from the age of 9,[2] Phillips was a semi-finalist in the BBC's Young Musician of the Year competition. She attended Haberdashers' Monmouth School for Girls and the Royal College of Music, London.

Career

Phillips was appointed Official Harpist to Prince Charles in 2004, replacing Catrin Finch.[1] Phillips was the only musician to play at the wedding reception of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, performed at the wedding of Autumn Kelly and the Queen's eldest grandchild, Peter Phillips; and featured in the first concert to be recorded in the ballroom of Buckingham Palace. During her tenure as Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, she performed at the reception hosted by Her Majesty the Queen for the London bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2007 Claire Jones from Pembrokeshire took over the role.

Personal life

Presently living in St Briavels in Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Phillips teaches and plays harp professionally.

In June 2009, Phillips and former boyfriend William Davies, 40, were brought in front of Cheltenham magistrates with three charges of house burglary on three houses allegedly committed throughout May, and a fourth count of fraud by false representation.[3] Her subsequent trial was halted on 22 October when Judge Michael Harington told the jury at Gloucester Crown Court they were being discharged for reasons that were not explained.[4] The trial restarted on 30 November; on 2 December, Phillips in her evidence confessed to being a heroin addict, and said she had been addicted to heroin and cocaine during her time as Royal Harpist.[5] Having admitted one count of attempted fraud, Phillips was found guilty of handling stolen goods on 7 December 2009.[6] Phillips was given a 12-month Community order and sent for drug rehabilitation.[7]

References
  1. Bridget Freer (13 March 2011). "I survived: the royal harpist who kicked heroin". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. "New harpist relishes royal role". BBC News. 29 August 2004. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  3. "Former Royal harpist to face trial on burglary charges". The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  4. Harpist in court: Trial suspended South Wales Argus Monday, 9 November 2009
  5. "Royal harpist tells of drug abuse". BBC News. 2 December 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  6. "Harpist guilty of handling goods". BBC News. 7 December 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  7. "Prince of Wales' former harpist given drug rehab order". BBC Wales. 21 December 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
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