HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh
 Who: Prince Philip was christened as Philippos, Prince
of Greece and Denmark. He was the only son in a family of four
girls, children of Prince and Princess Andrew of Greece.
His Story: The paternal side of the Duke's family is of
Danish descent - Philip's father, Prince Andrew, was the grandson
of King Christian IX of Denmark. Thus, Philip is related to
Britain's Queen Alexandra and Russia's Tsarina Maria Feodorovna.
Philip's mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, a
great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
Prince Philip started school in France but came to England to
attend Cheam Preparatory School in 1928. He left at 12 to spend a
year at Salem School in Germany, run by Kurt Hahn. When Hahn went
to Scotland to found the boarding school Gordonstoun, Philip
followed him there. He loved his time at Gordonstoun, and in turn
sent all three of his sons.
Philip bounced around from relative to relative, unable to find
a stationary home in the wake of his parents' separation. He had
virtually no one: Prince Andrew ran off with his mistress; all
four of Philip's sisters were married with their own families; and
his mother Princess Alice had a nervous breakdown, sent for
treatment in Switzerland.
Philip found his niche in the Navy. He also finally found a
little security with an uncle, Lord Mountbatten. Lord Louis was
his maternal uncle, who constantly plotted his nephew's way into
the royal family of England. But before Mountbatten could do much
in the way of matchmaking, World War Two broke out and Philip was
posted on active duty.
Philip did manage to correspond with England's Princess
Elizabeth, whom he met at Darmouth Naval College during a royal
inspection. She was in the safety of Windsor Castle with her
younger sister Margaret, who teased Elizabeth about her crush on
Philip.
When the war was finally over, Philip went to England and was
urged by his uncle Mountbatten to ask for Elizabeth's hand in
marriage. The British were wary of foreigners, especially those
who were German or had German connections. Each of Philip's four
sisters had married German aristocrats, some of whom were involved
in the German SS.
To marry Elizabeth, Philip made the decision to renounce his
Greek citizenship, royal title, and religion. He instead became a
part of the Anglican Church of England and obtained British
citizenship. To cap it all off, Philip changed his name to
Mountbatten, his uncle's Anglicized surname. Instead of marrying
Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark, Elizabeth would now be
wedded simply to the more English-sounding Philip Mountbatten, RN.
His future father-in-law, King George VI, conferred on Philip
the titles of Baron Greenwich, Earl of Merioneth, and his more
commonly known title, Duke of Edinburgh.
Prince Philip was teased as "Phil the Greek" in the
media and in aristocratic circles.It irked some of the nobility
that he had been given the title of His Royal Highness. They
pointed out that Dukes not born of royal blood should be referred
to as 'His Grace' only. Elizabeth and the rest of the Royal
Family, however, did not care in the least. Even the stern Queen
Mary pooh-pooh'd the comments. She liked Philip and his sense of
humor.
Responding to one rather snobby comment on Philip's existence
in the Royal Family, the old Queen stated that having Philip in
the family would be "useful". How right she was, as
Prince Philip has been the Queen's most trusted advisor and
confidant for over 60 years.
Side Note: The Duke of Edinburgh was the first member of
the Royal Family to be interviewed on television. The interview
took place in May 1961 when Prince Philip was interviewed by
Richard Dimbleby.
The Details
Date of Birth: June 10th, 1921
Education: Cheam Preparatory
School/Salem School; Gordonstoun
Residence: Buckingham Palace,
London
[Top]
HRH Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge
Who: Prince William is the amazingly tall blonde son of
Prince Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
His story: Prince William's childhood was anything but
typical. As the future king, he is expected to take on
responsibilities not required of many young men. His late mother
tried to make life as normal as possible for him, taking him to
McDonald's, shopping, or to visit members of her charitable
organizations. Prince Charles, though more inclined to give
William a traditional royal upbringing, allowed Diana to show
their son everyday life. However, at the age of five, he told
friends that he wasn't allowed to know the name of his school "for
security reasons." As one of the two most senior heirs to the
throne, William has never been able to fly on the same aircraft
with his father in case of an attack or accident. And wherever
Prince William goes, personal policemen are never far off. Not an
everyday occurrence for a young boy.
Prince William has one sibling, his younger brother Harry, who
was born in 1984. The two are very close and have been known for
their good-natured ribbing of each other in front of the press. In
fact, it is said William gets along very well with everyone, and
has a very cheerful nature. His father had trouble fitting in and
was cruelly hazed while at Cheam, his prepatory school, whereas
William has had an easier time with classmates. His first school
was Mrs. Mynors' Nursery School in London, a first for a future
king.
At age eight, Prince William was sent to Ludgrove where he
shared a room with four other boys. He spent five years there, and
during this time, Charles and Diana separated, and then began
divorce proceedings. When on holiday from school, William and
Harry divided their time between Charles and Diana, at either St.
James' Palace and Highgrove, (Charles' offices and private home,
respectively) or Kensington Palace. At Ludgrove, Prince William
proved to be an excellent athlete. He was on the school soccer,
basketball, and swimming teams, and became captain of hockey and
rugby teams. He also participated in clay pigeon shooting and
cross country running, and is an excellent skier.
The prince was close to both his mother and father. Charles was
a good father, but was criticized in the press when his duties
took him away from his boys. They usually made up for lost time
during family holidays in Switzerland or at Balmoral.
After Ludgrove came Eton. Eton was a very traditional
establishment which was known for producing future Prime
Ministers, diplomats, Civil Servants, poets, and historians. After
graduating from Eton, William spent his gap year working in Chile
and visiting several countries in Africa. As the year came to a
close, William had to choose which university he would attend - he
chose to study at St Andrews University in Fife, Scotland.
While at St Andrews, William met the dashing, sporty brunette
Catherine Middleton. She was one of his roommates during their time at
college, but their romantic relationship came to light in 2001
over a cuddle during a skiing holiday.
The Prince graduated from St Andrews with a 2:1 in Geography in
2005. He and Middleton continued their relationship, but at one
point decided to break it off in early 2007. Reports said it was
due to the prince's military career and his move to an army camp
in Dorset; others said the intense media pressure that caused Catherine
to flee.
Happily, the pair stayed friends. After getting together a few
months later for the "Concert For Diana", love blossomed
once more. The pair became engaged in October 2010 during a
holiday in Africa.
HM The Queen bestowed the Dukedom of Cambridge upon William for his wedding on April 29th, 2011.
Side Note:
Prince William was a rambunctious little boy. The media loved
reporting on his behavior, especially while bedeviling a flower
girl at his uncle Andrew's wedding with a ceremonial dagger. Such
misadventures earned him the name "Billy the Basher". As
he grew older, he became more quiet and thoughtful.
The Details
Full Name: William Arthur Philip Louis
Date of Birth: June
21, 1982
Hometown: London, England
Secondary school: Eton
College
University: St Andrews
Residence: Clarence House
[Top]
HRH Prince Henry of Wales
Who: Prince Harry, as he is known, is the ginger-haired
second son of Prince Charles and his former wife, Diana Princess
of Wales. was born at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He As the
3rd in line to the throne, Harry is not under as much pressure as
his elder brother, but being a member of the Royal Family still
has its boundaries.
Like his elder brother William, Harry also attended Mrs.
Mynors' nursery school. Harry then moved on to Wetherby School in
London and eventually, in September 1992, he joined William at
Ludgrove School in Berkshire where he stayed for five years.
Harry was a popular student at the famed Eton College, from
which Harry graduated in 2003. In the traditional gap year, Harry
spent time in Australia followed by a stay in Africa, where he
worked in an orphanage in Lesotho and participated in a
documentary about the plight of the orphans.
Harry is very outgoing, more so than William. The elder prince
was more often in the public eye as the next king, but as they
have grown older Harry is just as much a target for the media as
William.
More recently, Prince Harry became an officer in the British
Army. Although he is focusing on his military career at the
moment, he is Patron to a small number of organizations close to
his heart. He has been to Africa on several occasions, where he
participated in a documentary about the plight of orphans in
Lesotho. His charity, Sentebale, has helped many orphans in the
landlocked African nation for several years.
On April 13th, 2008, Harry was promoted from Second Lieutenant
to Lieutenant.
The Details
Full Name: Henry Charles Albert David
Date of Birth:
September 15, 1984
Education: Ludgrove School; Eton
College
Residence: Clarence House, London
[Top]
HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of
York
 Who: The Duke of York is the second son and the third
child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh.
His Story: Prince Andrew was initially educated
privately by a governess. At age 8, he went to Heatherdown
Prepatory School. When he turned 13, Andrew continued his studies
at Gordonstoun like his elder brother and his father. After
leaving Gordonstoun, the Prince pursued a naval career in 1979. He
became a qualified helicopter pilot and fought in the Falklands
War. Andrew sailed in HMS INVINCIBLE as part of the Task Force
that went to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands.
Prince Andrew met future wife Sarah Ferguson through his
sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales. Sarah and Andrew were
engaged on March 19, 1986, and Sarah happily showed the world the
beautiful ruby and diamond engagement ring Andrew had given her.
They were married in Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986. At the
time of their marriage Prince Andrew was created The Duke of York;
when she took her vows, Sarah became The Duchess of York.
The royal couple were blessed with their first daughter,
Beatrice, in 1988. Their second daughter, Eugenie, was born two
years later in 1990. However, by 1992 it was obvious the marriage
was unravelling with the revelations about the Duchess' affair
with her financial advisor.
In March that year, it was announced that The Duke and Duchess
were to separate; they were divorced in May 1996. They continue to
live together with their two daughters.
Side Note: He was the first child to be born to a
reigning monarch for 103 years.
The Details
Full Name: Andrew Albert Christian Edward
Date of Birth:
February 19th, 1960
Education: Heatherdown Preparatory School;
Gordonstoun
Residence: Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park
[Top]
HRH Princess Anne, The Princess
Royal
 Who: The only daughter of the Queen, Princess Anne was
born at Clarence House in London. She is two years younger than
Prince Charles, and like her brother she was born prior their
mother's accession.
The Princess began her education in a traditionally royal way -
in a small private class held at Buckingham Palace. At the age of
thirteen, Princess Anne went on to Benenden, a boarding school in
Kent.
The Queen, well-known for her knowledge of horses and breeding,
passed the talent for this hobby on to her daughter at a young
age. Anne grew up to be a keen horsewoman and even competed in the
equestrian event in the 1972 Montreal Olympics, representing
Britain.
At age twenty-three, The Princess Royal met Captain Mark
Phillips of The Queen's Dragoon Guards. They were engaged on May
29th, 1973, and married in November of that year in Westminster
Abbey. A few months after their marriage, an attempt was made to
kidnap The Princess, as she and her new husband were driving back
to Buckingham Palace after a charity event.
Anne was able to successfully hold the kidnapper at bay until
he was subdued. She and her husband held the door of her car shut,
hoping that the man would give up. Not so easily.....
"What good will this do?" Anne shouted to the
kidnapper, as he tried to yank her door open. "Go away!"
"That girl's got steel britches," said one local shop
owner when told of the incident. The Princess and her husband were
unhurt, but her personal protection officer was shot and wounded
during the incident. He was later awarded the George Cross for his
bravery.
A few months after everything settled down, Princess Anne
became pregnant with her first child, Peter Mark Andrew Phillips,
born November 15th, 1977. The Princess's second child, Zara Anne
Elizabeth, was born May 15th, 1981.
Unfortunately, the princess' marriage was dissolved in April
1992. In December of the same year Anne married Commander Timothy
Laurence, Royal Navy (now Commodore Laurence), at a private
ceremony at Crathie Church, near Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Always a dedicated supporter of charities and a tireless worker
on behalf of children, she received the title Princess Royal from
The Queen in June 1987. Her best known work is for the "Save
The Children" organization. Anne went to all sorts of
third-world countries, which astounded many in the palace, but she
didn't worry a bit about contracting diseases; she merely got the
shots required and marched right into the most desolate and poor
areas of the world.
The Details
Full Name: Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise
Date of Birth: August
15th, 1950
Education: Benenden School
Residence: Gatcombe
Park, Gloucestershire
[Top]
HRH Prince Edward, Earl of
Wessex
 Who: HRH Prince Edward is the youngest child and third
son of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip.
His Story: Prince Edward's first public appearance was
after the Trooping the Color ceremony in 1964 when The Queen,
carrying him in her arms, stood on the balcony of Buckingham
Palace and showed her youngest son to the crowd outside.
The Earl of Wessex was educated privately until the age of
seven, when he attended Gibbs School, a pre-preparatory school, in
Kensington. Later he went on to attend Gordonstoun School in
Scotland, following in the footsteps of his father. The prince
played rugby and squash, took gliding lessons, and was a keen
skier and sailor. Inspired by his time there, Edward has been
closely involved with the work of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award
Scheme; the Award was launched in the UK in 1956 by Prince Philip,
Duke of Edinburgh at the urging of Kurt Hahn, the founder of
Gordonstoun. Prince Edward is a United Kingdom and International
Trustee of the Scheme.
Edward enjoys a number of sports, such as horse-riding, tennis,
sailing, badminton, and skiing. He took up tennis while at
University when he was forced to give up rugby due to an injury.
His patronage of sporting organizations greatly reflects these
interests. In early 1990, the Earl opened the Commonwealth Games
in Auckland and was elected President of the Commonwealth Games
Federation, succeeding The Duke of Edinburgh. He also serves as
Patron of the Ocean Youth Club and the Scottish Badminton Union.
Edward is also Patron of several theatrical and musical
organizations, amateur and professional, especially those
supporting youth in the performing arts. Some organizations are:
National Youth Music Theatre and the Royal Exchange Theatre,
Manchester; the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland; and the City
of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Chorus.
Interestingly, Edward is the first royal to ever take a regular
civilian job. His first was with Andrew Lloyd Webber's acting
company; the Prince then went on to produce and host the
documentary series "Crown and Country" for his own
company, Ardent Productions Ltd. It combined his love of acting
and being able to strike out on his own.
The Prince became engaged to Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones on January
6th, 1999. On June 19th of that year, they married at St. George's
Chapel, Windsor.
Born in Oxford on January 20, 1965, Sophie was educated at
Dulwich College Preparatory School and West Kent College before
pursuing a career in public relations.
Upon marriage, Sophie became known as HRH The Countess of
Wessex. It was also decided between the couple that any children
they might have should not be given the style His or Her Royal
Highness, but would have courtesy titles as sons or daughters of
an earl. Their daughter, Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary, is simply
Lady Louise. Their son, James Alexander Philip Theo, is Viscount
Severn.
Prince Edward will inherit the title of Duke of Edinburgh after
his father, Prince Philip.
Side Note
The last person styled 'Earl of Wessex' was Harold Godwinson,
prior to his accession to the English throne as King Harold II in
1066.
The Details
Full Name: Edward Antony Richard Louis
Date of Birth: March
10, 1964
Secondary school: Gordonstoun School/Collegiate
School, New Zealand
University: Jesus College,
Cambridge
Residence: Bagshot Park, Surrey
[Top]
HRH The Duchess of Cambridge
Who - Catherine (Kate) is a former fashion buyer/assistant who
captured the heart of Prince William. Catherine's making her mark in
the world of royalty by proving she can keep cool in front of the
hundreds of cameramen that pursue her daily.
Her story - Catherine was raised in Berkshire, England with
sister Pippa (Phillipa) and brother James. Catherine's parents Michael
and Carole run their family business, Party Pieces, from their
home. Though the Middletons made a hefty fortune from their
successful party-supply company, the family lived an ordinary life
until it was revealed that Catherine was a friend of Prince William.
She was attending the same university - St. Andrews - when they
met in 2001. The media immediately leapt to connect the two,
though the couple were only first seen in public on a ski trip in
Klosters in April 2004.
William and Catherine seemed to be a match made in heaven, but in
2007 the pair split. Prince William was busy pursuing his army
career, and some speculated that Catherine was cowed by the intense
media scrutiny. However, they were seen together at the Concert
for Diana event that both William and his brother Harry staged in
their mother's honor.
In October 2010, Prince William proposed to Catherine with his mother Diana's engagement ring. The large blue sapphire surmounted by diamonds was shown to the world the following month at a press conference to announce the engagement. A radiant Kate, as she was known to the media at the time, was dressed in a demure blue dress to match her sparkling ring. She and William smiled and chatted animatedly about the engagement and their future.
HM The Queen bestowed the Dukedom of Cambridge upon William, and when he and Catherine took their vows on April 29th, 2011, she became HRH The Duchess of Cambridge.
Side Note
In 2007 Catherine teamed up with The Sisterhood, a group of female
athletes who became the first all-women crew to cross the Channel
in a traditional Chinese dragon boat.
The Details
Full Name: Catherine Elizabeth (neé Middleton)
Date of Birth:
January 9, 1982
Hometown: Bucklebury, Berkshire
Secondary
school: Marlborough College
University: St Andrews
Residence:
Currently in transition
[Top]
HRH Princess Beatrice of
York
Christened: Beatrice Elizabeth Mary Windsor
Title: HRH Princess Beatrice of York
Nickname: Bea
Beatrice, the eldest daughter of HRH The Duke of York, was born
August 8, 1988. She lives at Sunninghill Park with her father,
mother, and younger sister Eugenie.
As a small child, she was a placid soul and passionate about
all things feminine. She loved the color pink, tying her hair with
ribbons, and was a fan of Disney's "The Little Mermaid".
Comparisons are drawn between the York family of today and of
yesteryear. For one thing, both Dukes of York married non-royal
women, and both had two daughters. Princess Beatrice is the first
Princess of York since her grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Princess Beatrice currently resides in an apartment at St
Jamess Palace near her uncle, Prince Charles. [Top]
HRH Princess Eugenie of York
Christened: Eugenie Victoria Helena Windsor
Title: HRH Princess Eugenie of York
Eugenie is the younger daughter of HRH The Duke of York. She
was born March 23, 1990 and is the Queen's 6th grandchild. She is
named for the Empress Eugenie, Queen Victoria, and Helena, a
daughter of Victoria.
Eugenie was always an independent child, and very adventurous.
At age two she was in the saddle, riding a pony used by her
cousins William, Harry, Peter, and Zara. She was adored by elder
sister Beatrice, who looked at baby Eugenie as her own 'dolly'.
As children, Eugenie and Beatrice were dressed in matching
outfits just as their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, had been.
Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret were four years apart
but often wore matching outfits to the delight of their mother.
As Eugenie approached her 18th birthday however, she began to
develop her own sense of style. She was photographed for the cover
of Tatler, wearing a purple silk-duchesse satin gown by Ralph
Lauren and decorated in Bulgari jewels. It was plain that Eugenie
had grown more confident in the days since her childhood back
problems were allivated by surgery at age 12. The Princess
underwent a seven-hour operation to correct a curvature of her
spine. Happily, the operation was a complete success and Eugenie
grew two inches taller.
The Princess is currently studying at Marlborough College with
A levels in Art, History of Art and English. [Top]
Master Peter Phillips
Christened: Peter Mark Andrew Phillips
Title: None
Peter Phillips, born November 15th, 1977, is the eldest child
of HRH The Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips. Peter is the
first grandchild of HM The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He
grew up at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire with his family.
Like his little sister Zara, Peter bears no title. His parents,
(Anne in particular) were adamant about the children remaining
normal people and out of the spotlight. Anne understood the
difficulty of being a royal princess, constantly in the public
eye, and didn't want them to be spoiled in any way. Mark Phillips
was offered a title by Her Majesty upon his marriage to Anne, but
politely refused. They knew the children would have enough trouble
with the spotlight being the offspring of the Princess Royal and
so close to the throne.
Peter did indeed stay out of the spotlight; his only true
public royal event was his wedding to Canadian girlfriend Autumn
Kelly in 2008. That August, Peter and Autumn moved to Hong Kong
for his job with the Royal Bank of Scotland. In the summer of
2010, the couple announced Autumn's pregnancy. This baby will be
the Queen's first great-grandchild, expected to be born in
December 2010.
[Top]
Miss Zara Phillips
Christened: Miss Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips
Title: None
Zara, the youngest child of The Princess Royal and Mark
Phillips, was born May 15,1981. She, too, bears no royal title
like her brother. As it turns out, Zara is quite bubbly and
outgoing, and a very nice girl. She and Peter are the closest to
the heir and the spare to the throne out of all the royal cousins.
Like her mother and grandmother the Queen, Zara is fond of
horses and loves to participate in equestrian events. Keeping with
tradition, she went to Gordonstoun like her brother, and Uncles
Charles, Andrew, and Edward, and grandfather Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh.
[Top]
David Armstrong-Jones,
Viscount Linley
Christened: David Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones
Courtesy Title: Viscount Linley
David was born on 3 November, 1961 at Clarence House to
Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones. He holds the
courtesy title of Lord Linley.
At age five he started lessons in the Buckingham Palace
schoolroom with cousin Prince Andrew. He went to the pre-prepatory
school Ashdown House, then on to Millbrook House, and then finally
Bedales, renowned for its arts and design. David then studied at
Parnham House School for Craftsman in Wood.
Along with his father's artistic temperament, David inherited
his mother's wit and strong character. He made a point to distance
himself from the rest of the Royal Family and determined to make
his own way. He set up David Linley Co Ltd. , a furniture company
that creates beautiful pieces, along with fine wood photo frames,
candlestick holders, and more. Viscount Linley also published his
first book "Classical Furniture" in 1993 and a second
book, "Extraordinary Furniture" in 1996. He lives in
London with his wife Serena, who is a sculptor. In 1999, they had
their first child, Charles Patrick Inigo, followed by a daughter,
Margarita Elizabeth Alleyne, in 2002.
[Top]
Line of Succession - The first thirty
HM The Queen
1. The Prince of Wales
2. The Duke of Cambridge
3. Prince Henry of Wales
4. The Duke of York
5. Princess Beatrice of York
6. Princess Eugenie of York
7. The Earl of Wessex
8. Viscount Severn
9. The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
10. The Princess Royal
11. Mr. Peter Phillips
12. Miss Savannah Phillips
13. Mrs. Zara Phillips Tindall
14. Viscount Linley
15. The Hon. Charles Armstrong-Jones
16. The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones
17. The Lady Sarah Chatto
18. Master Samuel Chatto
19. Master Arthur Chatto
20. The Duke of Gloucester
21. Earl of Ulster
22. Lord Culloden
23. The Lady Cosima Windsor
24. The Lady Davina Lewis
25. Miss Senna Lewis
26. The Lady Rose Gilman
27. Miss Lyla Gilman
28. The Duke of Kent
29. The Lady Amelia Windsor
30. The Lady Helen Taylor
©1998-2012 Mandy's British Royalty
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