[Returns soon] HM Queen Elizabeth II	HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
[Returns soon] HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales	HRH The Duchess of Cornwall
Prince William of Wales	Miss Zara Phillips
Prince Henry of Wales	Princess Eugenie of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York	Princess Beatrice of York
The Earl and Countess of Wessex	Lady Louise Windsor
Princess Anne, the Princess Royal	Master Peter Phillips
David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley	[Returns Soon] Lady Sarah Chatto

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

• Christened: Philip Mountbatten(Schleiswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg)
• Titles: Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich
• Honors: Knight of the Thistle; Order of Merit; The Queen declared he had 'place, pre-eminence and precedence' next to herself; she also granted to The Duke the style and dignity of a Prince of the United Kingdom.

The Duke of Edinburgh was born Prince of Greece and Denmark in Corfu, June 10, 1921. He was the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece, with four older sisters.

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 (father of Edward VII's wife, Queen Alexandra). His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Prince Philip adopted his mother's family name of Mountbatten (the Anglicized Battenberg) when he became a naturalized British subject and renounced his Greek Royal title.

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 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, and he was constantly plotting his nephew's way into the royal family of England. But before Mountbatten could do much in the way of matchmaking, World War Two began and Philip was posted on active duty. However, he constantly corresponded with Princess Elizabeth, daughter of King George VI, who was in the safety of Windsor Castle. Soon Philip was telling people that he would marry Princess Elizabeth one day.

When the war was finally over, Philip returned to England and was urged by his uncle Mountbatten to ask for Elizabeth's hand in marriage. The British were wary of foreigners, and this was noticable during Princess Elizabeth's courtship with Philip of Greece. Philip decided to renounce his Greek citizenship, royal title, and religion all for Elizabeth and for the acceptance of the British. He then had titles conferred on him by the King prior to his wedding to Elizabeth, and was created Baron Greenwich, Earl of Merioneth, and his more commonly known title, Duke of Edinburgh.

Teased as "Phil the Greek", it irked some of the nobility that he had been given the title of His Royal Highness (HRH). 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 had no trouble referring to Philip as a Royal Highness and even Queen Mary stated that to have Philip in the family would be "useful". He was made official Prince of the Realm in 1957.

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Prince Andrew, Duke of York

• Christened: Andrew Albert Christian Edward
• Titles: The Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh
• Honors: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

The Duke of York is the second son and the third child of The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh. He was born on February 19, 1960 at Buckingham Palace, the first child to be born to a reigning monarch for 103 years.

He went to Heatherdown Prepatory School, and then to Gordonstoun. He then went on to pursue a naval career in 1979. He was a helicopter pilot in the Falklands War, earning the adoration of the nation. Andrew sailed in HMS INVINCIBLE as part of the Task Force that went to the South Atlantic to regain the Falkland Islands.

Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson were engaged on March 19, 1986. They were married in Westminster Abbey on July 23, 1986. At the time of their marriage Prince Andrew was created The Duke of York and Sarah became The Duchess of York. However, in March 1992 it was announced that The Duke and Duchess were to separate; they were divorced in May 1996. They continue to live together at Sunninghill with their two daughters.

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Princess Anne, The Princess Royal

• Christened: Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise
• Title: Princess Royal
• Honors: Fellow of the Royal Society, Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Garter; Lady of the Most Noble Order of the Thistle

Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born at Clarence House, London, August 15th, 1950. She is the second child and only daughter of HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Philip. She is two years younger than Prince Charles, and like her brother she was born right before their mother became Queen.

The Princess started her education in a small private class held at Buckingham Palace, where The Queen had moved with her family shortly after her accession. Then, 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. A few years before her marriage, Princess Anne competed in the equestrian event in the 1972 Montreal Olympics, representing Britain.

At age twenty-three, The Princess Royal met Lieutenant (later Captain) Mark Phillips of The Queen's Dragoon Guards. They were engaged on 29th May 1973, and married later that year in Westminster Abbey on 14th November. 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.

After everything settled down, Princess Anne became pregnant with her first child, Peter Mark Andrew Phillips, who was born on 15th November 1977. The Princess's second child was born on 15th May 1981, and was christened Zara Anne Elizabeth. The two are very close to their cousins William and Harry, sons of Prince Charles.

Unfortunately, the marriage of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips was dissolved in April 1992. On 12th December the same year The Princess Royal married Commander Timothy Laurence, Royal Navy (now Commodore Laurence), at a private ceremony at Crathie Church, near Balmoral Castle in Scotland.The family lives at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire.

Always a dedicated supporter of charity 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 "Save The Children". She went to all sorts of third-world countries, which astounded many in the palace. Anne 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.

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Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

• Christened: Edward Antony Richard Louis
• Title: Earl of Wessex
• Honors: Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

HRH Prince Edward is the youngest child and thrid son of HM Queen Elizabeth II and HRH Prince Philip. He was born March 10, 1964. Like his brother Andrew, only four years older and closer to him than his other siblings, he went to Heatherdown Prepatory School in Ascot and Gordonstoun in Scotland. After, he went to Jesus College in Cambridge, where he graduated in 1986 with a BA in History.

Edward, like his brother Charles, Prince of Wales, is a naturally gentle and quite sort. He is the first royal to ever take a regular civilian job. His first was with Andrew Lloyd Webber's acting company, and then he went on to produce his own TV documentaries called "Crown and Country" with his former company, Ardent Productions Ltd.

Three of the greatest interests of The Earl of Wessex are young people, the arts and sport. Since 1986, when he achieved Gold in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, he has been closely involved with the work of the charity; as a United Kingdom and International Trustee of the Scheme, he travels throughout Britain and overseas.

The Earl is 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.

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.

In June 1999, he married Sophie Rhys-Jones at St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Edward and Sophie have two children - Lady Louise and Lord James, Viscount Severn. Edward will inherit the title of Duke of Edinburgh one day.

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Sophie, Countess of Wessex

• Christened: Sophie Helen
• Title: Countess of Wessex

Miss Sophie Rhys-Jones and HRH Prince Edward were engaged on January 6 1999. They were married on June 19, 1999 in St George's Chapel, Windsor. Miss Rhys-Jones is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Christopher Rhys-Jones. Born in Oxford on January 20, 1965, she was educated at Dulwich College Preparatory School and West Kent College before pursuing a career in public relations.

Upon marriage, Sophie is now known as HRH The Countess of Wessex and Viscountess Severn. It was also decided, with the couple's agreement, 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.

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Prince William of Wales

• Christened: William Arthur Philip Louis
• Title: HRH Prince William of Wales
• Nicknames: The Heir, Wills, Wombat

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis was born on June 21, 1982 at St Mary's Hospital in London. He is the firstborn son of the Prince of Wales and Diana, the late Princess of Wales, and is 3rd in line for the most powerful throne on earth. He was the first future king of England born in hospital, the first to wear disposable diapers, and the first to attend nursery school.

When he was born, William looked just like his father, but then started to get his mother's features more and more. Today, at almost 18 years of age, Prince William is starting to look more like a blond, male version of the Queen when she was at that age.

Prince William's childhood was anything but typical. Obviously, when he is the future king, but Diana tried to make it as normal as possible for him, taking him to McDonald's, shopping, etc. Prince Charles, though more inclined to give William a traditional royal upbringing, allowed Diana to show their son a few things in 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." William and Charles, the two senior heirs to the throne, cannot fly anywhere together in case of an attack or accident. And wherever Prince William goes, personal policemen are never far off.

Prince William has one sibling, his younger brother Harry, who was born in 1984. They get along well with each other, and are very close, but they have the usual sibling rows, I'm sure. It is said William gets along very well with everyone, and has a very cheerful, outgoing nature. His father had trouble fitting in and was cruelly hazed while at Cheam, his prepatory school. William is generally known to get on well with all his classmates. His first school was Mrs. Mynors' Nursery School in London, which he attended for two years. Then he spent three years at Wetherby School, also in London. He was good at reading, spelling and swimming, a sport Diana had been excellent in during her younger days at school.

At first, Prince William was a rambunctious little boy. The media loved reporting on his every misbehavior, from trying to flush his father's shoes down the toilet to bedeviling a flower girl at his uncle Andrew's wedding with a ceremonial dagger. Such misadventures earned him the name "Billy the Basher". But as he grew older, he became more quiet and thoughtful. William still seems to have a touch of rebelliousness, however. After he slipped away from the security staff at Balmoral Castle for about a half an hour, he was made to wear an electronic tracking bracelet which he currently sports. Because he is the heir to the throne, he was raised to have a background that mirrors his grandmother's: duty, protocol, responsibilites. The only difference is that he has had more freedom and is allowed to do more modern things.

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.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were both reportedly warm parents, and Prince William was especially close to both his mother and father. Princess Diana broke royal protocol by hugging the boys in public and taking them to amusement parks and the movies. Charles was a very good father, but usually his important duties took him away from his boys. They made up for lost time at the family holiday at Balmoral.

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. William is also and excellent skier, going to Klosters on holidays with the Prince. Another of his interests was acting; he appeared in several school plays and said in 1993 that he would like to become a professional actor. This very much mirrored his father's enjoyment of acting while at Cambridge; Charles participated in several plays while there.

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Prince Harry of Wales

• Christened: Henry Charles Albert David
• Title: HRH Prince Henry of Wales
• Nicknames: Harry, The Spare

Prince Harry was born September 15, 1984 at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington. He is the second son of TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales. As the 3rd in line to the throne, he is not under as much pressure as his elder brother, but being a member of the Royal Family still has its boundaries.

The prince isn't very fond of school (as most youngsters are) and would rather be romping around outdoors. He is very outgoing, more so than William, who is more shy and often in the public eye more. Harry is known to have a great personality, sense of humor, and is very athletic.

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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.

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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'.

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Master Peter Phillips

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 lives at Gatcombe Park with his family.

Like his little sister Zara, he 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 off-spring of the Princess Royal and so close to the throne.

Peter is like a big brother to Prince William, and the two are very close. He is usually seen with the Prince at public family functions along with Zara.

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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.

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David Armstrong-Jones, 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.

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Line of Succession - The first Twenty

1. HRH Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (1948)

2. HRH Prince William of Wales (1982)

3. HRH Prince Henry of Wales (1984)

4. HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York (1960)

5. HRH Princess Beatrice of York (1988)

6. HRH Princess Eugenie of York (1990)

7. HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex (1964)

8. James, Viscount Severn (2007)

9. Lady Louise Windsor (2003)

10. HRH Princess Anne, The Princess Royal (1950)

11. Master Peter Phillips (1977)

12. Miss Zara Phillips (1981)

13. David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley (1961)

14. The Hon. Charles Armstrong-Jones (1999)

15. The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones (2002)

16. Lady Sarah Chatto (1964)

17. Master Samuel Chatto (1996)

18. Master Arthur Chatto (1999)

19. HRH Prince Richard, The (2nd) Duke of Gloucester (1944)

20. Alexander, Earl of Ulster (1974)