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Prince Archie of Sussex

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Archie on his father’s lap with his mother and sister Lilibet, from the 2021 Christmas card of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex; Credit – Alexi Lubomirski/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex; Credit – Alexi Lubomirski/The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The first child of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and the former Meghan Markle, Prince Archie of Sussex, was born at 5:26 AM on May 6, 2019, at Portland Hospital for Women and Children, a private hospital on Great Portland Street in London, England. He weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and his father was present for his birth. Because his mother is American, Archie is an American citizen in addition to his British citizenship.

Credit – https://www.royal.uk/archie-harrison-mountbatten-windsor

Two days after his birth, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex presented their newborn son in St. George’s Hall, one of the State Rooms at Windsor Castle. They spoke with the representative of the press for several minutes. Click on the article below for more photos and a video.

Following their meeting with the media, the Duke and Duchess took their son to meet his great-grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Archie’s maternal grandmother Doria Ragland was also in attendance.  Shortly after that meeting, an announcement was made that the Duke and Duchess had named their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor. Archie is a name the Duke and Duchess liked, and Harrison is from an English surname that means “son of Harry” and is quite fitting in this circumstance. For more background on the name, see Unofficial Royalty: What’s in a Name? – Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Credit – https://www.royal.uk/archie-harrison-mountbatten-windsor

At the time of his birth, Archie was seventh in the line of succession to the British throne after his grandfather Charles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), his uncle Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (now Prince of Wales) and his three children, and his father Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

Archie is the heir apparent to his father’s Dukedom of Sussex, Earldom of Dumbarton, and Barony of Kilkeel. It is customary that a peer’s heir apparent use one of their parent’s subsidiary titles as a courtesy title. In this case, the courtesy title would be Earl of Dumbarton. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex instead decided that their son would be styled as Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor following their wish that he live his life as a private citizen.

However, at birth, Archie was not entitled to the style and title His Royal Highness Prince. In 1917, King George V issued Letters Patent changing the rights to the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess. The children of the Sovereign, the children of the sons of the Sovereign, and the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales would be entitled to the style Royal Highness and the title Prince/Princess. Exceptions to the rule can be made by the Sovereign. For instance, in 2012, Queen Elizabeth II issued a Letters Patent declaring that all the children of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales should have the title Prince or Princess and the style Royal Highness. This meant that all the children of Prince William would be HRH Prince/Princess. Under the 1917 Letters Patent, Archie was entitled to the style and title His Royal Highness Prince, when his paternal grandfather succeeded to the throne. Archie would then be a male-line grandchild of the Sovereign.

With the accession of Archie’s grandfather as King Charles III on September 8, 2022, Archie is a male-line grandchild of the monarch and is entitled to be styled His Royal Highness Prince Archie of Sussex under the 1917 Letters Patent. In March 2023, after her christening, Archie’s sister was referred to as Princess Lilibet Diana by a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the first time that either child was referred to in public as Prince or Princess.

For more information, see Unofficial Royalty: Their Royal Highness Prince and Princess.

Windsor Castle: the Private Chapel, after the restoration, drawn 1999 by Alexander Creswell: Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Archie was christened into the Church of England on July 6, 2019, by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in a private ceremony at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle, not to be confused with St. George’s Chapel. The names of his godparents were not made public. Three of the godparents were later reported to be Charlie van Straubenzee (who attended Ludgrove School with Prince Harry and Prince William), Tiggy Pettifer (nanny and companion to Prince Harry and Prince William), and Mark Dyer (a former equerry to King Charles III who became a mentor and close friend to Charles’ sons). Twenty-five guests attended the christening, but their names were not released.  A group photo, which is no longer available, showed Archie with his parents, The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall, Doria Ragland, Archie’s maternal grandmother, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, Archie’s great-aunts, the sisters of Diana, Princess of Wales.

 

From September 23 to October 2, 2019, when Archie was four-and-a-half months old, he accompanied his parents on an official trip to Africa. The trip started in South Africa, and then the Duke of Sussex visited Angola, Malawi, and Botswana before rejoining the Duchess and his son in South Africa.  The Duke and Duchess took their son to visit South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Archie’s parents announced on January 8, 2020, that they would step back as senior royals and divide time between the United Kingdom and North America. However, since that time, the Duke and Duchess have made a home in California in the United States.

On June 4, 2021, Archie’s younger sister was born at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California. Princess Lilibet of Sussex, nicknamed Lili, is named after her paternal great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II and her paternal grandmother, Diana, Princess of Wales. “Lilibet” is Queen Elizabeth II’s family nickname, which originated from Elizabeth’s pronunciation of her name when she was young.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

British Royal Christenings: House of Windsor

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

Children of the British Royal Family are christened following the Holy Baptism rite of the Church of England of which the monarch is the Supreme Governor. Royal christenings are small, private affairs usually attended by the immediate family, the godparents and their spouses. Only the christening of Princess Eugenie of York, the younger of the two daughters of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York, was held at a regular Sunday service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, England.

Christenings of members of the House of Windsor have been held at intimate settings, mostly palace chapels, including the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle, the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace, the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace, and St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. Only one christening, that of Prince Harry in 1984, was held at a large church, St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, but it was still a private, family affair.

The christening of Victoria, Princess Royal in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace in 1841; Credit – Wikipedia

Several of the British Royal Family’s christening traditions started with the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest child. After the birth of her first child Victoria, Princess Royal in 1840, Queen Victoria commissioned a christening gown to be made.  The gown of Honiton lace lined with Spitalfields silk was made by Janet Sutherland, the daughter of a Scottish coal miner from Falkirk, who received the title Embroiderer to the Queen for her work.  First worn by Victoria, Princess Royal at her christening on February 10, 1841, her parents’ first wedding anniversary, the gown was worn by 62 descendants of Queen Victoria.  Lady Louise Windsor, the elder of the two children of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was the last to wear the 1841 gown at her christening in 2004.

Exact replica of the original royal christening gown; Credit – www.rct.uk/collection

Due to the gown’s age and delicate condition, Queen Elizabeth II commissioned Angela Kelly, Dressmaker to The Queen, to make a hand-made replica in order to preserve the original.  James, Viscount Severn, the younger of the two children of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, was the first to wear the replica gown at his christening in 2008.  Photos of royal babies wearing the original gown and the replica can be seen below.

The Lily Font; Photo Credit – https://www.royalcollection.org.uk

The Lily Font is a silver baptismal font commissioned by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 after the birth of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal. It was first used at the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal in 1841 and has been used for royal christenings ever since except that of Princess Eugenie of York. Prince Albert helped design the font which is made from a silver gilt with the appearance of gold. Three winged cherubs sit on the base of the font above the royal arms of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, and Victoria, Princess Royal. The cherubs are playing lyres and above them leaves reach up to support the bowl which is edged by water lilies. For the christening of Victoria, Princess Royal, the Lily Font was placed on a table as seen in the portrait above.  Sometimes the Lily Font is placed into the larger 1660 Charles II font and its basin or the christening basin made in 1735 and first used at the christening of the future King George III in 1738.  The portrait below shows the Lily Font placed in the 1660 Charles II font and basin.  The Lily Font is part of the Crown Jewels and is kept at the Jewel House at the Tower of London when not in use.

The Lily Font on top of the Charles II Font and Basin at the christening of Queen Victoria’s eldest son Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1842; Credit – Wikipedia

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Please note that not all of the photos below are christening photos. The first photo below shows the future King George V wearing the 1841 christening gown.

King George V, born Prince George of Wales

The Princess of Wales holding Prince George; Credit – http://glucksburg.blogspot.com/

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Queen Mary, born Princess Victoria Mary of Teck

With her parents The Duke and Duchess of Teck; Credit – Wikipedia

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The Duke of Windsor, formerly King Edward VIII, born Prince Edward of York

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Four Generations: Queen Victoria holding Prince Edward, The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and The Duke of York (later King George V)

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King George VI, born Prince George of York

The Duchess of York holding Prince Albert; Credit – https://www.royalcollection.org.uk

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Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, born The Honorable Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

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  • Unofficial Royalty: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
  • Parents: Claude Bowes-Lyon, Lord Glamis, later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and Nina Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck
  • Born: August 4, 1900
  • Christened: September 23, 1900 at All Saints Church in St Paul’s Walden Bury, Hertfordshire, England
  • Names: Elizabeth Angela Marguerite
  • Godparents (incomplete list):
    • Lady Maud Bowes-Lyon (her paternal aunt)
    • Mrs. Arthur James (her mother’s second cousin, born Venetia Cavendish-Bentinck)

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Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, born Princess Mary of York

The Duchess of York with her only daughter Princess Mary

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Prince Henry, The Duke of Gloucester, born Prince Henry of York

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Queen Victoria at Osborne with the children of the Duke and Duchess of York (left to right) Prince Albert (George VI), Princess Mary (Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood), Prince Edward (Edward VIII) and Prince Henry (Duke of Gloucester) on Queen Victoria’s lap

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Prince George, The Duke of Kent, born Prince George of Wales

Prince George with his eldest brother Prince Edward of Wales

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Prince John of the United Kingdom, born Prince John of Wales

Queen Mary; Prince George, Duke of Kent; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood; Prince John; Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester by William Edwin Sorrell, published by Rotary Photographic Co Ltd bromide postcard print, 1905 NPG x29776 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Alastair Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught, born Prince Alastair of Connaught

Photo Credit – www.royalcollection.org.uk

  • Wikipedia: Alastair Windsor, 2nd Duke of Connaught
  • Parents: Prince Arthur of Connaught and Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife
  • Born: August 9, 1914 at 54 Mount Street in Mayfair, London, England
  • Christened: August 25, 1914 at 54 Mount Street in Mayfair, London, England
  • Names: Alastair Arthur
  • Godparents:
    • King George V (his father’s first cousin and his mother’s uncle)
    • Alfonso XIII, King of Spain (husband of his father’s first cousin and his mother’s first cousin once removed)
    • Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught (his paternal grandfather and his mother’s great-uncle)
    • Queen Alexandra (his father’s aunt by marriage and his maternal great-grandmother)
    • Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll (Queen Victoria’s daughter, his father’s aunt and his mother’s great-aunt)
    • Princess Mary (his father’s first cousin once removed and his mother’s first cousin)

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Queen Elizabeth II, born Princess Elizabeth of York

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Back Row (left to right): The Duke of Connaught, King George V, The Duke of York, The Earl of Strathmore; Front Row (left to right): Lady Elphinstone, Queen Mary, The Duchess of York holding Princess Elizabeth, The Countess of Strathmore, Princess Mary, Viscountess Lascelles

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Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, born Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark

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  • Unofficial Royalty: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
  • Parents: Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg
  • Born:  June 10, 1921 at the Villa Mon Repos on the Isle of Corfu, Greece
  • Christened: [no date] at St. George’s Church in the Old Fortress in Corfu, Greece according to the rites of the Greek Orthodox Church
  • Name: Philippos
  • Godparents:
    • Queen Olga of Greece (his paternal grandmother, born Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia)
    • The Corfu City Council (represented by Alexander S. Kokotos, Mayor of Corfu and Stylianos I. Maniarizis, Chairman of the City Council)

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Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, born Princess Margaret of York

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Princess Margaret with her mother The Duchess of York

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Prince Edward, The Duke of Kent, born Prince Edward of Kent

Credit – Prince George, Duke of Kent; Prince Edward, Duke of Kent; Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent by Unknown photographer, bromide print, 1936, NPG x182255 © National Portrait Gallery, London

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Princess Alexandra, The Honorable Lady Ogilvy, born Princess Alexandra of Kent

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A nanny holding Princess Alexandra

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Prince William of Gloucester

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Back Row (left to right): The Duke of Gloucester, King George VI, Lord William Montagu Douglas Scott; Front Row (left to right): Princess Helena Victoria, The Duchess of Gloucester, Queen Mary holding her grandson, Lady Margaret Hawkins

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Prince Michael of Kent

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Prince Michael with his family at his christening; three weeks later his father was killed in a plane crash

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Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester, born Prince Richard of Gloucester

Prince Richard with his brother Prince William and his mother The Duchess of Gloucester; Credit – cms.countrylife.co.uk

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King Charles III of the United Kingdom, born Prince Charles of Edinburgh

Christening of the future King Charles III with his parents and godparents: Seated left to right: Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (born Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine), the then Princess Elizabeth holding the infant Charles and Queen Mary. Standing left to right: Patricia Knatchbull, Baroness Brabourne, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (representing godparent Prince George of Greece), King George VI, David Bowes-Lyon, Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone (representing godparent King Haakon of Norway), and Princess Margaret

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Diana, Princess of Wales, born The Honorable Lady Diana Spencer

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Diana with her parents at her christening
  • Unofficial Royalty: Diana, Princess of Wales
  • Parents: John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, later the 8th Earl Spencer, and The Honourable Frances Burke Roche
  • Born:  July 1, 1961 at Park House in Sandringham, Norfolk, England
  • Christened: August 30, 1961 at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England
  • Names: Diana Frances
  • Godparents:
    • John Floyd (Chairman of Christie’s, her father’s friend)
    • Alexander Gilmour (her father’s cousin)
    • Lady Mary Colman (niece of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother)
    • Mrs. Michael Pratt (friend and neighbour of Diana’s parents)
    • Mrs. William Fox (friend and neighbour of Diana’s parents)

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Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, born Camilla Shand

Camilla on left with her siblings, Mark in the middle and Annabel on the right; Photo Credit – www.dailymail.co.uk

  • Unofficial Royalty: Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom
  • Parents: Major Bruce Shand and The Honourable Rosalind Cubitt
  • Born: July 17, 1947 at King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London
  • Christened: November 1, 1947 at Firle Church in Lewes, Sussex, England
  • Names: Camilla Rosemary
  • Godparents:
    • The Honourable Harry Cubitt (her maternal uncle, later the 4th Baron Ashcombe)
    • Major Neil Speke
    • Mrs. Lombard Hobson
    • Mrs. Heathcoat Amory
    • Miss Vivien Mosley

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Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, born Princess Anne of Edinburgh

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Back Row (left to right): 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark and The Honorable Reverand Andrew Elphinstone. Front Row (left to right): Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, Princess Elizabeth holding Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth

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Prince Andrew, The Duke of York

Andrew on his christening day with his parents and his elder brother Charles and elder sister Anne; Photo Credit – daysofmajesty.blogspot.com

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Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh

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Edward with his mother and brother Andrew

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Prince William, The Prince of Wales, born Prince William of Wales

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The Prince and Princess of Wales with Prince William and his godparents (seated) ex-King Constantine of Greece, (standing, left to right) Princess Alexandra, Lord Romsey, Lady Hussey, Sir Laurens Van Der Post and the Duchess of Westminster

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Catherine, The Princess of Wales, born Catherine Middleton

  • Unofficial Royalty: Catherine, The Princess of Wales
  • Parents: Michael Middleton and Carole Goldsmith
  • Born: January 9, 1982 at Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, Berkshire, England
  • Christened: June 20, 1982 at St. Andrew’s Church in Bradfield, Berkshire, England
  • Names: Catherine Elizabeth
  • Godparents:

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Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, born Prince Harry of Wales

Prince Harry’s Christening; Photo Credit – www.abc.net.au

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Princess Beatrice of York

Princess Beatrice’s christening; Photo Credit – entertainment.xin.msn.com

  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Beatrice of York
  • Parents: Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson
  • Born: August 8, 1988 at Portland Hospital in London, England
  • Christened: December 20, 1988 at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace in London, England
  • Names: Beatrice Elizabeth Mary
  • Godparents:
    • David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon (her father’s first cousin)
    • Peter Palumbo, Baron Palumbo (her maternal grandfather’s friend)
    • The Duchess of Roxburghe (the former Lady Jane Grosvenor, later Lady Jane Dawnay)
    • The Honourable Mrs. John Greenall (her mother’s friend, the former Gabrielle James)
    • Mrs. Henry Cotterell (her mother’s friend, the former Carolyn Beckwith-Smith)

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Princess Eugenie of York

photo: Days of Majesty

  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Eugenie of York
  • Parents: Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson
  • Born: March 23, 1990 at Portland Hospital in London, England
  • Christened: December 23, 1990 at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, England
  • Names: Eugenie Victoria Helena
  • Godparents:
    • James Ogilvy (her father’s second cousin)
    • Captain Alastair Ross (her father’s former commander on HMS Edinburgh)
    • Mrs. Ronald Ferguson (her mother’s stepmother)
    • Mrs. Patrick (Julia) Dodd-Noble (her parents’ friend)
    • Miss Louise Blacker (her mother’s friend)

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Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor

Front row (left to right) The Duke of Edinburgh, The Queen, The Earl of Wessex, The Countess of Wessex holding Lady Louise, Mr and Mrs Christopher Rhys-Jones, back row (left to right) Lord Ivar Mountbatten, Lady Alexandra Etherington, Lady Sarah Chatto, Mrs Urs Schwarzenbach and Mr Rupert Elliott; Photo by Lichfield/Getty Images

  • Unofficial Royalty: Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
  • Parents: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie Rhys-Jones
  • Born: November 8, 2003 at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, England
  • Christened: April 24, 2004 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
  • Names: Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary
  • Godparents:
    • Lady Alexandra Etherington (her father’s third cousin, daughter of James Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife)
    • Lady Sarah Chatto (her father’s first cousin)
    • Lord Ivar Mountbatten (her father’s second cousin, son of David Mountbatten, 3rd Marquess of Milford-Haven)
    • Rupert Elliott (her father’s friend from Cambridge University)
    • Francesca Schwarzenbach (her parents’ friend)

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James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex

James, Viscount Severn with his parents; Credit – Daily Mail/Camera Press

  • Unofficial Royalty: James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn
  • Parents: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie Rhys-Jones
  • Born: December 17, 2007 at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey, England
  • Christened: April 19, 2008 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
  • Names: James Alexander Philip Theo
  • Godparents:
    • Denise Poulton (a friend of his mother and trustee of the Wessex Youth Trust)
    • Jeanye Erwin (his mother’s former flat-mate)
    • Alastair Bruce of Crionaich
    • Duncan Bullivant (a school friend of his father)
    • Thomas Hill

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Prince George of Wales, born Prince George of Cambridge

Four generations: Prince George with his father, grandfather, and great-grandmother; photo: Jason Bell/Camera Press

  • Unofficial Royalty: Prince George of Wales
  • Parents: Prince William, The Prince of Wales and Catherine Middleton
  • Born:  July 22, 2013 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England
  • Christened: October 23, 2013 in the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London, England
  • Names: George Alexander Louis
  • Godparents:
    • Oliver Baker (a schoolmate of his parents at The University of St Andrews)
    • Emilia d’Erlanger Jardine-Paterson (a schoolmate of his mother at Marlborough College)
    • Hugh Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor (friend of his father)
    • Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton (private secretary to his parents)
    • Julia Samuel (a close friend of his late grandmother Diana, Princess of Wales)
    • William van Cutsem (a friend of his father)
    • Zara Phillips TIndall paternal first cousin of his father)

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Princess Charlotte of Wales, born Princess Charlotte of Cambridge

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Princess Charlotte with her mother
  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Charlotte of Wales
  • Parents: Prince William, The Prince of Wales and Catherine Middleton
  • Born:  May 2, 2015 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England
  • Christened: July 5, 2015 at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, England
  • Names: Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
  • Godparents:
    • The Honorable Laura Fellowes (maternal first cousin of her father)
    • Adam Middleton (paternal first cousin of his mother)
    • Thomas van Straubenzee (a close friend)
    • James Meade (a close friend)
    • Sophie Carter (a close friend)

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Prince Louis of Wales, born Prince Louis of Cambridge

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Prince Louis with his parents and siblings
  • Unofficial Royalty: Prince Louis of Wales
  • Parents: Prince William, The Prince of Wales and Catherine Middleton
  • Born:  April 23, 2018 at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, England
  • Christened: July 9, 2018, at The Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace in London, England
  • Names: Louis Arthur Charles (Louis is pronounced Lou-ee)
  • Godparents
    • Mr. Nicholas van Cutsem (a friend of his father)
    • Mr. Guy Pelly (a friend of his father)
    • Mr. Harry Aubrey-Fletcher (an Eton College friend of his father)
    • Lady Laura Meade (friend of his father formerly Laura Marsham, daughter of Julian Marsham, 8th Earl of Romney; wife of James Meade who is a godfather of Princess Charlotte)
    • Mrs. Robert (Hannah) Carter (a school friend of his mother)
    • Miss Lucy Middleton  (paternal first cousin of his mother)

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Prince Archie of Sussex

  • Unofficial Royalty: Prince Archie of Sussex
  • Parents: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle
  • Born:  May 6, 2019 at the Portland Hospital for Women and Children in London, England
  • Christened: July 6, 2019 at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle in Windsor, England
  • Names: Archie Harrison
  • Godparents

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Princess Lilibet of Sussex

  • Unofficial Royalty: Princess Lilibet of Sussex
  • Parents: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan Markle
  • Born:  June 4, 2021, at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California,
  • Christened: March 3, 2023 at the family home in Montecito, California
  • Names: Lilibet Diana
  • Godparents: Tyler Perry (friend of her parents)

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Princess Tatjana of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Tatjana with her mother, Princess Marie, 2014. photo: Exclusiv.li

Princess Tatjana with her mother Princess Marie, 2014.  photo: Exclusiv.li

Princess Tatjana Nora Maria of Liechtenstein was born April 10, 1973, in St Gallen, Switzerland. She is the youngest of the four children and the only daughter of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie, born Countess Marie Aglaë of Wchinitz and Tettau. As Liechtenstein follows agnatic primogeniture (male-only), Princess Tatjana is not in the line of succession to the throne of Liechtenstein.

Princess Tatjana has three older brothers:

Tatjana was educated at schools in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, from 1984 to 1992. She then studied business administration at the European Business School in Madrid, Spain. Tatjana is fluent in German, English, French, and Spanish.

On June 5, 1999, Princess Tatjana married Baron Philipp von Lattorff in St. Florin’s Cathedral (Vaduz Cathedral) in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. He was born in Graz, Austria, on March 25, 1968, the eldest son of Baron Claus-Jürgen von Lattorff and the Hungarian Countess Julia Batthyány von Német-Ujvár.

The couple had seven children:

    • Lukas von Lattorff (born 2000)
    • Elisabeth von Lattorff (born 2002)
    • Marie von Lattorff (born 2004)
    • Camilla von Lattorff (born 2005)
    • Anna von Lattorff (born 2007)
    • Sophie von Lattorff (born 2009)
    • Maximilian von Lattorff (born 2011)

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Prince Constantin of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

photo: Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation

Prince Constantin of Liechtenstein; Credit – Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation

Prince Constantin Ferdinand Maria of Liechtenstein was born March 15, 1972, in St Gallen, Switzerland, the third of the three sons and the third of the four children of Prince Hans-Adam II  of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie, born Countess Marie Aglaë of Wchinitz and Tettau.

Prince Constantin has three siblings:

Prince Constantin attended primary school in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. He then attended the Liechtensteinisches Gymnasium in Vaduz, from 1983 to 1991. He received a law degree from the University of Salzburg in Austria. He worked primarily in the financial field, holding positions at investment firms in the United States and Europe. Constantin also served on the boards and management teams of several of the family’s companies. From 2012 until he died in 2023, Prince Constantin served as General Director and chairman of the board of directors of the Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation, an organization established in 1970 to oversee and manage the assets and companies owned by the Liechtenstein princely family. These include real estate holdings in Liechtenstein and Austria, the Princely Wine Cellars, the family’s extensive art collections, and the LGT Group – the largest family-owned private wealth management firm in Europe.

LIE-Constantin-Marie-1999

On May 14, 1999, Prince Constantin married Countess Marie Gabriele Franziska Kálnoky de Kőröspatak in a civil ceremony in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. A religious ceremony on July 17, 1999, held in Číčov, Slovakia. They had three children:

  • Prince Moritz (born 2003)
  • Princess Georgina (born 2005)
  • Prince Benedikt (born 2008)
photo: Exclusiv.li

Prince Constantin and Princess Marie, 2014. photo: Exclusiv.li

Constantin’s wife Princess Marie was born on July 16, 1975, in Graz, Austria, the daughter of Count Alois Kálnoky von Kőröspatak and Sieglinde Freiin von Oer. She works with the Hofkellerei des Fürsten von Liechtenstein (The Wine Cellars of the Prince of Liechtenstein), helping to promote and market the wines throughout Europe and the world.

Prince Constantin died unexpectedly on December 5, 2023, at the age of 51. A statement released by the Prince House of Liechtenstein on December 6, 2023 said: “The Princely House regrets to announce that H.S.H. Prince Constantin von und zu Liechtenstein passed away unexpectedly on 5 December 2023.” A private family funeral and burial took place at the Cathedral of St. Florin in Vaduz, Liechtenstein on December 10, 2023.

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Prince Maximilian of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

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Prince Maximilian Nicolaus Maria of Liechtenstein was born May 16, 1969, in St Gallen, Switzerland, the second son of the three sons and the second of the four children of Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein and Princess Marie, born Countess Marie Aglaë of Wchinitz and Tettau.

Maximilian has three siblings:

Prince Maximilian attended primary school in Vaduz, Liechtenstein, and graduated from the Liechtenstein Gymnasium (high school) in 1988. Following a year working within the family’s businesses, he attended the European Business School in Frankfurt, Germany, and graduated in 1993. He then worked at Chase Capital Partners, in New York City until 1996. In 1997, he enrolled in Harvard Business School, earning his Masters Degree in Business Administration in 1998. He then worked for Industrie Kapital in Hamburg and London (a venture capital firm), and JPMorgan Partners in Germany.

Prince Max, as he is known, has served as CEO of the LGT Group, the largest family-owned private wealth management firm in Europe, since 2006. The LGT Group is part of the Prince of Liechtenstein Foundation.

photo: The Royal Correspondent

Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela; photo: The Royal Correspondent

Maximilian married Angela Gisella Brown in a civil ceremony in Vaduz, Liechtenstein on January 21, 2000, followed by a religious ceremony held at the Church of St Vincent Ferrer in New York City on January 29, 2000. The couple had met in 1997 at a party in New York City and became engaged in 1999. They had one son:

  • Prince Alfons Constantin Maria of Liechtenstein (born 2001)

Princess Angela was born in Panama on February 3, 1958, and is of Afro-Panamanian descent. She attended the Parsons School of Design in New York City and worked as a fashion designer until the time of her engagement.

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Princess Ariane of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

 

Princess Ariane was born in Bronovo Hospital in The Hague, the Netherlands on April 10, 2007. She is the youngest of the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima (née Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti). She was given the names Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Inés:

  • Ariane: to complete the “triple-A rating” according to her father, her parents thought it was a pretty name
  • Wilhelmina: for her great-great-grandmother Queen Wilhelmina
  • Máxima: for her mother
  • Inés: for her maternal aunt, one of her godparents
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Ariane’s sisters and cousins at her christening!!! Credit – http://37.media. tumblr.com

Ariane was christened in the Kloosterkerk in The Hague, the Netherlands, on October 20, 2007.  Her godparents were:

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A more subdued photo of Ariane’s family and her godparents; http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com

Ariane has two older sisters:

Ariane’s family in 2024: Queen Máxima, Princess Ariane, Princess Alexia, Princess Amalia, and King Willem-Alexander

Princess Ariane attended the Bloemcamp School in Wassenaar, The Netherlands. From 2021 – 2023, Ariane attended Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet, an independent Protestant school in The Hague, The Netherlands. Beginning in the fall of 2023, Ariane continued her secondary school studies at the United World College of the Adriatic in Duino, Italy, in pursuit of her International Baccalaureate. 

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Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

 

Princess Alexia was born in Bronovo Hospital in The Hague, The Netherlands on June 26, 2005. She is the second of the three daughters of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Máxima (née Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti).  She was given the names Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien:

  • Alexia: for her father King Willem-Alexander
  • Juliana: for her great-grandmother Queen Juliana
  • Marcela: for the aunt and godmother of her mother Queen Máxima
  • Laurentien: for Princess Laurentien, the wife of her paternal uncle Prince Constantijn
Doopdienst HKH Prinses Alexia 19-11-2005

Alexia with her family and her godparents; Photo Credit – Photo: RVD / Jeroen van der Meyde

Alexia was christened at the village church in Wassenaar, the Netherlands on November 19, 2005. Her godparents were:

Alexia’s family in 2022: Queen Máxima, King Willem-Alexander, Princess Ariane, Princess Amalia, and Princess Alexia

Princess Alexia has an older sister and a younger sister:

Princess Alexia first attended the Bloemcamp School in Wassenaar, the Netherlands. From 2017 to 2021, Alexia attended the Christelijk Gymnasium Sorghvliet, an independent Protestant school in The Hague, the Netherlands.  Beginning in August 2021, Alexia continued her secondary education at the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, where her father was also a student. In 2023, she completed her International Baccalaureate at the United World College of the Atlantic.

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Princess Josephine of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Josephine and her twin brother Prince Vincent; Photo: Dennis Stenild, Kongehuset © 2024

Princess Josephine of Denmark was born on January 8, 2011, at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is the fourth of the four children and the younger of the two daughters of King Frederik X of Denmark and his Australian-born wife Queen Mary of Denmark, born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson. Denmark changed its succession law in 2008 to absolute primogeniture where the succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender. Males and females have equal succession rights. This means that King Frederik  X’s second-born child Princess Isabella is ahead of her younger brother Prince Vincent in the line of succession to the Danish throne. Josephine was born twenty-six minutes after the birth of her twin brother which means she comes after him in the line of succession. With the abdication of her grandmother Queen Martgrethe II and the accession of her father as King Frederik X on January 14, 2024, Princess Josephine is fourth in the Danish line of succession after her elder brother Crown Prince Christian, her elder sister Princess Isabella, and her twin brother Prince Vincent.

Princess Josephine’s family: Princess Josephine, King Frederik X, Princess Isabella, Queen Mary, Prince Vincent, Prince Christian

Josephine has an older brother and an older sister along with her twin brother:

Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine with their parents; Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer Steen Brogaard

Princess Josephine was christened along with her twin brother Prince Vincent on April 14, 2011, at Holmen Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark. She was given the names Josephine Sophia Ivalo Mathilda. Ivalo is a Greenlandic name given in honor of Denmark’s autonomous territory Greenland.

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Princess Josephine with her parents & godparents; Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer Steen Brogaard

Her godparents were:

  • Princess Marie of Denmark, wife of her paternal uncle, born Marie Cavallier
  • Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro
  • Patricia Bailey, her maternal aunt
  • Count Bendt Wedell, her parents’ friend
  • Birgitte Handwerk, her mother’s friend
  • Josephine Rechner, her mother’s friend
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Josephine with her twin brother and parents on the twins’ first day of school

On August 15, 2017, Princess Josephine started attending a public school her elder siblings attend, Tranegårdskolen (link in Danish) in Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality,  a Copenhagen suburban municipality. In August 2023, Josephine started attending Kildegård Privatskole (link in Danish) in Hellerup.

Left to right: Princess Isabella, Crown Prince Christian, King Frederik X, Queen Mary, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace after the proclamation of King Frederik X as King of Denmark.

On January 14, 2024, the day of her father’s accession to the Danish throne Princess Josephine and her siblings Princess Isabella and Prince Vincent were created Knights of the Order of the Elephant. The three new Knights of the Order of the Elephant will likely be presented with the Order of the Elephant’s insignias on their 18th birthdays. Josephine’s oldest brother, Crown Prince Christian was created a Knight of the Order of the Elephant on October 15, 2023, his 18th birthday.

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Prince Vincent of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince Vincent and his twin sister Princess Josephine; Photo: Dennis Stenild, Kongehuset © 2024

Prince Vincent of Denmark was born on January 8, 2011, at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark. He is the third of the four children and the younger of the two sons of King Frederik X of Denmark and his Australian-born wife Queen Mary of Denmark, born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson. Vincent was born 26 minutes before his twin sister Josephine making him third in the line of succession to the Danish throne after his father and his elder brother at the time of his birth. However, Denmark changed its succession law in 2008 to absolute primogeniture where the succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender. Males and females have equal succession rights. This means that King Frederik  X’s second-born child Isabella is ahead of her younger brother Vincent in the line of succession to the Danish throne. With the abdication of his grandmother Queen Martgrethe II and the accession of his father as King Frederik X on January 14, 2024, Vincent is third in the line of succession after his elder brother Crown Prince Christian and his elder sister Princess Isabella.

Prince Vincent’s family: Princess Josephine, King Frederik X, Princess Isabella, Queen Mary, Prince Vincent, Prince Christian

Prince Vincent has an elder brother, an elder sister, and a twin sister:

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Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine with their parents; Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer Steen Brogaard

Prince Vincent was christened along with his twin sister Princess Josephine on April 14, 2011, at Holmens Kirke in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was given the names Vincent Frederik Minik Alexander. Minik is a Greenlandic name given in honor of Denmark’s autonomous territory Greenland

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Prince Vincent with his parents and godparents; Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer Steen Brogaard

His godparents were:

  • John Stuart Donaldson, his maternal uncle
  • King Felipe VI of Spain, then the Prince of Asturias, could not attend the christening
  • Gustav, 7th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, his father’s first cousin
  • Count Michael Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Bille, his father’s friend
  • Baroness Helle Reedtz-Thott, his parents’ friend
  • Caroline Heering, his mother’s lady-in-waiting
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Vincent with his twin sister Josephine and their parents on the twins’ first day of school

On August 15, 2017, Prince Vincent started attending the same public school his elder siblings attended, Tranegårdskolen (link in Danish) in Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality,  a Copenhagen suburban municipality.

Left to right: Princess Isabella, Crown Prince Christian, King Frederik X, Queen Mary, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace after the proclamation of King Frederik X as King of Denmark.

On January 14, 2024, the day of his father’s accession to the Danish throne Prince Vincent and his siblings Princess Isabella and Princess Josephine were created Knights of the Order of the Elephant. The three new Knights of the Order of the Elephant will likely be presented with the Order of the Elephant’s insignias on their 18th birthdays. Vincent’s oldest brother, Crown Prince Christian was created a Knight of the Order of the Elephant on October 15, 2023, his 18th birthday.

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Princess Isabella of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Isabella of Denmark; Photo: Danish Royal House © Hasse Nielsen

Princess Isabella of Denmark was born on April 21, 2007, at the Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark. She is the second of the four children and the elder of the two daughters of King Frederik X of Denmark and his Australian-born wife Queen Mary of Denmark, born Mary Elizabeth Donaldson. Princess Isabella was the first girl born into the Danish Royal Family since the birth in 1946 of her paternal great-aunt Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark who married King Constantine II of Greece.

Princess Isabella’s family: Princess Josephine, King Frederik X, Princess Isabella, Queen Mary, Prince Vincent, Prince Christian

Isabella has an elder brother and younger twin siblings:

Princess Isabella was christened at the Fredensborg Palace Chapel in Fredensborg, Denmark on July 1, 2007. She was given the names Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe.

H.K.H. Prinsesse Isabellas barnedåb

Princess Isabella with her parents, brother Christian, and godparents; Photo Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer Steen Brogaard

Isabella’s godparents were:

  • Queen Mathilde of Belgium, then the Duchess of Brabant, born Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz
  • Princess Alexia of Greece and Denmark, her first cousin once removed
  • Nadine Johnston, her parents’ friend
  • Christian Buchwald, her parents’ friend
  • Major Peter Heering, her parents’ friend
  • Marie Louise Skeel, her parents’ friend

Denmark changed its succession law in 2008 to absolute primogeniture where the succession passes to the eldest child of the sovereign regardless of gender. Males and females have equal succession rights. This means that King Frederik X’s second-born child Isabella is ahead of her younger brother Vincent in the line of succession to the Danish throne. With the abdication of her grandmother Queen Margrethe II and the accession of her father as King Frederik X on January 14, 2024, Isabella is second in the line of succession after her elder brother Crown Prince Christian.

Isabella on her first day of school in 2013; Credit – Hello

On August 13, 2013, Princess Isabella began to attend the same public school her older brother attended, Tranegårdskolen (link in Danish) in Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality, a Copenhagen suburban municipality. Isabella started her secondary studies at Ingrid Jespersens Gymnasieskole in Copenhagen, Denmark in August 2022. She then started upper secondary school in August 2023, at Øregård Gymnasium in Hellerup, Gentofte Municipality, a Copenhagen suburban municipality, the same school her father Frederik and her paternal uncle Prince Joachim had attended.

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Princess Isabella on her confirmation day

Isabella was confirmed in the Lutheran Evangelical Church at the Fredensborg Palace Chapel in Fredensborg, Denmark on April 30, 2022.

Left to right: Princess Isabella, Crown Prince Christian, King Frederik X, Queen Mary, Princess Josephine, and Prince Vincent on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace after the proclamation of King Frederik X as King of Denmark.

On January 14, 2024, the day of her father’s accession to the Danish throne Princess Isabella and her siblings Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were created Knights of the Order of the Elephant. It is likely that the three new Knights of the Order of the Elephant will be presented with the Order of the Elephant’s insignias on their 18th birthdays. Isabella’s oldest brother, Crown Prince Christian was created a Knight of the Order of the Elephant on October 15, 2023, his 18th birthday.

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