Author Archives: Susan

Prince George William of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Prince George William of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

Little Prince George William lived from November 13, 1717 – February 17, 1718, three months and four days, but an event in his short life caused a huge family argument. The principals in the argument were George William’s grandfather King George I of Great Britain and his father The Prince of Wales, the future King George II of Great Britain. It was the beginning of the battles between fathers and sons that would plague the House of Hanover. First, let us deal with Prince George William’s short life.

Prince George William of Great Britain was born at St. James’ Palace in London, England on November 13, 1717. His parents were the Prince and Princess of Wales, the future King George II and his wife, born Caroline of Ansbach. George William was the first of his parents’ eight children to be born in Great Britain. His four elder siblings, Frederick, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Princess Amelia, and Princess Caroline, had all been born in the Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany.

George William’s great-grandmother, Sophia of the Palatinate, Electress of Hanover was the heiress presumptive to Queen Anne of Great Britain per the Act of Settlement 1701, but Sophia died two months before Queen Anne died. Upon Queen Anne’s death on August 1, 1714, George William’s grandfather succeeded to the British throne as King George I of Great Britain. His father became the heir apparent to the British throne and was created Prince of Wales the following month.

In February 1718, Prince George William became ill. The infant prince died at about 8:00 PM on February 17, 1718, at Kensington Palace in London. The London Gazette officially reported that Prince George William “had been taken ill about ten days before of a cough and strainess of breathing, from which he had been recovering till the foggy weather on the 15th and 16th, which occasioning a relapse into his strainess of breathing, he fell into convulsions and died.” An autopsy determined that he had been born with a “polyp on his heart.”

On the night of February 23, 1718, Prince George William’s remains, accompanied by the king’s servants, the Yeomen of the Guard and the Horse Guards, were transported from Kensington Palace in one of King George I’s coaches to Westminster Abbey where he was privately interred. Francis Atterbury, Bishop of Rochester conducted the funeral service. It was not unusual for deceased royal children to be buried in this manner.

Backtracking to Prince George William’s christening: George William was christened at the Chapel Royal, St. James’s Palace in London, England on November 28, 1717, by John Robinson, Bishop of London. His godparents were:

  • King George I of Great Britain: his paternal grandfather
  • Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle: Lord Chamberlain of the King’s Household and later Prime Minister of Great Britain
  • Diana Beauclerk, Duchess of St Albans: Mistress of the Robes to his mother, born Lady Diana de Vere, wife of Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, an illegitimate son of King Charles II and his mistress Nell Gwynne

King George I, Prince George William’s grandfather; Credit – Wikipedia

What should have been a perfectly normal, quiet christening turned into a shouting match that resulted in the parents of Prince George William being exiled from their home at St. James’ Palace and their children being kept at St. James’ Palace in the custody of their grandfather King George I.

George. Prince of Wales, Prince George William’s father; Credit – Wikipedia

The Prince of Wales (George) asked his father King George I and his paternal uncle Prince Ernst August of Hanover, who had been created Duke of York, to be godfathers. The Princess of Wales (Caroline) wanted to name her son William and initially King George I agreed. However, the little prince was the first member of the British House of Hanover born in Great Britain. The king’s government ministers insisted that the previous protocol be followed. The ministers told the king that since he was one of the godfathers, the infant prince should be named George. A compromise was reached and the prince’s name would be George William.

Caroline, Princess of Wales, mother of Prince George William; Credit – Wikipedia

Next, the ministers objected to Prince Ernst August of Hanover being one of the godparents. He was the reigning Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück (now in Lower Saxony, Germany) and unmarried. If Ernst August was named a godparent, he might make the British prince the heir to his German title. Furthermore, the ministers advised the king that it was the usual practice for the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior officer of the Royal Household, to be one of the godfathers. This writer, who has researched and written about Royal Christenings, can say that although the list of godparents for the British House of Stuart which preceded the House of Hanover is incomplete, there is no evidence that it was the usual practice for the Lord Chamberlain to be a royal godfather. Caroline was willing to compromise again and suggested that the Lord Chamberlain, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, could stand as proxy for Ernst August. Caroline was overruled by the ministers. She then asked for the christening to be postponed, and was again overruled.

Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle; Credit – Wikipedia

When the christening occured, George and Caroline were incensed at being repeatedly overruled. After the christening, George accused the Duke of Newcastle of acting dishonestly regarding the arrangements, shook his fists at him, and said, “You are a rascal but I shall find you out,” meaning get even. George had spoken English since he was a child but having lived in Hanover where German was the native language for the first thirty-one years of his life, he spoke English with a German accent. The Duke of Newcastle misunderstood George and thought he said, “I shall fight you.” The Duke quickly went to King George I and told him his son had challenged him to a duel.

King George I summoned his cabinet for advice. A group of ministers was sent to George asking if the allegations were true. George denied he had challenged Newcastle to a duel, explained he had said “find” and not “fight” and further explained Newcastle had disrespected him by insisting he be a godfather when he knew it was against George’s wishes. When the ministers told George that Newcastle had been asked to be a godfather by the king’s command, George replied that while he respected his father, he did not believe it.

King George I ordered his son, the Prince of Wales, to leave St. James’ Palace. The Prince of Wales was further ordered to leave his children at St. James’ Palace in the king’s custody. The Princess of Wales was allowed to visit her children but her husband had to give notice. George appealed to the courts for his children to be returned to him but was told that according to British law, royal grandchildren belonged to The Crown. Most people in political and court circles felt that King George I overreacted.

The Prince and Princess of Wales needed a residence so they moved into Leicester House in Leicester Square, London which became their chief residence for the rest of King George I’s reign. After two years, the Princess of Wales acted as a mediator for her husband, and in cooperation with Prime Minister Robert Walpole, she finally reconciled King George I and his son.

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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Prince George William of Great Britain. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George_William_of_Great_Britain [Accessed 16 Jul. 2019].
  • Thegazette.co.uk. (1718). Page 2 | Issue 5615, 8 February 1718 | London Gazette | The Gazette. [online] Available at: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/5615/page/2 [Accessed 16 Jul. 2019].
  • Thegazette.co.uk. (1718). Page 2 | Issue 5616, 11 February 1718 | London Gazette | The Gazette. [online] Available at: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/5616/page/2 [Accessed 16 Jul. 2019].
  • Van der Kiste, J. (2013). King George II and Queen Caroline. New York: The History Press.
  • Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

Princess Caroline of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Caroline of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

Born at Herrenhausen Palace in the Electorate of Hanover, now in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, on June 10, 1713, exactly two years after the birth of her sister Princess Amelia, Princess Caroline was the fourth of the eight children and the third of the five daughters of the future King George II of Great Britain and his wife Caroline of Ansbach. At the time of her birth, her father was the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Caroline’s paternal grandparents were the future King George I of Great Britain, who was the Elector of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg at that time, and his divorced, disgraced, and virtually imprisoned first cousin and former wife Sophia Dorothea of Celle. Caroline’s maternal grandparents were Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and his second wife Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach. The day after her birth, the infant princess was christened Caroline Elizabeth at Herrenhausen Palace.

Caroline had seven siblings:

Frederick, Prince of Wales, playing the cello, Anne, Princess Royal at the harpsichord, Princess Caroline playing the mandora and Princess Amelia reading; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline’s great-grandmother, Sophia, Electress of Hanover was the heiress presumptive to Queen Anne of Great Britain per the Act of Settlement 1701, but Sophia died two months before Queen Anne died. Upon Queen Anne’s death on August 1, 1714, Caroline’s grandfather succeeded to the British throne as King George I of Great Britain and her father became the heir apparent to the British throne and was created Prince of Wales the following month. Amelia was then styled Her Royal Highness Princess Caroline of Great Britain. One-year-old Caroline along with her elder sisters Anne and Amelia accompanied their mother to England where they settled in the new home, apartments in St. James’ Palace in London.

The three elder daughters of King George II: Anne, Amelia, and Caroline; Credit – Wikipedia

Caroline’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, disagreed over the choice of godparents for the short-lived son George William, born in 1717. The disagreement grew out of proportion, and Caroline’s father George was placed under arrest. The result was that her parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, were exiled from St. James’ Palace. They moved into Leicester House in Leicester Square, London which became their chief residence for the rest of King George I’s reign. However, their children were kept at St. James’ Palace in the custody of their grandfather. The Prince and Princess of Wales were allowed to see their children only once a week. After two years, the Princess of Wales acted as a mediator for her husband, and in cooperation with Prime Minister Robert Walpole, she finally reconciled King George I and his son.

Princess Caroline was not only her mother’s namesake but her favorite child. She was known in the family for telling the truth and was always consulted when there were disagreements between the royal siblings because she could be counted on telling exactly what happened. On June 11, 1727, Caroline’s grandfather King George I died in Hanover, was buried there, and her father succeeded him as King George II. After the marriage of her eldest sister Anne to Willem IV, Prince of Orange, Caroline became her mother’s main confidant and she remained so for the rest of her mother’s life.

Portrait of Caroline from 1728, probably from the time of her father’s coronation; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Caroline never married. When her mother died in 1737, Queen Caroline expressly left her three youngest children, all teenagers, in the care of her daughter Caroline. Caroline probably had an affair with John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey, a courtier and political writer. Lord Hervey was married and had eight children but apparently, he was bisexual and had affairs with both men and women. It is unknown if Lord Hervey had any real affections toward Caroline but she had affections toward him. After Lord Hervey died in 1743 at the age of 46, Caroline became a recluse, rarely leaving St. James’ Palace and seeing only her father, her sister Princess Amelia, her brother Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, and some favorite courtiers. She donated most of her money to charities, especially those associated with prisoners’ welfare, and also saw that Lord Hervey’s children were financially secure.

John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey,; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Caroline had been a hypochondriac for most of her life and she lost the will to live. As she lay dying, she refused to see any of her family. On December 28, 1757, at the age of 44, Princess Caroline died at St. James’ Palace in London. She was buried in the Hanover vault below the central aisle of Henry VII’s chapel in Westminster Abbey in London. Horace Walpole, a writer and art historian,  wrote of Princess Caroline: “Her kindness was constant and united, her immense generosity, her charity were the most extensive; In short, I, not a royalist, can be generous in praise of her.”

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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Princess Caroline of Great Britain. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Caroline_of_Great_Britain [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2019). Princess Amelia of Great Britain. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/princess-amelia-of-great-britain/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • Van der Kiste, J. (2013). King George II and Queen Caroline. New York: The History Press.
  • Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

The Strange Case of the Tombs of Two 19th Century Princesses and a 20th Century 15-Year-Old Missing Girl

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

The poster of Emanuela Orlandi that was posted on the streets of Rome in 1983; Credit – Wikipedia

This story sounds like a plot from a novel by Dan Brown, the author of the Robert Langdon novels (Angels and Demons, The Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Inferno and Origin).

Emanuela Orlandi was the 15-year-old daughter of Ercole and Maria Orlandi. Her father was an employee of the Institute for the Works of Religion, more commonly known as the Vatican Bank. The Orlandi family were citizens of and lived in Vatican City. On June 22, 1983, Emanuela walked outside of Vatican City to a Rome bus stop for the short ride to the Sant’Apollinare complex in central Rome where she took flute lessons three times a week. She never returned home, and the case remains unsolved.

There are various theories about what happened to Emanuela which include possible links to the Sicilian Mafia, the KGB, and the assassination attempt by Mehmet Ali Ağca on Pope John Paul II. Check out these Wikipedia articles. The Italian article is much more comprehensive.

In January 2023, it was announced that the Vatican opened a new investigation into the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi.

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The New York Times has published several stories about Emanuela’s disappearance over the years. This author is a New York Times subscriber and the links below are gift links so anyone can read them.

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Teutonic Cemetery in Vatican City; Credit – CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=499225

The Teutonic Cemetery is a burial site adjacent to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City that has been dedicated to the German-speaking residents of Rome. Traditionally, prominent German-speaking people who have served the Roman Catholic Church and died in Rome can be buried there.

In the summer of 2018, the Orlandi family received a letter with a photo in it. The photo was of a marble statue of an angel in the Teutonic Cemetery. The letter instructed to “look where the angel is pointing” and led the Orlandi family to the tombs of Princess Sophia of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein and Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Hereditary Princess of Denmark. Their tombs are next to each other and Princess Sophia’s tomb, known as the Tomb of the Angel, has an angel who is pointing down.

Duchess Charlotte’s tomb on the left, Princess Sophia’s tomb on the right; Credit – Vatican Media, Reuters, CBS News

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When the Orlandi family went to see the tombs, they saw evidence that Princess Sophia’s tomb had been opened recently as there was new cement on it but they were given no information regarding a possible recent opening. In February 2019, the Orlandi family petitioned the Vatican Secretary of State to permit the tombs to be opened. A Vatican tribunal granted the request. during the first week of July 2019.

Workers opening the tomb of Duchess Charlotte Frederica; Photo Credit – CNS photo/Vatican Media

On July 11, 2019, Giovanni Arcudi, a forensics expert and professor at Tor Vergata University in Rome, led the team that opened the tombs. His job was to exhume the remains and verify their identities. It was decided to open both tombs to avoid possible misunderstandings about which grave was the grave indicated in the letter the Orlandi family received. Members of the two princesses’ families, the Orlandi family, and the Vatican police were present when the tombs were opened. However, to much surprise and amazement, there was no work for Arcudi to do. Not only was there no sign of Emanuela’s remains, but the remains of Princess Sophia and Duchess Charlotte Frederica were also missing. Vatican officials said they would research the burial records to try to discover what happened to their remains. It is possible that their remains were moved due to renovations at the end of the 1800s and again in the 1960s and 1970s.

Updates

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So who are these two princesses whose final resting places have become entangled in a long-unsolved missing person case?

Schillingsfürst Castle, Princess Sophia’s birthplace; Credit – Von Alexp1993 – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73775583

Princess Sophia of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein

Not very much is known about Princess Sophia. Sophia was born on December 13, 1758, at Schillingsfürst Castle (in German) in Schillingsfürst, now in Ansbach, in Bavaria, Germany, and was given the names Sophia Carolina Josepha Philippina Maria Anna Lucia. She was the eldest of the seven children of Ludwig Leopold, ruling Prince of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein (in German) and Josepha Friederike Polyxena Alexandrina, Countess of Limburg-Stirum. Her father’s principality was located in present-day northeastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. During the French Revolution, Sophia’s father gave refuge to many French noblemen and their families.

Sophia’s brother Prince Ludwig Aloys of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein was a Lieutenant General in the Austrian Army who fought against Napoleon in the Napoleonic Wars. After the defeat of Napoleon, Ludwig Aloys became a naturalized a French citizen, a Peer of France and a Marshal of France.

There is no indication that Sophia married. She died on January 20, 1836, in Rome at the age of 78.

Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Hereditary Princess of Denmark

Duchess Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Hereditary Princess of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

The first wife of the future King Christian VIII of Denmark, Charlotte Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, was born December 4, 1784, in Ludwigslust Palace in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in Germany. She was fifth of the six children and the youngest of the two daughters of Friedrich Franz I, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, and Princess Louise of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.

Charlotte Frederica married the future King Christian VIII of Denmark at Ludwigslust Palace in the Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now Germany) on June 21, 1806. The couple only had one surviving child, King Frederik VII of Denmark.

Christian and Charlotte Frederica’s marriage soon became unhappy. Charlotte Frederica had an affair with her singing teacher Édouard Du Puy. In 1809, when Christian found out, Charlotte Frederica was sent into internal exile to the city of Horsens, Denmark while Du Puy was banished from Denmark. The marriage officially ended with a divorce in 1810 and Charlotte Frederica never saw her son again.

While in Horsens and later in Aarhus, both in Denmark, Charlotte Frederica cultivated friendships with the local gentry and allegedly had affairs with army officers. In 1829, she was allowed to travel out of Denmark and moved to Carlsbad, a spa town, then in Germany, now in the Czech Republic. She made one last move in 1830 to Rome, Italy where she lived in the Palazzo Bernini on Rome’s main street and converted to Roman Catholicism.

Charlotte Frederica had been exiled when her son, now King Frederik VII of Denmark, was only one year old. She had hoped to see her son again but she soon became ill. Charlotte Frederica died in Rome on July 13, 1840, at the age of 55. She was buried in a tomb paid for by her son and created by the Danish sculptor Jens Adolf Jerichau at the Teutonic Cemetery.

Tomb of Charlotte Frederica; Credit – By Altera levatur – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=59545772

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.

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Works Cited

  • Cbsnews.com. (2019). Emanuela Orlandi mystery: Bizarre twist in hunt for missing teen as Vatican tombs unsealed. [online] Available at: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/vatican-open-graves-search-missing-teen-girl-emanuela-orlandi-cryptic-clue-cemetery-angel/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • De.wikipedia.org. (2019). Ludwig Carl Franz Leopold zu Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Carl_Franz_Leopold_zu_Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Emanuela_Orlandi [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Louis Aloysius, Prince of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Aloysius,_Prince_of_Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Bartenstein [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • It.wikipedia.org. (2019). Cimitero Teutonico. [online] Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimitero_Teutonico [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • It.wikipedia.org. (2019). Sparizione di Emanuela Orlandi. [online] Available at: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sparizione_di_Emanuela_Orlandi [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • Nytimes.com. (2019). In Italy, a Decades-Long Search for a Missing Girl Brings Another Twist. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/11/world/europe/italy-vatican-emanuela-orlandi.html [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • Sheena McKenzie, C. (2019). She disappeared at 15. A cryptic tip-off in the Vatican could hold key to her case. [online] CNN. Available at: https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/11/europe/vatican-missing-girl-emanuela-orlandi-intl/index.html [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].
  • Wooden, C. (2019). Vatican discovers empty tombs in search for missing woman | Catholic Herald. [online] Catholic Herald. Available at: https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/07/12/vatican-discovers-empty-tombs-in-search-for-missing-woman/ [Accessed 13 Jul. 2019].

Princess Amelia of Great Britain

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Princess Amelia of Great Britain; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Amelia of Hanover was born at Herrenhausen Palace in the Electorate of Hanover, now in Lower Saxony, Germany, on June 10, 1711. Christened Amelia Sophia Eleanora, she was known in the family as Emily. At the time of her birth, her father (the future King George II of Great Britain) was the Hereditary Prince of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her mother was Caroline of Ansbach,  the eldest of the three children of Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and his second wife Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach. Her paternal grandfather (the future King George I of Great Britain) was the Elector of Hanover and Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Amelia was the third of eight children and the second of her parents’ five daughters. She had seven siblings:

Frederick, Prince of Wales, playing the cello, Anne, Princess Royal at the harpsichord, Princess Caroline playing the mandora and Princess Amelia reading; Credit – Wikipedia

Amelia’s great-grandmother, Sophia, Electress of Hanover was the heiress presumptive to Queen Anne of Great Britain per the Act of Settlement 1701, but Sophia died two months before Queen Anne died. Upon Queen Anne’s death on August 1, 1714, Amelia’s grandfather succeeded to the British throne as King George I of Great Britain and her father became the heir apparent to the British throne and was created Prince of Wales the following month. Amelia was then styled Her Royal Highness Princess Amelia of Great Britain. Three-year-old Amelia, along with her elder sister Anne and her younger sister Caroline, accompanied their mother to England where they settled in the new home, apartments in St. James’ Palace in London.

The three elder daughters of King George II: Anne, Amelia, and Caroline; Credit – Wikipedia

Amelia’s parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, had a disagreement over the choice of godparents for the short-lived son George William, born in 1717. The disagreement grew out of proportion, and Amelia’s father George was placed under arrest. The result was that her parents George and Caroline were exiled from St. James’ Palace. They moved into Leicester House in Leicester Square, London which became their chief residence for the rest of King George I’s reign. However, their children were kept at St. James’ Palace in the custody of their grandfather. The Prince and Princess of Wales were allowed to see their children only once a week. After two years, the Princess of Wales acted as a mediator for her husband, and in cooperation with Prime Minister Robert Walpole, she finally reconciled King George I and his son.

Amelia’s paternal aunt, Sophia Dorothea of ​​Hanover, Queen of Prussia, wanted Amelia to marry her eldest son, the future King Friedrich II of Prussia (the Great). However, Sophia Dorothea’s husband King Friedrich Wilhelm I did not support the idea and insisted his son marry Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern. Amelia never did marry.

In 1727, Amelia’s grandfather died and her father succeeded to the British throne as King George II. After the death of her mother in 1737, Amelia became the constant companion to her father. She also acted as hostess for her unmarried brother Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, who had a career in the Royal Army, whenever he was in England. Amelia followed her brother’s military campaigns and was always quite worried about him when he was at the front.

In 1751, Princess Amelia became the Ranger of Richmond Park. According to her instructions, only family members and a few close friends were allowed into the park. This caused a great uproar from the public, accustomed to using the park. In 1758, a local brewer John Lewis was banned from the park and decided to take the case to court and won. Disgusted, Amelia resigned from her position as the ranger of Richmond Park.

Plaque to John Lewis, the Richmond brewer who secured public rights of access to the park in 1758; Credit – By Spudgun67 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46307376

On October 25, 1760, King George II woke up early at Kensington Palace and had his usual cup of chocolate. He asked about the direction of the wind as he was anxious about receiving his overseas mail, and then he entered his water closet. A few minutes later, his valet heard a crash and found George lying on the floor. He was put into bed and asked for his favorite daughter Princess Amelia, but he died before the princess reached him. Amelia hurried to her father’s rooms and, not realizing he was already dead, she put her head close to his head to hear what he had to say. Because she was quite deaf, Amelia did not realize her father was dead.

Amelia was the last surviving child of her parents and lived for the first twenty-six years of the reign of her nephew King George III whose father Frederick, Prince of Wales had predeceased his father King George II. Because of her deafness, Amelia retired from court life. She lived in a home in Cavendish Square when in London. In 1761, Amelia bought Gunnersbury Park, a country estate in the London Borough of Hounslow where she was famous for her parties and political intrigues.

Gunnersbury House around 1750; Credit – Wikipedia

In her later years, Amelia enjoyed taking the waters, playing cards, and engaging in gossip at Bath. Amelia was always fond of horses and dogs and every morning she visited the stables to see her horses. She donated generously to charity and was a wonderful great-aunt to the children of King George III, regularly inviting them to Gunnersbury Park.

In October 1786, Amelia knew she was dying and she put her affairs in order and made arrangements to provide for her servants. She left nothing to her relatives in England, instead, she left her estate to her three Hesse-Kassel nephews, the children of her sister Princess Mary. Princess Amelia Sophie died at the age of 75, on October 31, 1786, at her home in Cavendish Square. After her death, a pendant was found around her neck with a miniature portrait of her would-be husband, Crown Prince Friedrich of Prussia who became King Friedrich I of Prussia (the Great). Princess Amelia was buried in the Hanover vault below the central aisle of Henry VII’s chapel in Westminster Abbey in London. An inscription was carved in the black and white pavement in 1866 reads Amelia Sophia Eleonora 2 DA. of K.GEO. II 1786.

Amelia Island, an island in the Sea Islands chain that stretches along the East Coast of the United States from South Carolina to Florida and Amelia County in Virginia, United States are named for Princess Amelia.

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.

Works Cited

  • De.wikipedia.org.Amelia Sophie von Großbritannien, Irland und Hannover. [online] Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelia_Sophie_von_Gro%C3%9Fbritannien,_Irland_und_Hannover [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Princess Amelia of Great Britain. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Amelia_of_Great_Britain [Accessed 11 Jul. 2019].
  • Van Der Kiste, John. The Georgian Princesses. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing, 2000. Print.
  • Williamson, David. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.. London: Cassell, 1996. Print.

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.

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 Maximilian of Liechtenstein

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2019

Embed from Getty Images 

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
Ariane_christening

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:

Ariane_godparents_family

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. 

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.