Image:Roy-fam-2007.jpg|right|500px|thumb|Members of the Royal Family gathered for a dinner celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh (The Duchess of Kent was not present; The Lady Louise WindsorThe Lady Louise Windsor is a member of the British Royal Family. She is the elder child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
was either not present or not photographed; and the Viscount SevernJames, Viscount Severn , is a member of the British Royal Family. He is the second child and only son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
was born after this photograph was taken. Click on a face to reach that person's article)
circle 203 153 28 The QueenElizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
circle 281 147 28 The Duke of EdinburghThe Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Philip was originally a royal prince of Greece and Denmark, and thus a member of the Danish-German House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, but renounced these titles shortly before his marriage and adopted the...
circle 136 140 28 The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
circle 358 150 28 The Duchess of Cornwall
circle 43 141 28 Prince William of WalesPrince William of Wales , KG, is the elder son of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
circle 420 141 30 Prince Henry of Wales
circle 262 90 22 The Duke of YorkThe Prince Andrew, Duke of York , is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
circle 214 100 22 Princess Beatrice of YorkPrincess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is fifth, and the first female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent states...
circle 316 102 22 Princess Eugenie of YorkPrincess Eugenie of York is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is sixth, and the second female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent Commonwealth realm states.Her first royal engagement was opening a cancer ward...
circle 364 89 20 The Earl of WessexThe Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is the third son and fourth child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
circle 433 102 20 The Countess of Wessex
circle 100 93 20 The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess Royal is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
circle 43 80 22 VAdm Timothy Laurence
circle 78 66 16 Mr Peter PhillipsPeter Phillips may refer to:* Peter Phillips , son of Anne, Princess Royal of the U.K.* Peter Phillips , English artist* Peter C. B. Phillips Peter Phillips may refer to:* Peter Phillips (b. 1977), son of Anne, Princess Royal of the U.K.* Peter Phillips (artist) (b. 1939), English artist* Peter C....
circle 133 83 15 Miss Autumn Kelly (now Mrs Peter Phillips)Autumn Patricia Phillips is the wife of Peter Phillips, who is the only son of The Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and the oldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.After graduating from McGill University in 2002, Kelly met Peter Phillips...
circle 158 97 20 Miss Zara Phillips MBEZara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, MBE is the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne, Princess Royal and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips...
circle 347 68 14 Viscount LinleyDavid Albert Charles Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley , known professionally as David Linley, a bespoke furniture maker and chairman of Christie's UK, the international auction house...
circle 388 67 11 Viscountess LinleySerena Alleyne Armstrong-Jones, Viscountess Linley is an Anglo-Irish aristocrat and a member, by marriage, of the extended British Royal Family. She was born in Limerick, Ireland.-Background:...
circle 152 71 10 The Lady Sarah ChattoThe Lady Sarah Frances Elizabeth Chatto, née Armstrong-Jones , is the only daughter of the 1st Earl of Snowdon and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the second daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She is 16th in line of succession to the thrones of each of the Commonwealth Realms,...
circle 109 62 11 Mr Daniel ChattoDaniel St. George Chatto born Daniel Chatto St. George Sproule, is a British artist and former actor. He is best known as the husband of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, who is the only daughter of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon. Chatto married Lady Sarah on 14 July 1994...
circle 455 67 20 The Duke of GloucesterPrince Richard, 2nd Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974...
circle 402 82 16 The Duchess of Gloucester
circle 276 53 16 The Duke of KentPrince Edward, Duke of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family, a grandchild of George V. He has held the title of Duke of Kent since 1942....
circle 188 62 20 Prince Michael of KentPrince Michael of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family and a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary....
circle 233 69 20 Princess Michael of KentPrincess Michael of Kent , is a member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....
circle 316 64 16 Princess AlexandraPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy , is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy. Prior to her marriage she was known as Princess Alexandra of Kent...
The
British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the
monarchThe person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch. It was a common form of government in the world during the ancient and medieval times. A Monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged with an individual, who is the head of state, often for life or...
of the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in his or her role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with official national terms for the family. Members of the royal family belong to, or are married into, the
House of WindsorThe House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms. It is a branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , which adopted the name Windsor by a royal proclamation of George V in 1917...
, since 1917, when
George VGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
changed the name of the royal house from
Saxe-Coburg and GothaSaxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha served as the name of the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present-day states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918....
.
Although in the United Kingdom there is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member of the Royal Family, and different lists will include different people, those carrying the
styleA style of office, or honorific, is a legal, official, or recognized title, in other words a term which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a post, or which is used to refer to the political office itself. An honorific can also be awarded to an individual in a personal...
His or Her Majesty (HM)Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin Maiestas, meaning Greatness.- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...
, or
His or Her Royal Highness (HRH)Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
are always considered members, which usually results in the application of the term to the monarch, the consort of the monarch, the widowed consorts of previous monarchs, the children of the monarch, the male-line grandchildren of the monarch, and the spouses and the widowed spouses of a monarch's son and male-line grandsons.
Members and relatives of the British Royal Family historically represented the monarch in various places throughout the
British EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
, sometimes for extended periods as
viceroyA viceroy is a royal official who runs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. His province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty. The relative...
s, or for specific ceremonies or events. Today, they often perform ceremonial and social duties throughout the United Kingdom and abroad on behalf of the UK, but, aside from the monarch, have no constitutional role in the affairs of government. This is the same for the other
realms of the CommonwealthA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 132 million; all but about two million live in the six most populous states, the United...
though the family there acts on behalf of, is funded by, and represents the sovereign of that particular state, and not Britain.
List of members
This is a list of current members of the Royal Family:
- HM The Queen
Elizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
and HRH The Duke of EdinburghThe Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. Philip was originally a royal prince of Greece and Denmark, and thus a member of the Danish-German House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, but renounced these titles shortly before his marriage and adopted the...
(her consortA consort is a spouse or companion, often of royalty or a deity, sometimes slightly inferior in function/status.* Queen consort, wife of a reigning king* King consort, husband of a reigning queen...
)
- TRH The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
and The Duchess of Cornwall (The Queen's eldest son and his second wife)
- HRH Prince William of Wales
Prince William of Wales , KG, is the elder son of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
(The Prince of Wales's elder son)
- HRH Prince Henry of Wales (The Prince of Wales's younger son)
- HRH The Duke of York
The Prince Andrew, Duke of York , is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
(The Queen's second son)
- HRH Princess Beatrice of York
Princess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is fifth, and the first female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent states...
(The Duke of York's elder daughter)
- HRH Princess Eugenie of York
Princess Eugenie of York is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is sixth, and the second female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent Commonwealth realm states.Her first royal engagement was opening a cancer ward...
(The Duke of York's younger daughter)
- TRH The Earl
The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is the third son and fourth child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and Countess of Wessex (The Queen's third son and his wife)
- Viscount Severn
James, Viscount Severn , is a member of the British Royal Family. He is the second child and only son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
(The Earl of Wessex's son)
- Lady Louise Windsor
The Lady Louise Windsor is a member of the British Royal Family. She is the elder child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
(The Earl of Wessex's daughter)
- HRH The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
(The Queen's daughter)
- TRH The Duke
Prince Richard, 2nd Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974...
and Duchess of Gloucester (The Queen's cousin and his wife)
- TRH The Duke
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family, a grandchild of George V. He has held the title of Duke of Kent since 1942....
and Duchess of Kent (The Queen's cousin and his wife)
- TRH Prince
Prince Michael of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family and a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary....
and Princess Michael of KentPrincess Michael of Kent , is a member of the British Royal Family. She is married to Prince Michael of Kent, who is a grandson of King George V....
(The Queen's cousin and his wife)
- HRH Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy , is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy. Prior to her marriage she was known as Princess Alexandra of Kent...
(The Queen's cousin)
Collaterals
Besides the above, there are a few immediate family members carrying no official style who are sometimes in listings:
- VAdm Tim Laurence (The Princess Royal's second and current husband)
- Mr
Peter Phillips may refer to:* Peter Phillips , son of Anne, Princess Royal of the U.K.* Peter Phillips , English artist* Peter C. B. Phillips Peter Phillips may refer to:* Peter Phillips (b. 1977), son of Anne, Princess Royal of the U.K.* Peter Phillips (artist) (b. 1939), English artist* Peter C....
& MrsAutumn Patricia Phillips is the wife of Peter Phillips, who is the only son of The Princess Anne, Princess Royal and Captain Mark Phillips, and the oldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.After graduating from McGill University in 2002, Kelly met Peter Phillips...
Peter Philips (The Princess Royal's son by Capt Phillips, and his wife)
- Miss Zara Phillips
Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, MBE is the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne, Princess Royal and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips...
, MBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions...
(The Princess Royal's daughter by Capt Phillips)
The following persons are descendants (or widows) of the younger children of
Queen VictoriaVictoria was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India of the British Raj from 1 May 1876, until her death...
,
King Edward VIIEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death on 6 May 1910...
, and King George V:
- The Earl of Harewood
George Henry Hubert Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood, KBE , styled The Hon. George Lascelles before 1929 and Viscount Lascelles between 1929 and 1947, is the elder son of the 6th Earl of Harewood , and Princess Mary, Princess Royal, the only daughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen...
(grandson and first grandchild of George V through his daughter Mary, Princess Royal), his second wife, and his children, and grandchildren, as well as the children and grandchildren of his now deceased brother, Gerald LascellesGerald David Lascelles was the younger son of the 6th Earl of Harewood and Princess Mary, The Princess Royal, the only daughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary. He was the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He was styled The Honourable Gerald Lascelles...
.
- The Duke of Fife
James George Alexander Bannerman Carnegie, 3rd Duke of Fife is a great grandson of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and a member of the extended British Royal Family, in the line of succession to the British Throne...
(female-line great-grandson of Edward VII) and his children and grandchildren
- The Lady Saltoun
Flora Marjory Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun1, Chief of the Name and the Arms of Fraser is currently the only female holder of a lordship of Parliament who has a seat in the House of Lords as an elected hereditary peer. She is the head of the Frasers of Philorth.- Life :Flora Fraser was born...
(widow of Alexander Ramsay of MarCaptain Alexander Arthur Alfonso David Maule Ramsay of Mar was the only child of HRH Princess Patricia of Connaught, who renounced her royal title and style when she married then-Captain the Hon. Alexander Ramsay in February 1919. His mother was the youngest child of HRH The Duke of Connaught, the...
, a female-line grandson of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and StrathearnPrince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn was a member of the shared British and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha royal family who, between 1911 and 1916, served as the Governor General of Canada...
, the third son of Queen Victoria), and her children and grandchildren
- The Marquess of Milford Haven
The Most Honourable George Ivar Louis Mountbatten, 4th Marquess of Milford Haven , styled Earl of Medina before 1970, is the oldest son of the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven and Janet Mercedes Bryce...
(grandson of George Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford HavenCaptain The Most Honourable George Louis Victor Henry Serge Mountbatten, 2nd Marquess of Milford Haven was born the son of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine at Darmstadt, Hesse, Germany...
, and great-grandson of H.G.D.H. Princess Victoria, eldest daughter of H.R.H. The Princess Alice The Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine, 2nd daughter of H.M. Queen Victoria, and his family
- The Countess Mountbatten of Burma
Patricia Edwina Victoria Knatchbull, 2nd Countess Mountbatten of Burma CBE, MSC, CD, JP, DL is a British peeress and former lady-in-waiting to her third cousin, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom...
(elder daughter of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of BurmaAdmiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC was a British admiral and statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, youngest son of H.G.D.H. Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, and her family
The Earl of Harewood is a female-line first cousin of the Queen. The Duke of Fife, the Marquess of Milford Haven, the Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and the Lady Saltoun, and their respective families, as well as Lord Harewood's descendants, are so distant from the reigning sovereign that they are relatives of, rather than members of, the Royal Family.
None of these persons receive any money from the State or undertake official engagements on behalf of the Queen. However, the Queen does invite them to private family functions and to participate in official royal occasions, such as the
Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
, the
Golden JubileeA Golden Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 50th anniversary.- In the Commonwealth Realms :In the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms, a Golden Jubilee celebration is held in the 50th year of a monarch's reign.- For Queen Elizabeth II :...
celebrations, and ceremonial or state funerals.
There are three living former spouses of members of the British Royal Family:
- Sarah, Duchess of York (the former wife of The Duke of York),
- Capt Mark Phillips (the first husband of The Princess Royal), and
- The Earl of Snowdon
Antony Charles Robert Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon, GCVO, RDI, is an English photographer and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker who sits in the House of Lords by a life peerage granted him in 1999. He was married to Princess Margaret from 1960 to 1978...
(the former husband of Princess Margaret).
Recently deceased members of the Royal Family include:
- HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1936 until 1952 as the wife of King George VI. After her husband's death, she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
(widow of King George VIGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and mother of The Queen)
- HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon
The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II....
(sister of The Queen)
- HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary...
(widow of Prince Henry, Duke of GloucesterThe Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester PC, KG, KT, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, KStJ was a member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary, and thus uncle to Elizabeth II...
, and mother to the present Duke of Gloucester)
Family tree of members
Public role and image
Members of the Royal Family participate in hundreds of public engagements yearly throughout the United Kingdom, as formally recorded in the
Court CircularThe Court Circular is the official record that lists the engagements carried out by the Monarch of the United Kingdom and of the other Commonwealth Realms; the Royal Family; and appointments to their staff and to the court. It is issued by Buckingham Palace and printed daily in The Times, The...
, to honour, encourage and learn about the achievements or endeavors of individuals, institutions and enterprises in a variety of areas of life. As representatives of the Queen, they often also join the nation in commemorating historical events, holidays, celebratory and tragic occurrences, and may also sponsor or participate in numerous charitable, cultural and social activities. Their travels abroad on behalf of the UK (called
State VisitA state visit is a formal visit by a foreign head of state to another nation, at the invitation of that nation's head of state. State visits are the highest form of diplomatic contact between two nations, and are marked by ceremonial pomp and diplomatic protocol. In parliamentary democracies, heads...
s when the sovereign officially meets with other heads of state) draw public attention to amicable relations within and between the Commonwealth and other nations, to British goods and trade, and to Britain as a historical, vacation, and tourist destination. Their presence, activities and traditional roles constitute the apex of a modern "royal
courtThe court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
," and provide a distinctly British and historical pageantry to ceremonies (e.g.
Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
) and flavour to public events (e.g. Garden Parties, Ascot). Throughout their lives they draw enormous media coverage in the form of photographic, written and televised commentary on their activities, family relationships, rites of passage, personalities, attire, behaviour, and public roles.
In a lengthy interview conducted by
PBSThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television service with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. However, its operations are largely funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting...
prior to the death of
Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Their sons, Princes William and Harry, are second and third in line to the thrones of the United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth Realms.A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana...
in August 1997,
Max HastingsSir Max Hastings, FRSL is a British journalist, editor, historian and author. He is the son of Macdonald Hastings, the noted British journalist and war correspondent, and Anne Scott-James, sometime editor of Harper's Bazaar....
, editor of the
Daily Telegraph between 1986 and 1995, discussed the impact of
Andrew MortonAndrew David Morton is a former British Fleet Street tabloid journalist, and a biographer.Before moving into a career in journalism, he attended grammar school, then studied history at the University of Sussex....
's and
Jonathan DimblebyJonathan Dimbleby, is a British presenter of current affairs and political radio and television programmes, a political commentator and a writer.-Education:...
's biographies of, respectively, the Princess and
Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
on subsequent news coverage of the Royal Family in the UK:
Funding
Money to support the Queen in the exercise of her duties as head of state of the United Kingdom (the Head of State Expenditure) come from the
Civil List-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom the Civil List is the sum that covers most expenses associated with the Sovereign performing of his or her state duties, including those for staffing, state visits, public engagements, official entertainment, and upkeep of the Royal...
. This is a return of a small portion of the revenue from the Crown Lands that are surrendered by the monarch to parliament at the beginning of each reign; all Crown Land being administered by The Crown Estates, an institution that is answerable to parliament. In the 2003-04 fiscal year, the amount surrendered was £176.9 million, where the Head of State Expenditure was £36 million. The Head of State Expenditure does not include the cost of security.
Only the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh receive funding from the Civil List. The Duke receives £359,000 per year.
Only some members of the Royal Family carry out public duties; these individuals receive an annual payment known as a Parliamentary Annuity, the funds being supplied to cover office costs.
- The Duke of York: £249,000 per annum
- The Earl and Countess of Wessex: £141,000 per annum
- The Princess Royal: £228,000 per annum
- The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester: £175,000 per annum
- The Duke and Duchess of Kent: £236,000 per annum
- Princess Alexandra £225,000 per annum
These amounts are repaid by The Queen from her private funds.
Though always voluntarily subject to the Value Added Tax and other indirect taxes, the Queen agreed to pay taxes on income and capital gains from 1992, although the details of this arrangement are both voluntary and secret. At the same time it was announced that only the Queen and Prince Philip would receive
civil list-United Kingdom:In the United Kingdom the Civil List is the sum that covers most expenses associated with the Sovereign performing of his or her state duties, including those for staffing, state visits, public engagements, official entertainment, and upkeep of the Royal...
payments. Since 1993 the Queen's personal income has been taxed as any other Briton. The Queen's private estate (eg shareholdings, personal jewellery,
Sandringham HouseSandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current...
and
Balmoral CastleBalmoral Castle is a large estate house situated in the area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, known as Royal Deeside. The estate was purchased by Queen Victoria's consort Prince Albert, and remains a favourite summer royal residence....
) will be subject to Inheritance Tax, however bequests from Sovereign to Sovereign are exempt.
In addition to the released costs, there are significant hidden costs such as security, exempt taxes and costs met by local councils during royal visits. The cost of the extensive security provided for the royal family is kept secret; it is argued that releasing the total security budget would in itself jeopardise the security of the royals.
Royal styles and titles
The style
His Majesty or Her Majesty (HM)Majesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin Maiestas, meaning Greatness.- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...
is enjoyed by a King, a Queen (regnant), a
Queen consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
, and a former Queen consort (a
Queen DowagerA queen dowager or dowager queen is a title or status generally held by the widow of a deceased king...
or a
Queen MotherQueen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in England since at least 1577...
).
Use of the style
His Royal Highness or Her Royal Highness (HRH)Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
and the titular dignity of
Prince or PrincessPrince, from French "Prince" , is a general term for a monarch, for a member of a monarchs' or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in some members of Europe's highest nobility...
are governed by Letters Patent issued by
George VGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
on 30 November 1917 and published in the
London GazetteThe London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the UK, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 11 December 1917. These Letters Patent state that henceforth only the children of the Sovereign, the children of the sons of the Sovereign, and the eldest son of the eldest son of the
Prince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland...
would "have and at all times hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness with their titular dignity of Prince or Princess prefixed to their respective Christian names or with their other titles of honour." They further state, "the grandchildren of the sons of any such Sovereign in the direct male line (save only the eldest living son of the eldest son of the Prince of Wales) shall have the style and title enjoyed by the children of Dukes."
Under these conventions, The Queen's children and the children of
The Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
,
The Duke of YorkThe Prince Andrew, Duke of York , is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and
The Earl of WessexThe Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex is the third son and fourth child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
are titled Princes or Princesses and styled Royal Highness. However, upon Prince Edward's marriage in 1999, it was announced that his children would be styled as earl's children, but no Letters Patent were issued to deny them their princely status or HRH.
The Duke of GloucesterPrince Richard, 2nd Duke of Gloucester is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974...
,
The Duke of KentPrince Edward, Duke of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family, a grandchild of George V. He has held the title of Duke of Kent since 1942....
,
Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady OgilvyPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy , is a member of the British Royal Family, the youngest granddaughter of King George V and Queen Mary. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy. Prior to her marriage she was known as Princess Alexandra of Kent...
and
Prince Michael of KentPrince Michael of Kent is a member of the British Royal Family and a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary....
enjoy the titular dignity of Prince or Princess and the style Royal Highness as male-line grandchildren of George V. However, none of their children has a royal title. For example, the children of Prince Michael of Kent are known as Lord Frederick Windsor and Lady Gabriella Windsor, the courtesy titles as children of dukes. They are not entitled to any royal title. The children of
The Princess RoyalAnne, Princess Royal is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, Princess Alexandra and
Princess Margaret, Countess of SnowdonThe Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon was the younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II....
, are not entitled to any royal title since princesses do not transmit their titles to their children. An exception to this rule was when George VI issued Letters Patent such that his heiress presumptive, Princess Elizabeth, could transmit her title to her children. Princess Margaret's son enjoys the courtesy title Viscount Linley as the son and heir of the Earl of Snowdon, while her daughter enjoys the courtesy title Lady. The children of the Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra have no titles, because
Mark PhillipsMark Anthony Peter Phillips, CVO, ADC is a former Olympic gold-medal-winning horseman and first husband of Anne, Princess Royal...
and
Sir Angus OgilvySir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy, KCVO, PC was a British businessman best known as the husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II....
did not accept hereditary
peerageThe Peerage is a system of titles in the United Kingdom, which represents the upper ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system. The term is used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titles, and individually to refer to a specific title...
s upon marriage.
Women marrying sons and male-line grandsons of a Sovereign are normally styled Her Royal Highness followed by the feminised version of her husband's highest title. The wives of royal peers are known as "HRH The Duchess of ..." or " HRH The Countess of ..." Thus, the wives of the Duke of Kent, the Duke of Gloucester, and the Earl of Wessex are "HRH The Duchess of Kent," "HRH The Duchess of Gloucester," and "HRH The Countess of Wessex," respectively. Before her divorce,
Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Their sons, Princes William and Harry, are second and third in line to the thrones of the United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth Realms.A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana...
enjoyed the title and style of "HRH The Princess of Wales." However, when a woman marries a prince who does not hold a peerage, she is known as HRH Princess [Her husband's Christian name], followed by whatever territorial or titular designation. For example, the former Baroness Marie-Christine von Reibnitz enjoys the title and style of "HRH Princess Michael of Kent," and not "HRH Princess Marie-Christine of Kent." Similarly, the former Birgitte Eva van Deurs was titled "HRH Princess Richard of Gloucester" from her
weddingA wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes...
until her husband succeeded to his father's dukedom in 1974. The widows of princes remain HRH. However, under Queen Elizabeth II's 21 August 1996 Letters Patent, a divorced wife of a Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland "shall not be entitled to hold and enjoy the style, title or attribute of Royal Highness."
There has been one exception to the convention that wives of princes take their husband's rank. In Letters Patent dated 28 May 1937, King
George VIGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 11 December 1936 until his death...
specifically denied the style HRH to the wife of the
Duke of WindsorEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the British dominions, and Emperor of India from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December 1936, after which he was immediately succeeded by his younger brother, George VI...
, the former King
Edward VIIIEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the British dominions, and Emperor of India from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December 1936, after which he was immediately succeeded by his younger brother, George VI...
. Therefore, the former Wallis Warfield Simpson was known as "Her Grace The Duchess of Windsor," not "Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Windsor."
It should also be noted due a reluctance by the public to universally support the second wife of The Prince of Wales, it has been announced by
Clarence HouseClarence House is a royal home in London, situated on The Mall. It is attached to St. James's Palace and shares the palace's garden. For nearly 50 years, from 1953 to 2002, it was home to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, but is now the official residence of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of...
that should The Prince of Wales become King, that his wife HRH The Duchess of Cornwall will not be known as HM The Queen but will take the lesser title of HRH The Princess Consort. Out of respect for Diana, Princess of Wales, it was also announced that HRH The Duchess of Cornwall would not be known as HRH The Princess of Wales.
The daughters and male-line granddaughters of the Sovereign do not lose their royal titles upon marriage. Men who marry the daughters and the male-line granddaughters of the Sovereign, however, do not acquire their wives' royal rank and the style HRH. The only exception to this convention is Prince Philip, who, as a then-future consort, was granted British titles in his own right (rather than in his wife's). Born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, it was only after his wartime service that he renounced the use of his title and became a naturalised British subject, as Lieutenant Philip
MountbattenMountbatten is the family name adopted by two branches of the Battenberg family due to rising anti-German sentiment among the British public during World War I. On 14 July 1917, Prince Louis of Battenberg assumed the surname Mountbatten for himself and his descendants, and was created Marquess...
RN (although he was already a British citizen as a descendant of the Electress Sophia). The day before his marriage he was created
Duke of EdinburghThe Duke of Edinburgh is a dukedom associated with Edinburgh, Scotland. There have been three creations since 1726 . The current holder is Prince Philip, the husband of and royal consort to Queen Elizabeth II.-History of title:The dukedom was first created in July 26, 1726, in the Peerage of Great...
with the style HRH by King George VI's Letters Patent of 19 November 1947. The Duke of Edinburgh was not created a Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland until 22 February 1957. Since that date, his full title has been "HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh."
As grandchildren of the Sovereign through the female line, the children of the then Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh would not have been entitled to use HRH or Prince or Princess of the United Kingdom until their mother became Queen, had those titles and styles not been granted in Letters Patent of 22 October 1948. They could neither be styled HRH Prince or Princess of Greece and Denmark through their father, as the Duke of Edinburgh had renounced these use of these royal titles and styles. Their highest styles would therefore have been
the Earl of Merioneth and
Lady Anne Mountbatten.
Peerages
Female consorts of the Sovereign have generally not been created peers or peeresses. A notable exception occurred in 1532, when
Henry VIIIHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
created
Anne BoleynAnne Boleyn was Queen of England as the second wife of King Henry VIII, the mother of Queen Elizabeth I, and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the start of the...
Marquess of Pembroke before marrying her. Male consorts, however, have sometimes been granted dukedoms. The husband of
Mary IMary I , was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death. She was the oldest daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The fourth crowned monarch of the Tudor dynasty, she is remembered for restoring England to Roman Catholicism after succeeding her short-lived...
was already King of Naples, and that of
Mary IIMary II reigned as Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from 1689 until her death. Mary, a Protestant, came to the thrones following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of her Roman Catholic father, James II and VII...
was jointly Sovereign in England, so neither of them received peerage dignities. Prince George of Denmark, the husband of
AnneAnne became Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702, succeeding her brother-in-law, William III of England and II of Scotland...
(later Queen Anne), was created Duke of Cumberland in 1683 .
VictoriaVictoria was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India of the British Raj from 1 May 1876, until her death...
's husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, was given the style Royal Highness before his marriage. In 1857, Queen Victoria granted him title of
Prince ConsortA prince consort, generally speaking, is a common term for the husband of a queen regnant, unless he himself also is a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his...
; however, Prince Albert was not made a British peer. Prince Philip, husband of the present Queen, was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style Royal Highness the day before his wedding (which occurred prior to her accession).
Generally, the sons of the Sovereign are awarded peerage dignities to mark either adulthood or marriage. Originally, younger sons of the Sovereign were not styled Princes (except the Prince of Wales); thus, in order to indicate their exalted rank, peerage dignities were conferred upon them. From the time of
Edward IIIEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
, nearly every son of a Sovereign surviving into adulthood became a Duke. Certain dukedoms were granted more often than others, including the
Dukedoms of YorkThe title Duke of York is a title of nobility in the British peerage. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of the British monarch...
,
AlbanyDuke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
and
ClarenceDuke of Clarence is a title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the English and British Royal families. The first three creations were in the Peerage of England, the fourth in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the fifth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.The title was first...
. Normally, a peerage once awarded to a member of the Royal Family is not thereafter granted to any person outside the Royal Family (though some exceptions do exist).
The Dukedom of York is generally created for the second son of the Sovereign. The first creation was in 1384; the dukedom merged in the Crown in 1483 . Every Duke thereafter has either died without heirs or succeeded to the Crown, and so has not been able to leave the Royal Family. The pattern of awarding the dukedom to the second-eldest son of the Sovereign was upset by
George IGeorge I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, who gave the Dukedom of York and Albany to his younger brother. The Dukedom of York and Albany was next granted by
George IIGeorge II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death....
to the second son of his son, who had predeceased him. York and Albany featured one last time as a dukedom in 1784, when George III granted it to his second son. Thereafter, the dukedom has always borne the designation
York, rather than
York and Albany. The current duke is The Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Dukedom of Albany served a function similar to the Dukedom of York in Scotland. The dukedom was created in 1398 for
Robert StewartRobert Stewart, Duke of Albany a member of the Scottish royal house, served as regent to three different Scottish monarchs...
, brother of King
Robert IIIRobert III , King of Scotland -Biography:He was the eldest son of King Robert II by his mistress, Elizabeth Mure, became legitimised with the formal marriage of his parents about 1349...
. It was at the time the only dukedom other than the Dukedom of Rothesay. It was created thrice more in Scotland: twice for the second son of a Sovereign, and once for a brother of a Sovereign. It was last created in 1881 for the fourth son of
VictoriaVictoria was the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837, and the first Empress of India of the British Raj from 1 May 1876, until her death...
; the dukedom was then suspended under the Titles Deprivation Act after its holder fought on the side of
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
during
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
.
There are several other dukedoms that have been used for members of the Royal Family. Clarence was first used as a dukedom in 1362, most of the time being granted to the third son of the Sovereign. Among the dukedoms granted to still younger sons of the Sovereign are Cambridge, Connaught, Cumberland, Edinburgh, Gloucester, Kent and Sussex — others in the Scottish peerage have included Ross and Kintyre. Some of those dukedoms were used for younger brothers, nephews and other kinsmen of Sovereigns. The dukedom of Windsor was also a Royal dukedom, being granted to
Edward VIIIEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the British dominions, and Emperor of India from 20 January 1936 until his abdication on 11 December 1936, after which he was immediately succeeded by his younger brother, George VI...
after he abdicated so that he could marry against the tenets of the
Church of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the oldest among the communion's thirty-eight independent national and regional churches...
.
Often, sons of the Sovereign were granted titles associated with England and Scotland, later with Ireland, and most recently with Wales. Thus, the Dukedom of Strathearn (named after a place in Scotland) has been held with the Dukedoms of Connaught (named after an Irish province), Kent and Cumberland (both named after English places). This pattern continues in the present Royal Family. The current Duke of York, for example, is also Earl of
InvernessInverness is a city in northern Scotland. The city is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is promoted as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and Baron
KillyleaghKillyleagh is a large village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is situated on the A22 road from Downpatrick, on the western side of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 2,483 people in the 2001 Census. It is best known for its 12th century Killyleagh Castle. Killyleagh has potential for...
; the subsidiary titles are associated with Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively.
The convention of granting dukedoms to senior members of the Royal Family was broken most recently in 1999, when The Prince Edward was created Earl of Wessex. The Earldom of Wessex had not been created earlier by an English or British Sovereign since 1066. It has been suggested that the Dukedom of Edinburgh will eventually be granted to the Earl of Wessex. The current dukedom will descend to Charles, Prince of Wales, however, and not to the Earl of Wessex. When The Prince of Wales becomes Sovereign, or if he is already Sovereign when the dukedom passes to him, the dukedom will merge in the Crown and then only become available for a regrant.
The highest peerage dignity belonging to a Prince may be used as a part of the title of that Prince's children. Thus, the sons of The Prince of Wales are
Prince William of WalesPrince William of Wales , KG, is the elder son of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and
Prince Harry of WalesPrince Henry of Wales , known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II...
; the daughters of the Duke of York are
Princess Beatrice of YorkPrincess Beatrice of York is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is fifth, and the first female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent states...
and
Princess Eugenie of YorkPrincess Eugenie of York is the younger daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. As such she is sixth, and the second female, in the line of succession to the thrones of sixteen independent Commonwealth realm states.Her first royal engagement was opening a cancer ward...
; the children of the Earl of Wessex are
Lady Louise WindsorThe Lady Louise Windsor is a member of the British Royal Family. She is the elder child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
and
ViscountJames, Viscount Severn , is a member of the British Royal Family. He is the second child and only son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex...
. (In the last case, Lady Louise and Lord Severn are always (and without exception) referred to as such, at the wishes of their parents and by order of The Queen, but may nonetheless legally retain their princely titles (i.e.
Princess Louise of Wessex and
Prince James of Wessex))
Sovereigns, especially Charles II, have sometimes granted peerage dignities to illegitimate children.
James ScottJames Crofts, later James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and 1st Duke of Buccleuch PC , was an English nobleman. He was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter, who had followed him into continental exile after the execution of...
became Duke of Monmouth in 1663 . Many more creations, mostly earldoms, followed in the 1670s:
Charles FitzCharlesCharles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth was the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England, by Catherine Pegge. He had a sister called Catherine FitzCharles who became a nun. His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford in Essex, but they had no further children.-Life:Charles...
became Earl of Plymouth, Charles FitzRoy Duke of Southampton,
Henry FitzRoyHenry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton KG was the illegitimate son of King Charles II by Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine....
Earl of Euston,
George FitzRoyLieutenant-General George FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Northumberland, KG, PC was the third and youngest illegitimate son of King Charles II and his mother Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine...
Earl of Northumberland,
Charles BeauclerkCharles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans, KG was an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England by his mistress Nell Gwynne.-Life:...
Earl of Burford and Charles Lennox Duke of Richmond and Lennox. Many of the earls who were sons of Charles later became Dukes. Of the current Dukes, four are male-line descendants of Charles in the illegitimate line: the Duke of Richmond, Lennox and Gordon, the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, the Duke of Grafton and the Duke of St Albans.
In other Commonwealth realms
As the Royal Family is shared by other
Commonwealth realmA Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 132 million; all but about two million live in the six most populous states, the United...
s, its members will often also conduct official and non-official duties outside the United Kingdom, on behalf of the relevant state.
- Further information: Royal Family's role in the realms
Other related articles
- Commonwealth realm monarchies
- List of monarchs in the British Isles
- Lists of members of the British Royal Family through history
- British prince
This is a list of British princes from the accession of George I in 1714. The title of prince is at the will of the sovereign, who can both grant and revoke the title. Individuals holding the title of prince will usually also be styled "His Royal Highness" or formerly "His Highness"...
- British princess
This is a list of British princesses from the accession of King George I in 1714. This article deals with both princesses of the blood royal and women who become princesses upon marriage....
- House of Windsor
The House of Windsor is the current Royal House of the United Kingdom and each of the other Commonwealth realms. It is a branch of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , which adopted the name Windsor by a royal proclamation of George V in 1917...
- British monarchs' family tree
This is the British monarchs' family tree, from James VI of Scotland to the present queen, Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.-Before James VI/I:-James I to William IV:...
- Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British Throne is a partial list of the people in line to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom. The succession is regulated by the Act of Settlement 1701, the Royal Marriages Act 1772 and common law....
- List of godchildren of members of the British Royal Family
- Genealogy of the British Royal Family
The recorded genealogy of the British Royal Family traces back to the Early Middle Ages. Although there is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member of the Royal Family, and different lists will include different people, those carrying the style His or Her Majesty or His or...
- Royal Descent
A 'screwroyal descent is a lineal descent from a monarch. Royal descent is sometimes claimed as a mark of distinction and is seen as a desirable goal of genealogy research. Pretenders and those hoping to improve their social status have often claimed royal descent and, as a result, fabricated...
Additional reading
- Burke’s Guide to the Royal Family. Burke’s Peerage, 1973.
- Cannon, John Ashton. The Oxford Illustrated History of the British Monarchy. Oxford University Press, 1988.
- Churchill, Randolph S. They Serve the Queen: A New and Authoritative Account of the Royal Household. (“Prepared for Coronation Year”) Hutchinson, 1953.
- Fraser, Antonia (ed). The Lives of the Kings & Queens of England. Revised & updated edition. University of California Press, 1998.
- Hayden, Ilse. Symbol and Privilege: The Ritual Context of British Royalty. University of Arizona Press, 1987.
- Longford, Elizabeth Harman (Countess of Longford). The Royal House of Windsor. Revised edition. Crown, 1984.
- Weir, Alison. Britain’s Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy. Pimlico/Random House, 2002.
- Royal Family (1969) is a celebrated and reverential BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
documentaryDocumentary film is a broad category of visual expressions that is based on the attempt, in one fashion or another, to "document" reality. Although "documentary film" originally referred to movies shot on film stock, it has subsequently expanded to include video and digital productions that can...
made by Richard Cawston to accompany the investiture of the current Prince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the Heir Apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland...
. The documentary is frequently held responsible for the greater press intrusion into the Royal Family's private life since its first broadcast.
External links