James, Viscount Severn

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Viscount Severn
James, Viscount Severn 2016 (cropped).jpg
Viscount Severn in 2016
Born
James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor

(2007-12-17) 17 December 2007 (age 15)
Parents
Family House of Windsor

James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn (born 17 December 2007) is a member of the British royal family. He is the younger child of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar. He is the youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest nephew of King Charles III. He is 14th in the line of succession to the British throne.

Contents

Birth and baptism

Viscount Severn was born on 17 December 2007, at Frimley Park Hospital in Frimley, Surrey. [1] The names James Alexander Philip Theo were announced on 21 December. [2]

He was baptised on 19 April 2008, in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle by David Conner, the dean of Windsor, and his godparents were Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Denise Poulton and Jeanye Irwin. [3] [4] He wore a newly made replica of the royal christening gown originally used by Victoria, the eldest child of Queen Victoria, in 1840. It has been worn for most royal christenings since then, and the original gown has now been preserved. [3]

As of 2020, Viscount Severn attended Eagle House School, a coeducational preparatory school near Sandhurst in Berkshire. [5]

Official appearances

In April 2015, James and his sister, Lady Louise, participated in their first overseas engagement by accompanying their parents on a trip to South Africa. [6] In September 2020, James participated in the Great British Beach Clean with his family at Southsea Beach in Hampshire, in support of the Marine Conservation Society. [7] [8]

In March 2022, James attended the memorial service for Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. [9] In June 2022 he attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving [10] [11] and the Platinum Party at the Palace. [12]

On 17 September 2022, during the period of official mourning for Queen Elizabeth II, James joined his sister and six cousins to mount a 15-minute vigil around the coffin of the late Queen, as it lay in state at Westminster Hall. [13] On 19 September, he joined other family members at the state funeral. [14]

Titles, styles, and honours

Titles and styles

James is styled as Viscount Severn, a courtesy title that is his father's subsidiary title. The creation of this viscountcy acknowledged the Welsh roots of Sophie's family: [15] the River Severn rises in Wales. Letters patent issued in 1917 assign a princely status and the style of Royal Highness to all children of a monarch's sons. [16] When his parents married, Buckingham Palace announced that their children would be styled as the children of an earl, rather than as prince or princess. [17] Thus, court communications refer to him as Viscount Severn. [18] In 2020, the Countess of Wessex and Forfar stated that James and his sister Louise retained their royal titles and styles and could make a choice on whether to use them from the age of 18. [19]

Honours

In June 2008, to recognise a visit by his father to the Canadian province of Manitoba, the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba named a lake in the north of the province after James. [21]

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References

  1. "Countess gives birth to baby boy". BBC News. 17 December 2007.
  2. "Edward and Sophie name baby James". BBC News. 21 December 2007.
  3. 1 2 "Announcement of the Arrangement for the Christening of Lord Severn". royal.uk. 15 April 2008. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008.
  4. "Queen sees grandson's christening". BBC News. 19 April 2008.
  5. Lamb, Christina. "Can Sophie, Countess of Wessex, steady the royal ship?". The Times. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  6. "Lady Louise and James accompany mother Sophie on royal mission in South Africa". 11 April 2015.
  7. Rice, Francesca (21 September 2020). "The Countess of Wessex looks cool and casual in jeans to litter-pick at the beach with her famil". Good Housekeeping. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  8. "Prince Edward and family spend sunny weekend on beach clean". Tatler. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  9. Scarsi, Alice (29 March 2022). "Lady Louise Windsor stuns royal fans during rare public appearance – 'what a beauty'". Express. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  10. Hughes, Seren (2 June 2022). "Royal fans can't believe how grown up the Queen's youngest grandson looks". MyLondon.
  11. "Who was at the Queen's Jubilee service of thanksgiving? Royal family joined by Harry, Meghan and politicians past and present". Sky News.
  12. Coke, Hope (4 June 2022). "'You laugh with us and cry with us': Prince Charles pays heartfelt tribute to 'mummy' at historic Platinum Party". Tatler. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  13. McCrum, Kirstie (17 September 2022). "Queen's grandchildren stand solemn vigil in Westminster Hall". walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  14. "Queen's youngest grandchild James Viscount Severn, 14, attends funeral with sister". Independent.co.uk . 19 September 2022.
  15. "Wessex titles for Edward and Sophie". BBC News . 19 June 1999. Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  16. "No. 30428". The London Gazette . 14 December 1917. p. 13086.
  17. UK Government News – 19th June, 1999: TITLE OF HRH THE PRINCE EDWARD (Accessed 18 January 2014)
  18. Kidd, Charles; Shaw, Christine (2008). Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage 2008. Debrett's Peerage Limited. ISBN   978-1870520805.
  19. "Queen Elizabeth's Grandchildren Will 'Work for a Living' and Won't Use HRH, Says Mom Sophie Wessex". People. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  20. 1 2 Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn have mounted a vigil around their grandmother’s coffin at Westminster Hall
  21. "Prince Edward begins Winnipeg visit". The Vancouver Sun . Canada. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on 15 April 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
James, Viscount Severn
Born: 17 December 2007
Lines of succession
Preceded by Line of succession to the British throne
14th in line
Followed by
Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Gentlemen
Viscount Severn
Followed by
Peter Phillips