James, Earl of Wessex

{{short description|Member of the British royal family (born 2007)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Earl of Wessex

| image = James Mountbatten-Windsor 2023.jpg

| caption = James at the coronation of Charles III

| birth_name = James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2007|12|17|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, England

| education = {{plain list|

Eagle House School, Berkshire
Radley College, Oxfordshire}}

| occupation =

| family = House of Windsor

| father = Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh

| mother = Sophie Rhys-Jones

}}

James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex (born 17 December 2007), styled Viscount Severn from 2007 until 2023, is the younger child and only son of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. He is the youngest nephew of King Charles III. He was born during the reign of his paternal grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, at which time he was 8th in line to the British throne. He is currently 16th.

Infancy

James was born on 17 December 2007 at 16:20 GMT at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey by caesarean section.{{cite web |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/james-viscount-severn-prince-edwards-son-facts-details-biography |title=Who is the new Earl of Wessex? James joins Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey |last=Coke |first=Hope |date=6 May 2023 |publisher=tatler.com |access-date=18 May 2023}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7148830.stm |title=Countess gives birth to baby boy |work=BBC News |date=17 December 2007}} His father Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His mother Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, worked in public relations before joining the royal family through her marriage in 1999. His full name, James Alexander Philip Theo, was announced on 21 December.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7156438.stm |title=Edward and Sophie name baby James |work=BBC News |date=21 December 2007}} He has one older sister, Louise.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tatler.com/article/james-viscount-severn-prince-edwards-son-facts-details-biography|title=Meet James, Earl of Wessex, son of Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh as he towers over the royals on Easter Sunday|first=Hope|last=Coke|date=12 February 2021|website=Tatler}}

James was baptised on 19 April 2008, in the private chapel of Windsor Castle by David Conner, Dean of Windsor,{{Cite web |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/james-viscount-severn-prince-edwards-son-facts-details-biography |title=Who is the new Earl of Wessex? James joins Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey |date=12 February 2021 |website=Tatler}} witnessed by his godparents, Alastair Bruce, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Denise Poulton, Jeanye Irwin,{{cite news |url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page6246.asp |title=Announcement of the Arrangement for the Christening of Lord Severn |publisher=royal.uk |date=15 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420185654/http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page6246.asp |archive-date=20 April 2008 }} and his paternal grandparents, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7354474.stm |title=Queen sees grandson's christening |work=BBC News |date=19 April 2008}}

Education

James attended Eagle House School, a coeducational preparatory school near Sandhurst, Berkshire from 2011 to 2021, before joining the private Radley College in Oxfordshire.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ok.co.uk/royal/james-earl-wessex-royal-family-32235015 |title=Reason James Wessex 'won't work for the Firm' – and who will inspire him |first=Rebecca |last=Russell |date=2 March 2024 |website=OK! Magazine}}

Official appearances

James made his first official appearance in the carriage procession at Trooping the Colour in 2016{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2016/jun/11/trooping-the-colour-on-the-queens-90th-birthday-in-pictures |title=Trooping the colour on the Queen's 90th birthday – in pictures |work=The Guardian |date=11 June 2016 |access-date=22 January 2024}} and also appeared at the 2022 Trooping the Colour.{{cite web | url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ellievhall/jubilee-balcony-royal-family-trooping-colour | title=Here's Everyone Who Was on the Buckingham Palace Balcony at Trooping the Colour | website=BuzzFeed News | date=2 June 2022 }}

In September 2020, he joined his parents to help the Great British Beach Clean at Southsea Beach in Hampshire, in support of the Marine Conservation Society.{{cite web |last1=Rice |first1=Francesca |title=The Countess of Wessex looks cool and casual in jeans to litter-pick at the beach with her family |url=https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/news/a34092415/countess-of-wessex-jeans-beach/ |website=Good Housekeeping |date=21 September 2020 |access-date=16 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Prince Edward and family spend sunny weekend on beach clean |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/prince-edward-countess-of-wessex-lady-louise-windsor-james-viscount-severn-southsea-beach-great-british-beach-clean |website=Tatler |date=21 September 2020 |access-date=16 November 2020}}

Following the thanksgiving memorial service for his grandfather Prince Philip on 29 March 2022, James attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving{{Cite web |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/celebs/platinum-jubilee-royal-fans-cant-24129617 |title=Royal fans can't believe how grown up the Queen's youngest grandson looks |first=Seren |last=Hughes |date=2 June 2022 |website=MyLondon}}{{Cite web |url=https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-at-the-queens-jubilee-service-of-thanksgiving-royal-family-joined-by-harry-meghan-and-politicians-past-and-present-12626991 |title=Who was at the Queen's Jubilee service of thanksgiving? Royal family joined by Harry, Meghan and politicians past and present |website=Sky News}} and the Platinum Party at the Palace in June 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/platinum-party-at-the-palace-best-pictures-jubilee-prince-charles-william-the-queen-paddington-bear |title='You laugh with us and cry with us': Prince Charles pays heartfelt tribute to 'mummy' at historic Platinum Party |work=Tatler |first=Hope |last=Coke |date=4 June 2022 |access-date=19 August 2022 }}

On 17 September 2022, during the period of official mourning for his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, James joined his sister Louise and six cousins to mount a 15-minute vigil around Elizabeth II's coffin, as it lay in state at Westminster Hall.{{cite news |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/queens-grandchildren-stand-solemn-vigil-25045818 |title=Queen's grandchildren stand solemn vigil in Westminster Hall |first=Kirstie |last=McCrum |date=17 September 2022 |work=WalesOnline |access-date=17 September 2022}} On 19 September he joined other family members at the state funeral.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/james-viscount-severn-queen-funeral-b2170361.html |title=Queen's youngest grandchild James Viscount Severn, 14, attends funeral with sister |work=The Independent |date=19 September 2022 }}

On 6 May 2023, James, who then had the courtesy title Earl of Wessex, attended his uncle Charles III's coronation at Westminster Abbey, together with the rest of the royal family. The next day they attended the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.{{cite web |title=The Coronation of TM The King and Queen Camilla |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001lt2m/the-coronation-of-tm-the-king-and-queen-camilla-the-coronation-concert |website=BBC |access-date=8 May 2023}}

On 31 March 2024, James attended the Easter Mattins Service at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, with his mother and father. He was the only member of the younger generation of royals to attend.{{Cite web |url=https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g60308010/royal-family-easter-2024-photos/ |title=The Best Photos of the British Royal Family on Easter 2024 |date=31 March 2024 |website=Town & Country}}

Titles, styles, and honours

=Titles and styles=

The title Viscount Severn alludes to the Welsh ancestry of Sophie's family.{{Cite news |title=Wessex titles for Edward and Sophie |work=BBC News |date=19 June 1999 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_report/1999/06/99/royal_wedding/373120.stm |access-date=3 May 2011}} James was accorded this courtesy title at birth, as heir apparent to his father's earldom.{{Cite web |url=http://burkespeerage.com/ |title=Burke's Peerage |website=burkespeerage.com}}

At birth James automatically became a prince of the United Kingdom (Prince James of Wessex, now Prince James of Edinburgh) due to letters patent issued in 1917 which assigned princely status and the style of Royal Highness to all male-line grandchildren of a sovereign.{{Cite web |title=Royal Styles and Titles of Great Britain: Documents |url=https://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/prince_highness_docs.htm#1864 |access-date=2023-04-25 |website=www.heraldica.org}}{{London Gazette |issue=30428 |page=13086 |date=14 December 1917 }} However, 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.{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20140201141036/http://www.gov-news.org/gov/uk/news/title_of_hrh_the_prince_edward/40309.html UK Government News – 19th June, 1999: TITLE OF HRH THE PRINCE EDWARD]}} (Accessed 18 January 2014) In 2020, James's mother reaffirmed that James and his sister retained the right to their royal titles and styles and could make a choice on whether to use them from the age of 18.{{cite web |title=Queen Elizabeth's Grandchildren Will 'Work for a Living' and Won't Use HRH, Says Mom Sophie Wessex |url=https://people.com/royals/queen-elizabeths-grandchildren-will-work-for-a-living-mom-sophie-wessex-says/ |access-date=9 June 2020 |website=People}}

On his father being elevated as Duke of Edinburgh in March 2023, James became styled by courtesy as Earl of Wessex, now the family's senior subsidiary title.{{Cite web |title=Prince Edward given Duke of Edinburgh title previously held by his father Prince Philip |url=https://news.sky.com/story/prince-edward-given-duke-of-edinburgh-title-previously-held-by-his-father-prince-philip-12830132 |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=Sky News |language=en}}{{Cite news |first=Caroline |last=Davies |date=2023-03-10 |title=King Charles gives Prince Edward 'Duke of Edinburgh' title |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/10/king-charles-gives-prince-edward-duke-of-edinburgh-title |access-date=2023-03-10 |issn=0261-3077}} The Dukedom of Edinburgh, being created as a life peerage, will become extinct upon his father's death, but as heir apparent to his father's hereditary peerages of Earl of Wessex, Earl of Forfar and Viscount Severn, James is expected to succeed to them in due course.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2023/03/10/prince-edward-new-duke-edinburgh-title-palace-process/ |title=Prince Edward may have the Duke of Edinburgh title – but getting it wasn't easy |work=The Telegraph |first=Camilla |last=Tominey |date=10 March 2023 |access-date=10 March 2023 |url-access=subscription}}

=Honours and decorations=

{{see also|List of honours of the British royal family by country}}

In June 2008, to recognise Prince Edward's visit to the Canadian province of Manitoba, a lake in the north of the province was called Lake James. James's sister was similarly honoured by Lake Louise in the same province.{{cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/story.html?id=fd966f54-9c34-40d9-ba86-e9274cd753db |title=Prince Edward begins Winnipeg visit |date=2 June 2008 |work=The Vancouver Sun |location=Canada |access-date=30 March 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110415103015/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/story.html?id=fd966f54-9c34-40d9-ba86-e9274cd753db |archive-date=15 April 2011}}