The British Royal Family is probably the best-known royal family in the world. Most people can probably name a couple of its members, some can name several, but very few know who everyone is. In the United Kingdom, the members of the "Royal House" or "Royal Family" are not as definitively established as in some other countries. Various Letters Patent have outlined who is entitled to royal titles: specifically, the children of the monarch, male-line grandchildren, and the children of the oldest son of the Prince of Wales. However, these guidelines are not always employed. So, we tend to include members of the King Charles' family on his mother's side who are first- or second-generation descendants of a monarch. In recent years, distinction has been drawn between "working royals" and "nonworking royals".
Here is a quick guide to the women who are members of the British Royal Family and what makes them "royal":
Her Majesty The Queen
by Isaac Maynes of DCMS
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Camilla Rosemary Shand
AKA: Camilla Parker Bowles
Birth: July 17, 1947 in London
Former Title: The Duchess of Cornwall (Prior to her husband's accession, she chose to use one of his lesser titles rather than be called The Princess of Wales, out of respect to the memory of his former wife, Diana)
Spouse: His Majesty The King (Charles III)
Former Spouse: Andrew Parker Bowles
Children: Tom Parker Bowles and Lara Lopes by her first husband. The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Sussex are her stepchildren.
Areas of Interest: health, literacy, victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence, animals (particularly rescue dogs), empowering women, and the arts
Royal Connection: Spouse of King Charles III
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales
From UK Government
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Catherine Elizabeth Middleton
Birth: January 9, 1982 in Reading, England
Education: University of St Andrews (where she met her husband)
Former Career: fashion accessories buyer, web/print marketing
Other Titles: The Duchess of Cornwall, Duchess of Rothesay, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Chester, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus
Spouse: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales (Prince William)
Children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis of Wales
Areas of Interest: early childhood, mental health, sport and outdoors, visual arts
Royal Connection: Daughter-in-law of King Charles III
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Wales
Birth Name: Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge
Birth: May 2, 2015
Known Interests: piano, sport, Taylor Swift
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of King Charles III
Working Royal? No but maybe in adulthood
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal
Birth Name: Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise of Edinburgh
Birth: August 15, 1950 in London
Notable Achievements: Olympic equestrian athletes (1972 Calgary Games) and 1971 Gold Medalist in European Eventing Championships
Other Title: The Princess Anne
Current Spouse: Sir Timothy Laurence
Former Spouse: Mark Phillips
Children: Peter Phillips and Zara Phillips Tindall
Areas of Interest: International Olympic Committee, Save the Children, sport, sciences, people with disabilities
Royal Connection: Daughter of Queen Elizabeth II
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh
Birth Name: Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones
Birth: January 20, 1965 in Oxford, England
Education: West Kent College, Tonbridge
Career: Led her own firm, RJH Public Relations
Other Titles: Countess of Wessex, Countess of Forfar, Viscountess Severn
Spouse: His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh (Prince Edward)
Children: Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James Earl of Wessex
Areas of Interest: children, preventable blindness, gender equality, people with disabilities, and agriculture
Royal Connection: Daughter-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester
by Richard Gough
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Birgitta Eva Van Deurs Henrikssen
Birth: June 20, 1946 in Odense, Denmark
Education: Diploma in Commercial and Economic Studies, Copenhagen
Former Career: Secretary, Royal Danish Embassy London
Other Titles: Countess of Ulster, Baroness Culloden
Spouse: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester (Prince Richard)
Children: Alexander Earl of Ulster, The Lady Davina Windsor, The Lady Rose Gilman
Areas of Interest: lawn tennis, youth, Parkinson's research, the arts, St. Paul's Cathedral
Royal Connection: Granddaughter-in-law of King George V (father-in-law was The Prince Henry The Duke of Gloucester)
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
Birth Name: Princess Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel of Kent
Birth: December 25, 1926 in London, England
Career/Education: trained as a nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London but did not practice
Late Spouse: Sir Angus Ogilvy, KVCO, PC
Children: James Ogilvy, Marina Ogilvy
Areas of Interest: mental health care, palliative care, international aid, medical research
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of King George V (through The Prince George, The Duke of Kent)
Working Royal? Yes
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Sussex
From the Office of the
Governor General New Zealand
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Rachel Meghan Markle (Meghan)
Birth: August 4, 1981 in Los Angeles
Education: Northwest University
Career: actress, lifestyle influencer, activist
Other Titles: Countess of Dumbarton, Baroness Kilkeel
Spouse: His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex (Prince Harry)
Former Spouse: Trevor Engelson
Children: Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex
Areas of Interest: gender equality, mental health, gun safety, lifestyle/fashion, economic development
Royal Connection: Daughter-in-law of King Charles III
Working Royal? No
Her Royal Highness Princess Lilibet of Sussex
Birth Name: The Lady Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor
Birth: June 4, 2021 in Santa Barbara, California
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of King Charles III
Working Royal? No
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice
By ITU Pictures
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York
Birth: August 8, 1988 in London
Education: Goldsmiths, University of London
Career: Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy, Afiniti
Philanthropic Interests: dyslexia, children, anti-bullying
Distinction: 1st British royal woman to earn a university degree; 1st British royal to complete a marathon
Spouse: Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
Children: Sienna and Athena Mapelli Mozzi; Wolfie Mapelli Mozzi is her stepson
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II (through the former Prince Andrew)
Working Royal? No
Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie
Birth Name: Princess Eugenie Helena Victoria of York
Birth: March 23, 1990 in London
Education: Newcastle University
Career: Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy, Afiniti
Philanthropic Interests: anti-slavery, sustainable development,
Spouse: Jack Brooksbank
Children: August and Ernest Brooksbank
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II (through the former Prince Andrew)
Working Royal? No
The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
Birth Name: The Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor
Birth: November 8, 2003 in Surrey, England
Education: University of St Andrews
Career: studying English
Title?: Her Royal Highness Princess Louise of Edinburgh (Although provided for by Letters Patent in 1917, her parents chose to style their children as children of an Earl. As an adult, she could opt to use her "rightful" royal title.)
Interests: equestrian sports, carriage driving, outdoor sports
Royal Connection: Male-line granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II (through The Prince Edward, The Duke of Edinburgh)
Working Royal? No
Her Royal Highness Princess Michael of Kent
by Mark Jones
via Wikimedia Commons
Birth Name: Baroness Marie-Christine Anna Agnes Hedwig Ida von Reibnitz
Birth: January 14, 1945 in Karlsbad, Greater German Reich (now Czech Republic)
Education: Northwest University
Career: author, interior designer
Spouse: His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent
Former Spouse: Thomas Troubridge
Children: Lord Frederick Windsor, Lady Gabriella Kingston
Areas of Interest: cheetah conservation, natural history
Royal Connection: Granddaughter-in-law of King George V (father-in-law was Prince Michael of Kent)
Working Royal? No
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