Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex

Baptised on 2 May 1964 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle by the then Dean of Windsor, Robert Woods; the Prince's godparents were: Prince Richard of Gloucester (his mother's first cousin); the Duchess of Kent (his mother's first cousin by marriage, for whom Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, his mother's aunt by marriage, stood proxy); Princess George William of Hanover (his paternal aunt); the Prince of Hesse and by Rhine (his cousin); and the Earl of Snowdon (his maternal uncle by marriage). As a child of the Sovereign, Edward was styled from birth as His Royal Highness The Prince Edward. Read Less

The wedding itself took place on 19 June, of the same year, at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. This was a break from the weddings of Edward's older siblings, which were large, formal events at Westminster Abbey or St Paul's Cathedral. On his wedding day, the Queen conferred on Prince Edward the titles of Earl of Wessex and Viscount Severn, again breaking with the tradition that the son of a sovereign is created a Duke. It was also announced that the Earl of Wessex would be created Duke of Edinburgh when that dukedom, held by Edward's father since 1947, reverts to the Crown, which can happen only after both of his parents have died (see here for details). It was also announced that any children of the Earl and Countess would be styled as the children of an Earl, rather than as Prince/ss and Royal Highness (as they would otherwise have been under the Letters Patent issued by King George V). Consequently, Edward's two children are known as Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. The family resides at Bagshot Park in Surrey. Read Less