Princess Eugenie

Princess Eugenie
Princess Eugenie of York
File:Eugenie of York.jpg
Names Eugenie Victoria Helena Mountbatten-Windsor
House	House of Windsor
Father	The Duke of York
Mother	Sarah, Duchess of York
Occupation	Student, Marlborough College

Princess Eugenie of York (Eugenie Victoria Helena Mountbatten-Windsor; born 23 March 1990) is a member of the British Royal Family and a granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Eugenie is sixth in the Line of succession to the British Throne and has been since her birth in 1990.She is very close to her sister, Princess Beatrice

Early life

Princess Eugenie was born on 23 March 1990 at the Portland Hospital in London. Her father is Prince Andrew, Duke of York, the third child and the second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Her mother is Sarah, Duchess of York, (née Sarah Ferguson), the daughter of the late Major Ronald Ferguson and the late Susan Barrantes (dec). She was named after Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She has one older sister, Princess Beatrice, who was born in 1988.

She was christened on 23 December 1990, at the church of St. Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, the first royal baby to have a public christening. She was christened by the Bishop of Norwich. Her godparents were: James Ogilvy, Captain Alastair Ross; Mrs. Ronald (Sue) Ferguson (her step-grandmother); Mrs. Julia Dodd-Noble; and Miss Louise Blacker.

As a granddaughter of the British monarch in the male line, Eugenie is styled as a Princess of the United Kingdom with the style Her Royal Highness, and is therefore styled Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York. Eugenie and her sister, Beatrice, are the only granddaughters of the Queen to hold the title of Princess and the style of Her Royal Highness.

Education

Princess Eugenie first attended nursery school at Winkfield Montessori, Surrey in 1992. She then joined her sister at Upton House School, Windsor. Beatrice and Eugenie then attended Cowarth Park, Surrey in 1995. In 2001 she passed her Common Entrance Examination and attended St George's School, Windsor for two years. In 2003, Princess Eugenie began her higher education at Marlborough College in Wiltshire where she chose to become a boarder. Eugenie passed nine GCSEs in 2006, achieving two A*s in English language and art, three As in History, English literature, Religious education and four Bs in maths, science, Spanish and French

Health

In October 2002 Princess Eugenie, then aged twelve, underwent back surgery at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London to correct scoliosis, a condition with which she had been diagnosed. She since has made a full recovery and is not expected to undergo any further surgery for that condition.

Home life

Princess Eugenie's parents, the Duke and Duchess of York, separated in 1992 when the girls were still very young. Their divorce was finalised in 1996 but it was agreed they would share custody of the children. The divorce was always amicable as the Duke and Duchess remain close friends and are "co-parents". Due to her age Eugenie does not carry out official royal duties but sometimes makes appearances with the Royal Family at events. When not at boarding school her time is spent with her family at Royal Lodge in Windsor or elsewhere.

Titles, Styles, Honours & Arms

Titles

• 1990-: Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie of York

Notes

It had been suggested that Princess Eugenie and her sister be stripped of both their HRH style and princess titles as part of a downsizing of the Royal Family, and become "The Lady Eugenie Windsor" and "The Lady Beatrice Windsor" respectively, the style possessed by daughters of a non-royal duke. Their father is said to be strongly opposed to this idea, as it is their legal birthright to hold the royal title of princess being that they are the granddaughters of a sovereign in the male line.

She and her sister Beatrice are the only granddaughters of the Queen to hold the title of Princess, her elder cousin Zara Phillips is untitled, at the specific request of her parents, and her younger cousin Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, has been styled The Lady Louise at the specific request of her parents. Lady Louise remains, however, a Princess in the absence of letters patent and can, therefore, chose to adopt her legal title once she comes of age, should she wish to.

Eugenie is not at ease with the press like her sister and mother however she is described as being "great fun" and "wonderful company" away from the public lens.

Though Eugenie's mother has a strained relationship with many senior members of the royal family, Eugenie and her sister Beatrice are very much a part of the royal fold and the Queen keeps in regular contact with them.

External links

• Illustrated biography of Princess Eugenie

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