Topic: Prince Edward

HM The Queen HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, KG, GCVO, SOM, ADC(P) (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) is the third son and fourth child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. At the time of his birth, he was third in the line of succession to the thrones of ten independent states; however, after additions to the Royal Family, and an evolution of the Commonwealth, Edward is now seventh in line to the thrones of 16 countries. He is a resident of and most directly involved with the United Kingdom, the oldest realm, while also carrying out duties in and on behalf of the other states of which his mother is sovereign.

Edward was born at Buckingham Palace on 10 March 1964, the fourth child and third son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and fifth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Baptised on 2 May 1964 in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle by then Dean of Windsor, Robert Woods, the Prince's godparents were: Prince Richard of Gloucester (his cousin); the Duchess of Kent (his cousin by marriage, for whom Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent 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). As the child of the sovereign, Edward was styled from birth as His Royal Highness and held the title The Prince Edward.