James, Earl Of Wessex

James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex, was born on 17 December 2007 at 4:20 pm at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, England. His birth was via caesarean section. He is the younger child and only son of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. His full name is James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor.

James is the youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is a nephew of King Charles III. As of his birth, he was eighth in the line of succession to the British throne; as of 2025, he is 16th in the line.

His father, Prince Edward, is the youngest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. His mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was engaged in public relations before marrying Prince Edward in 1999. James has an older sister named Louise.

James's baptism took place on 19 April 2008 in the private chapel of Windsor Castle. The ceremony was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor, and was attended by his godparents—Alastair Bruce, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Denise Poulton, Jeanye Irwin—as well as his paternal grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

For his education, James attended Eagle House School, a coeducational preparatory institution near Sandhurst, Berkshire, from 2011 until 2021. He later transferred to Radley College, a private school located in Oxfordshire.

His first official public appearance occurred in 2016 during the carriage procession at Trooping the Colour. He participated again in the event in 2022. In September 2020, he joined his parents at Southsea Beach in Hampshire to participate in the Great British Beach Clean, supporting the Marine Conservation Society.

In June 2022, James attended the Platinum Jubilee National Service of Thanksgiving and the Platinum Party at the Palace, marking the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. He was also present at the memorial service for Prince Philip on 29 March 2022 and participated in the vigil around Queen Elizabeth II's coffin at Westminster Hall on 17 September 2022, prior to her funeral service two days later.

On 6 May 2023, James, then known as Earl of Wessex, attended the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. He and his family also participated in the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle. Most recently, on 31 March 2024, he attended the Easter Matins Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he was the only member of the younger generation of the royal family in attendance.

Regarding titles, James was born with the courtesy title Viscount Severn, which references Welsh heritage from his mother’s family. Although he was entitled to be styled as a prince and entitled to the style of Royal Highness per letters patent from 1917, his parents announced in 2008 that their children would be styled as the children of an earl, rather than as prince or princess. In 2020, his mother confirmed that James and his sister retained their rights to their royal titles and could choose to use them at age 18.

In March 2023, upon his father's elevation to Duke of Edinburgh, James assumed the courtesy title Earl of Wessex. As the heir apparent to the Duke's hereditary titles of Earl of Wessex, Earl of Forfar, and Viscount Severn, he is expected to inherit those titles upon the passing of his father.

James has received honors including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012) and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2022). In June 2008, a lake in Manitoba, Canada, was named Lake James in recognition of Prince Edward’s visit, and similarly, Lake Louise was named to honor his sister.