Princess Beatrice of York

For other people named Princess Beatrice, see Princess Beatrice (disambiguation).

Princess Beatrice Princess Beatrice at Mundy Thursday in 2012 Full name Beatrice Elizabeth Mary House House of Windsor Father Prince Andrew, Duke of York Mother Sarah, Duchess of York Born (1988-08-08) 8 August 1988 Portland Hospital, London Religion Church of England The Royal Family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms HM The Queen HRH The Duke of Edinburgh HRH The Prince of Wales HRH The Duchess of Cornwall HRH The Duke of Cambridge HRH The Duchess of Cambridge HRH Prince Harry of Wales HRH The Duke of York HRH Princess Beatrice of York HRH Princess Eugenie of York HRH The Earl of Wessex HRH The Countess of Wessex Viscount Severn Lady Louise Windsor HRH The Princess Royal HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duchess of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Kent HRH The Duchess of Kent HRH Prince Michael of Kent HRH Princess Michael of Kent HRH Princess Alexandra

Princess Beatrice of York (Beatrice Elizabeth Mary; born 8 August 1988) is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York. She is fifth, and the first female, in the line of succession to the thrones of the sixteen Commonwealth realms.

While studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, Princess Beatrice was not expected to undertake regular Royal duties, although she did make appearances at some Royal events; for instance, she and her sister, Princess Eugenie, represented their father at a service of thanksgiving for her aunt Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2007.

Early life

Beatrice was born on 8 August 1988 at 8:18 pm at the Portland Hospital, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York, and fifth grandchild of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. She was baptised in the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace on 20 December 1988, her godparents being: Viscount Linley (her father's cousin); the Duchess of Roxburghe (now Lady Jane Dawnay); The Hon Mrs John Greenall; and Mrs Henry Cotterell. She was named after Queen Victoria's daughter Beatrice, her paternal grandmother, after Mary of Teck and after her maternal grandmother's second name. Her name, an unexpected choice, was not announced until almost two weeks after her birth. As a male-line grandchild of the Sovereign, Beatrice was styled Her Royal Highness with the title Princess Beatrice of York.

Education

Beatrice began her early education at the independent Upton House School in Windsor, in 1991. From there, she and her sister both attended the independent Coworth Park School from 1995. Beatrice continued her education at the independent St. George's School in Ascot, where she was a pupil from 2000 to 2007. Having been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, she delayed sitting her GCSE exams for one year. She remained at St. George's to take her A-Levels, gaining a grade A in drama, and B grades in history and film studies. She was elected Head Girl in her final year.

In September 2008, Beatrice began studying History at Goldsmiths, University of London., and graduated in 2011 with a 2:1 degree (BA) in History and History of Ideas.

Personal interests

In an interview to mark her 18th birthday, Beatrice said that she wanted to use her position to assist others through charity work; she had already undertaken charitable duties alongside her mother through the various organisations the Duchess supported. In 2002, Beatrice visited HIV-infected children in Russia, and, in Britain, she supported Springboard for Children (a literacy project for primary-school children with learning difficulties) and the Teenage Cancer Trust. During the summer of 2008, Beatrice volunteered as a sales clerk at Selfridges, and it was reported Beatrice and a friend have plans to found a fashion label. In April 2010, running to raise money for Children in Crisis, she became the first member of the Royal Family to complete the London Marathon.

Beatrice has also been involved in the film industry, becoming the first member of the Royal Family to appear in a non-documentary film when she made a brief non-speaking appearance as an "extra" in The Young Victoria (2009), based around the accession and coronation of Beatrice's fourth-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Beatrice had a minor, non-speaking role in a number of scenes.

Official duties

Princess Beatrice with her father and sister being driven away from St Paul's Cathedral following the Diamond Jubilee Thanksgiving Service, 5 June 2012.

Beatrice has been present at a number of official Royal occasions, such as Trooping the Colour in London, and The Queen's 80th birthday. She and her sister were also guests at the Concert for Diana, in memory of their late aunt organised by their cousins, Princes William and Harry. Both princesses attended the service of thanksgiving for Diana on 1 September 2007, representing their father, who was on an official visit to Malaysia. Beatrice was present at the wedding of her cousin Peter Phillips to Autumn Kelly in 2008, and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton. At the wedding, Beatrice's hat designed by Philip Treacy was remarked upon by some as an odd choice of fashion. Nonetheless, in May 2011, the hat was offered for sale on the internet auction site eBay with the proceeds going to charity: it was sold for £81,000 ($123,325), with the money split between Unicef and Children in Crisis. A few months later Princess Beatrice was seen at the wedding of her cousin Zara Phillips to Rugby player Mike Tindall.

Princess Beatrice performed her highest profile royal duties to date when she accompanied her grandmother the Queen to the traditional Royal Maundy services on April 5, 2012. Other than the Duke of Edinburgh, she was the sole member of the Royal Family to attend the Maundy Thursday services at York Minster with the Queen. There, Beatrice interacted with parishioners, received flowers from the public, and assisted the Queen as she passed out the official Maundy money to the pensioners. In the lead up to the 2012 Summer Olympics Princess Beatrice welcomed the Olympic flame on the steps of Harewood House near Leeds

In November 2012, Princess Beatrice became the first royal patron of the York Musical Society.

In April 2013, Princess Beatrice became royal patron of The Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre, a charity that she credits with helping her overcome her own academic challenges resulting from dyslexia.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 8 August 1988 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice of York

The Princess's style and title in full: Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrice Elizabeth Mary of York. As a British Princess, Beatrice has no official surname; however, she uses the name of the area over which her father holds title, i.e. York (as Prince Harry uses Wales, per his father, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales). Upon her marriage, if applicable, she will have the option of taking her husband's surname/title, although she will independently retain her Royal status (and be styled HRH) throughout her life.

External links

• Princess Beatrice reveals secrets
• Illustrated biography of Princess Beatrice
• Princess Beatrice joins race to be first across Olympic finish line (2012 Olympic games)
• Princess Beatrice of York at the Internet Movie Database

Princess Beatrice of York House of Windsor Cadet branch of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Born: 8 August 1988
Lines of succession
Preceded by The Duke of York	Line of succession to the British Throne 5th position	Succeeded by Princess Eugenie of York
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Autumn Phillips	Ladies HRH Princess Beatrice of York	Succeeded by Princess Eugenie of York