Princess Beatrice of York - Early Life

Early Life

Beatrice was born on 8 August 1988 at 8:18 pm at the Portland Hospital, the first child of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and Sarah, Duchess of York, and fifth grandchild of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh. She is also a distant cousin of her late aunt Diana, Princess of Wales, whose father was John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer for Beatrice's mother Sarah, Duchess of York is a direct descendant of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, daughter of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer, (via Georgiana's illegitimate daughter Eliza Courtney). 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 The Princess Beatrice (youngest daughter of Queen Victoria), after Queen Mary (The Queen's grandmother) and after the Duchess' mother's second name. As a male-line grandchild of the Sovereign, Beatrice was styled Her Royal Highness with the title Princess Beatrice of York.

Beatrice and her sister are the only granddaughters of The Queen to hold the title of Princess and the style Her Royal Highness by Letters Patent issued by King George V. Like all of the grandchildren of The Queen she is a descendent of the Tudor king Henry VII through his daughter Margaret and thus also descendents of the Stuart line through Margaret's great-grandson James VI of Scotland and I of England. Their cousin Lady Louise Windsor, although she could be formally titled Princess, is styled as the daughter of an Earl, at the request of her parents. Other cousins, Peter and Zara Phillips, are the children of Princess Anne; the title of Prince/Princess is not carried through the female line.