James, Earl of Wessex is celebrating his 18th birthday \u2013 marking
\na significant moment for the youngest son of the Duke and Duchess
\nof Edinburgh and one of the more discreet figures in the The Royal
\nFamily.<\/p>\n
Born on 17 December 2007 at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey,
\nJames Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten\u2011Windsor entered the world
\nas Viscount Severn, a courtesy title reflecting his place in the
\npeerage as the heir to his father\u2019s earldom. As a boy he was the
\nyoungest of Queen Elizabeth II\u2019s grandchildren, and at birth was
\neighth in line to succeed to the throne. Subsequent changes in the
\nline of succession have seen him move down the order to
\nfourteenth-in-line, a reminder of the many branches now flourishing
\nwithin the House of Windsor.<\/p>\n
The shaping of his early life was quietly influenced by royal
\ntradition and evolving practice. Although, under Letters
\nPatent, all male\u2011line grandchildren of a sovereign
\nautomatically receive the style of Prince and the prefix His Royal
\nHighness, Buckingham Palace announced on his parents\u2019 marriage that
\nJames and his sister Lady Louise would be styled instead as
\nchildren of an earl, without HRH titles. That choice was intended
\nto allow a more grounded upbringing and leaves open the possibility
\nthat.<\/p>\n
\nAs he has now reached adulthood, he may choose whether to use
\nprincely styles or not. However, in keeping with his sister\u2019s
\ndecision, it is widely expected that James will continue to live
\nlife without the style of HRH.<\/a><\/p>\n