Lady Louise
Lady Louise, first child of Prince Edward and Sophie the Countess of Wessex was born prematurely at the Frimley Park Hospital on 8 November 2003. Her mother, the Countess of Wessex, was rushed to the hospital due to a placental abruption which had caused severe loss of blood in both the child and the mother and this had necessitated an emergency caesarean section. The Countess had previously suffered from an ectopic pregnancy. Due to the emergency birth circumstances, Prince Edward was not present at the birth. As a precaution, Lady Louise was transferred to the neonatal unit of the St. George’s Hospital in Tooting, London while the Countess remained at the Frimley hospital till she was well enough to be released.
Lady Louise was released from neo natal care on 23rd November and her name was announced on 27th November. Her baptism took place on April 24 2004 in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle.
Her Godparents are Rupert Elliot, Francesca Schwarzenbach, Lady Alexandra Etherington, Lady Sarah Chatto and Lady Iyar Mountbatten.
Lady Louise is ninth in the line of succession to the British throne. Until she was born, the first ten positions for succession had remained unchanged for thirteen years after her cousin, Princess Eugenie, was born in 1990. Lady Louise was born with exotropia, an eye disorder and it was reported in January of 2006 that she had undergone a half-hour operation to correct it under general anaesthesia. However, in 2009 it has again been reported that her parents had decided against the treatment so it is unclear whether the condition was actually treated.
Lady Louise’s full name is Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor, all traditional names for the British royal Family. Louise is in memory of the Earl’s great great paternal grandmother, Louise of Hesse-Cassel; Alice is a name taken from the Earl’s paternal grandmother; Elizabeth is a name given to her in honour of the Earl’s maternal grandmother (The Queen Mother); and Mary is a name given to her to honor the Countess’s mother. The inclusion of the countess’s mother’s name is the first instance of honouring the non-royal side of the family for the Windsors, but of course you could also say that Mary is a pretty Royal name!
- Full Name: Lady Louise Alice Elizabeth Mary Mountbatten-Windsor
- Father: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
- Mother: Sophie, Countess of Wessex
- Born: 8th November, 2003 at Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey
Viscount Severn
Viscount Severn was born at the Frimley hospital, Surrey on December 17, 2007. He is the only son and the second child of the Earl of Wessex, Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex. He is also the first grandson of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip since Prince Harry’s birth 23 years ago. Viscount Severn is eighth in the line of succession to the British throne.
Lord Severn was christened James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor at the Windsor Castle’s private chapel on the 19th of April, 2008. He wore a christening gown that was a replica of the gown worn by Queen Victoria’s eldest daughter, Princess Victoria, in the 1840s. This gown has been worn at most royal christenings and the old gown has been preserved. Viscount Severn’s Godparents are Tom Hill, Alastair Bruce, Denise Poulton, Jeanye Irwin and Duncan Bullivant.
- Full Name: James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor
- Father: Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
- Mother: Sophie, Countess of Wessex
- Born: December 17, 2007 in Surrey at Frimley Park Hospital
