All The Royals When They Were Young

2 years ago

Princess Elizabeth - THEN

Image source: The Independent

Princess Elizabeth didn’t expect to be queen. Born on April 21, 1926, she was fourth in line to the throne. She married Prince Philip of Greece and all was rosy. Because her uncle then abdicated to be with divorcee, Wallis Simpson, Elizabeth's father became King. When he suddenly passed away, the 23 year old princess was next in line to be Queen of England.

The (Late) Queen Elizabeth II

Image source: The List

This image was taken only a week before her Majesty's death, when she met the short lived new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. The Queen had celebrated her Platinum anniversary, 70 years as our Queen and the longest serving Monarch ever. Admired throughout the world, she lived to the age of 96 (which was actually 5 years less than her mother).

Prince Philip Of Greece - THEN

Image source: The Independent

Philip was born into the Greek and Danish royal families. His family was exiled from the country when he was 18 months old. After being educated in France, Germany and the UK he joined the Royal Navy in 1939, aged 18. A very handsome man, Princess Elizabeth set eyes on him when she was only 13 and she became completely smitten.

The (Late) Duke Of Edinburgh

Image source; The List

Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, became consort of the British monarch on 6 February 1952 until his death in June 2021, just before his 100th birthday. The husband of Queen Elizabeth II, he was the longest serving royal consort in history. Known to be outspoken, with strong opinions, this didn't affect the love story of their great marriage.

Prince Charles - THEN

Image source: The Guardian

Born in November, 1948, Prince Charles was always going to be next in line to the throne. His parents, the Queen and Prince Philip, were often away on official duties and Charles saw more of his nanny (pictured here when Charles was 3 years old) than he did of his parents.

King Charles III - NOW

Image source: The Guardian

The Prince Of Wales was waiting in the wings to be King of England for what seemed like an eternity. In May this year at the age of 74, he finally had his coronation which was watched by the world. Very close to the late Queen, he found the day extremely emotional but was supported by his Queen, Camilla.

Prince William - THEN

Image source: Metro UK

The first child of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, Prince William was born second in line to the throne, after his father. His mother, in particular, absolutely doted upon her son and her wish was that he could lead a more normal life than the one she had, living in a goldfish bowl.

Prince Of Wales - NOW

Image source: The Independent

Forty year old William, Prince Of Wales, is the next heir to the throne. Married to the beautiful Kate Middleton (Kate, Princess Of Wales), they have three children and appear to be so much more in touch with "ordinary people" than past generations. William often makes impromptu visits to the charities he supports.

Prince Harry - THEN

Image source: Daily Mail

Cute Prince Harry was only 2 years younger than his big brother William but a totally different character. They were inseparable as youngsters but because Harry was never going to be King, he didn't have to behave impeccably like his sibling. Once he was 18, he was out partying and gathering attention the family would prefer not to have heard about!

Duke Of Sussex - NOW

Image source: The GuardianPrince Harry and his wife decided to up sticks and move to Santa Monica. They have two children and love life out of the spotlight. An in depth interview with Oprah Winfrey and a best selling autobiography by the Prince called "Spare", along with appearances on talk shows and a kiss at the superbowl, have given us mixed messages. Harry is not on good terms with his father and brother.

Kate Middleton - THEN

Image source: The List

Kate Middleton had a good childhood along with her brother and sister. Her mother had been an air hostess and came from a humble background. Her father liked to renovate properties they were living in and this enabled them to make money and move up the ladder. Kate met William in 2001 at St Andrews University in Scotland.

Princess Of Wales - NOW

Image source: The Independent

Kate is the Princess that has never put a foot wrong . Glamorous and beautiful, she is the perfect match for William. Mother of three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, the Princess Of Wales is often pictured wearing jewelry belonging to the late Princess Diana.

Camilla Parker Bowles - THEN

Image source: The List

Camilla Parker Bowles dated Prince Charles when they were both in their early twenties. Charles could not commit to her as he was often away on military duties. Tired of waiting for her Prince, Camilla married their mutual friend but it ended in divorce. We are all aware that Princess Diana had her suspicions that her husband was seeing his ex and it turned out to be true. She was, ultimately, his first true love.

Queen Camilla - NOW

Image source: Metro UK

In 2005, Camilla married Prince Charles and this divided the country. Some felt she had scarred the memory of Princess Diana and much of the UK did not initially take to her. However, she has proved to be a worthy Queen and King Charles III often refers to her as "my darling wife."

Prince Andrew - THEN

Image source: The Guardian

Prince Andrew was once the most eligible bachelor. He had served in the Falklands, come back a hero and was always surrounded by a bevy of beauties. He has always been referred to as his mother, the Queen's favorite child. He broke many hearts when he married Sarah Ferguson, now his ex wife but best friend.

Prince Andrew - NOW

Image source: The Guardian

Well, Prince Andrew's life came crashing down after his interview on UK television regarding his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. He lost all his military titles and was seen as an outcast by his family although his ex wife Sarah Ferguson and his two daughters have continued to support him.

Princess Anne - THEN

Image source: The List

Princess Anne, the Queen's only daughter, has always been a hardworking Royal. Her love of horses catapulted her to an Olympic Gold Medal in 1971 at a 3 Day Event competition. Never short of admirers, she married Captain Mark Phillips but, unfortunately, it did not stand the test of time. They had two children together.

Princess Anne - NOW

Image source: Metro UK

Princess Anne got remarried in 1992 to Sir Timothy Laurence and they have enjoyed a great relationship for over 30 years. He stays mainly in the background as she continues carrying out her duties. Very understated, she is down to earth and a no nonsense type of woman.

Prince Edward - THEN

Image source: The Independent

Prince Edward was educated at a preparatory school in Berkshire, moving on to Eton College and then Le Rosey in Switzerland. He entered the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he won the Sir James Moncrieff Grierson prize for foreign languages.

The Duke Of Edinburgh - NOW

Image source: The Independent

Edward, now Duke Of Edinburgh, married Sophie in 1999 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The engagement ring apparently cost around $120,000. The went on to have two children, Lady Louise and James and his daughter has followed in Prince Philip's footsteps with her interest in carriage driving.

Sophie Countess Of Wessex - THEN

Image source: Daily Mail

Sophie was a public relations executive when she met her future husband. They dated for several years before tying the knot in 1999. Sophie and Edward organised a charity television programme which ended up being a bit cringey and attracted bad publicity for the other Royals.

Sophie Duchess Of Edinburgh - NOW

Image source: Daily Mail

A particular favorite of the Queen, Sophie was extremely close to Her Majesty and even called her "mama". She had lost her own mother many years earlier. Sophie, now the Duchess Of Edinburgh, would sit with the Queen every day. She carries out lots of royal duties and always addresses the crowd.

Sarah Ferguson - THEN

Image source: The List

Sarah and Prince Andrew had known each other for years but did not start dating until 1985 and married a year later. She was the fiery redhead, very confident and fun loving. She bonded with Princess Diana almost immediately and the two of them would go out into London, in disguise without telling their bodyguards!

Sarah Ferguson - NOW

Image source: The List

Despite her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996, after 10 years together, the two of them have stayed in close contact and even live in separate wings of the same property these days. Sarah has made a name for herself in the States, both for her podcasts and the books she has written.

Princess Beatrice - THEN

Image source: Liaison

Princess Beatrice, named after the fifth daughter and youngest child of Queen Victoria, is the elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. She has a younger sister Eugenie. She studied at Goldsmiths College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in history. She was briefly employed at Sony Pictures.

Princess Beatrice - NOW

Image source: The Independent

Princess Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in May 2020. Unlike other Royal weddings, this one was low key due to COVID. Beatrice wore a Norman Hartnell dress belonging to the Queen which she had adjusted to fit. Th couple have a daughter Sienna. Beatrice was previously in a 10 year relationship.

Prince George - THEN

Image source: The Independent

Prince George, the future King Of England next in line to his father Prince William, was born on 22nd July 2013. The eldest of William and Kate's children, he already has a slightly different upbringing to his younger sister and brother as he will eventually be the King.

Prince George - NOW

Image source: Daily Mail

Prince George was given a big role at the Royal Coronation which saw his grandfather become King Of England. He was front and centre of the coronation ceremony in a red military-style uniform where he was one of the Pages Of Honor. These traditional uniforms go back to the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902.

Zara Phillips - THEN

Image source: The Guardian

Zara Phillips was born on 15th May 1981. Her love of horses led to her being a member of the Olympic equestrian team. She won the Eventing World Championships in Aachen back in 2006. She followed in both her mother's and father's footsteps at horse show jumping.

Zara Tindall - NOW

Image source: The List

Zara Tindall is as down to earth as her mother, Princess Anne. She met her future husband, rugby player Mike Tindall, while she was in Australia with her brother, to watch the Rugby World Cup. They clicked almost immediately and are very happily married with three children.

Princess Charlotte - THEN

image source: vanityfair.com

Princess Charlotte is the daughter of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the sister of George and Louis. She was born early in the morning on 2nd May, 2015 - even though it only feels like two minutes since we saw her baby picture! She's the second child of William and Kate, and she's also fourth in line to the British throne, now that Prince Charles has become King Charles III. As a baby, she was born at St Mary's Hospital based in Paddington in London, and her full name was announced by her parents as Charlotte Elizabeth Diana.

Princess Charlotte - NOW

image source: telegraph.co.uk

Her full name of course comes in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II, William's grandmother, and the late Princess Diana, William's mother. Charlotte is also a traditional royal name for a girl. Her official title is Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, and now at 8 years old, she's growing up fast! As with every royal birthday, William and Kate took some celebratory 8th birthday snaps of their daughter, Charlotte. Princess Charlotte was originally christened at the Church of St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham.

Prince Louis - THEN

image source: usweekly.com

Princess Charlotte's brother, Prince Louis, also the child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, was born a few years after his sister, on 23rd April, 2018. He was born a little later on in the morning - just before lunch! - at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. He's also the third and youngest child of William and Kate, following George and Charlotte, so he's officially fifth in line to the throne. On the day Louis was born, his dad, William, took his brother and sister, George and Charlotte, to pay a visit to their new younger brother at the hospital.

Prince Louis - NOW

image source: reuters.com

It's scary how fast these royal children are growing up! Prince Louis is now five years older - though he looks even older, but maybe that's just the formal looking clothes and big grin - and his recent birthday was celebrated with some fun garden snaps, including him being pushed around in a wheelchair by his mother, Kate - because why not. Prince Louis is not as often seen at royal events as his brother and sister, including the king's recent coronation concert, where it was only George and Charlotte spotted in the royal box.

Meghan Markle - THEN

image source: vanityfair.com

We've seen A LOT of Meghan Markle in her adult years, but you may not have seen much of what she looked like as a child. With a normal upbringing, it still seemed like she was destined for bigger things - and while that was a huge focus on acting (and while every child might dream of becoming a princess) little did she know that one day she would marry a prince. She was born in California, and her mom and dad separated when she was only two years old. While her mom has been supportive in her royal years, she had controversy with her father.

Meghan Markle - NOW

image source: people.com

We know pretty much everything Meghan Markle has being doing recently - mostly because she won't stop telling us about it through Netflix documentaries - but since her and Harry made their TV show and moved to America, it seems she's been getting back into the swing of things with her public appearances, focusing on her career and caring for her family. Meghan and husband Prince Harry don't seem to be slowing down in terms of signing deals to produce more content, the latest being their discussions with streaming platform Spotify.

Prince Archie - THEN

image source: townandcountrymag.com

Prince Archie was the very first child of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, born early in the morning on Monday May 6th. His birth came with the news that he would be seventh in line to the throne. There was some argument and controversy with his birth whether he would be given a royal title - at first, he didn't seem to have one, but with King Charles III coronation, it seems that Archie has now been given the title of 'Prince'. Unlike the other royal children, Archie wasn't born in a London hospital - unsurprisingly, seeing as it's Meghan and Harry.

Prince Archie - NOW

image source: townandcountrymag.com

Prince Archie has grown up fast, mostly in the American homes of Harry and Meghan, and away from the spotlight of the UK royal family. When Archie was first taken to the castle at Windsor to be introduced to the rest of the royals, he met the late Queen Elizabeth II, the late Prince Philip and also had his grandmother, Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland, present for the meet and greet! Prince Archie's live has been relatively private apart from the celebratory family photos that Meghan and Harry have released over the years.

Princess Lilibet - THEN

image source: townandcountrymag.com

Princess Lilibet is the second child of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Just like her brother, Archie, she was at first born without a royal title it would seem, but also had the title of 'princess' then given to her when King Charles III took the throne following Queen Elizabeth II's passing. Like her brother, Lilibet was born in America even though she's a member of the British royal family. She's the granddaughter of King Charles and is now seventh in line to the throne. Her name comes from the late Queen Elizabeth II's childhood nickname.

Princess Lilibet - NOW

image source: theguardian.com

Just like her brother - and the rest of the royal family's children! - Lilibet is growing up fast! Her full name is Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, with Lilibet coming from the late queens' childhood nickname, as we mentioned, then Diana coming from Harrys' late mother, while Mountbatten is the original surname of the late Prince Philip before he married the queen. Apparently her parents have stated that the royal titles of Lilibet wouldn't be used in 'everyday conversation' but that her title would count for more social occasions.

Princess Eugenie - THEN

image source: cosmopolitan.com

When she was little, Princess Eugenie was once sixth in line to the throne. Now, with the influx of children born to the more senior members of the royal family, like Prince William's children, she's now eleventh in line to the throne. Eugenie is the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and the sister of Princess Beatrice. She was born at Portland Hospital in London, and she's the sixth grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II and the late Prince Philip. She was baptized at St Mary's Magdalene's Church in Sandringham.

Princess Eugenie - NOW

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Princess Eugenie actually had to have back surgery when she was quite young to treat scoliosis, where the spine is twisted rather than being straight. She later went on to study at Newcastle University, graduating in English Literature and History of Art. She became engaged to Jack Brooksbank back in 2018, and they later married at St George's Chapel, and their first son was born in 2021, named August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, named after his great grandfather, the late Prince Philip. The couple stay at Ivy Cottage while in the UK.

Princess Diana - THEN

image source: people.com

Diana Frances Spencer was born in 1961, in Norfolk, into the Spencer family, which already had ties with the royal family when Diana was a young girl. This was one of the reasons why Diana met Prince Charles, through their connections, and later went on to marry him. When she was younger, Diana had already had a baby brother who passed away before she was born, and then later went through her parent's divorce. As a young girl, she would often play with the other younger royal children, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.

Princess Diana - NOW

image source: imdb.com

As we know, Princess Diana tragically died in a car crash in Paris, following her turbulent life as a royal and after her divorce from Prince Charles. Her legacy lives on in her children, and her grandchildren, both of which have been named in her memory. She was known for being loved by the people, and doing a lot of charity work in her lifetime. She had a lot of close friendships with well known celebrities, too, most notably Elton John who re-wrote Candle in the Wind for her funeral. Though it's been many years since her death, her memory is still held dear.

Prince Michael of Kent - THEN

image source: telegraph.co.uk

Prince Michael of Kent is one of the older members of the royal family, though not one you might have heard of or seen actively making his royal rounds! He was born in 1942, in Buckinghamshire, and one of the three children of the Duke of Kent. When he was born, he was actually seventh in line to the throne, but lots has changed now in terms of royal children in line to the throne! He was only several weeks old when his father was killed in a plane crash, near Scotland. When he was older, Prince Michael studied at Eton College.

Prince Michael of Kent - NOW

image source: wikipedia.org

He married a noblewoman, the Princess Michael of Kent (we'll get to her next!), back in the 70s, and continued his royal duties later in life. As well as being a royal, he is an entrepreneur, who actually has his own business which he manages - a consultancy business. He's also part of the Freemasons, and is fluent in Russian, as well as having a huge interest in Russia and its culture in general. He's also part of the Royal Military Academy rowing crew in Sandhurst, and is very active in a lot of sports, including taking part in the Winter Olympics.

Princess Michael of Kent - THEN

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The wife of the Prince Michael of Kent is the Princess Michael of Kent, of mixed descent, including Austrian and German. She was born a baroness in the Czech Republic, so was already a noble as a baby by birth! She had actually already been married before her union to Prince Michael of Kent, to a man named Thomas Troubridge, who was actually an English banker. They later separated and divorced - which we know used to be very frowned upon in the royal family, which is why Meghan Markle having being divorced before marrying Harry raised some royal eyebrows!

Princess Michael of Kent - NOW

image source: townandcountrymag.com

Princess Michael of Kent got into some trouble when she was spotted in a car wearing a brooch that was considered racist and offensive - for which she later apologized. She used to work as an interior designer later in her life, and before her marriage to Prince Michael of Kent. After becoming a royal, and after her marriage, she did return to her love for design work. She's also written a couple of books, and served as the president of an art gallery, and has given a fair few lectures at cultural hotspots like museums and galleries.

Prince Richard - THEN

image source: wikipedia.org

Prince Richard, also known as the Duke of Gloucester, was born in the 1940s, and is a member of the British royal family. At the time of his birth, he was entered into that famous 'here's the line of succession to the throne', of course, and now stands as 31st in line to the throne! He originally worked as an architect until he was pushed forward to be a more active royal, with the official title of Duke of Gloucester. He was born in a nursing home in Northampton, and is a descendent of King George the Fifth and Queen Mary.

Prince Richard - NOW

image source: wikipedia.org

Now 78 year old, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is married to the Duchess of Gloucester, who is a Danish woman now a member of the British royal family through her marriage to Richard. He's part of the house of Windsor, and these days he spends time with his family: his wife, and their three children together. The officially live in London, at Kensington Palace, one of the known royal residences, and he also works as the President of a society of architects, hailing back to his original profession. He was also part of the royal funeral procession to walk along the late Queen Elizabeth II's coffin.