How many grandchildren does the Queen have?

Get acquainted with the many grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II - including the famous faces and otherwise spotlight shy royals.

A monarch, a mother and a grandmother. Queen Elizabeth II certainly has a lot of strings to her belt. And it's safe to say that the British Royal Family is a vast and ever-expanding one at that. Especially when you consider the number of great-grandchildren the Queen has in the royal line of succession too.

Helping you to make sense of whose who and learn a little more about them, their brood and their career, we've compiled a comprehensive guide to the Queen's many grandchildren. The perfect place to swat up on your royal knowledge before the big Jubilee celebrations.

How many grandchildren does the Queen have?

Queen Elizabeth II has eight grandchildren in total. This includes Prince William who is set to become King after his father Prince Charles. Princess Anne's son Peter is the Queen's eldest grandchild at 44, whilst Prince Edward's 14-year-old son James is her youngest.

1. Prince William

Age: 40 | Position in line to the throne: 2

Expected to one day become King of England, Prince William is arguably one of the most important and famous of the Queen's grandchildren. He is the eldest child of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana - who married in 1981 and later divorced in 1996.

Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, and the couple received the royal title of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They've since welcomed three kids together: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. William and his wife hold a number of royal patronages and carry out royal duties on behalf of the Queen. As he's got older, William has also become more involved with the behind-the-scenes operations and of the Royal Firm too. This is no doubt to help him prepare for his future role.

As for his grandmother, Prince William shared one of his favourite qualities about her. "She's a very good listener," Prince William told Katie Couric in a 2012 interview. "If you ever have problems, she will listen, and she will try to help. But otherwise she lets you get on with things, and carve your own path. Your successes are your successes, and your failures are your failures. But she'll be there to help."

2. Prince Harry

Age: 37 | Position in line to the throne: 6

Whilst he and his wife Meghan stepped back as senior royals in March 2020, the ginger prince remains the Queen's grandchild and very much in the royal line of succession. And yes, Prince Harry could still be king one day.

He's the second child of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, who has earnt a legion of fans for his charitable work. Particularly the Invictus Games Foundation, which he founded to promote and support sport and recovery for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and woman.

Prince Harry met Meghan Markle in 2016, and he and the American actress were married in 2018. They welcomed their first son Archie Harrison not long after. Then in 2020, Harry and Meghan moved to LA to start a new life away from the Royal Institution. In 2021, they welcomed their second child - a daughter named Lilibet Diana.

Despite being across the pond, Harry still keeps in touch with his Gran. In an interview with James Corden, the Prince revealed that they had Zoomed "a few times". And the Queen said the most adorable thing about Archie on one such video call. Harry and Meghan also had a recent secret meeting with the Queen when they were over in the UK in April 2022.

3. Princess Beatrice

Age: 33 | Position in line to the throne: 10

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson made sure to honour the Queen when their first daughter Princess Beatrice was born. Named Beatrice Elizabeth Mary - her middle name is a clear tribute to the Queen herself. And it's been reported that Her Majesty even suggested the name Beatrice during a family gathering at Balmoral Castle. Meaning ‘bringer of joy’, it also honours the youngest child of Queen Victoria.

Princess Beatrice became a mum herself in late 2021, when she welcomed a baby girl with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. She later confirmed her daughter's name as Sienna (whose middle name also happens to be Elizabeth). The couple's first child arrived a year and a half after Princess Beatrice's wedding during the first UK lockdown.

In an interview with Hello! magazine in 2017, Beatrice shared the huge respect she has for her granny. "I find my grandmother inspiring every day because her overwhelming sense of duty is linked with an overwhelming curiosity," she said.

"She also looks for ways in which she can inspire communities and I admire the way that she works so hard," she added. "Plus, she has to set aside time to dedicate to so many different causes. I’ve got 30 emails in my inbox. She doesn’t necessarily have email, but she’s got red box after red box. I admire her dedication greatly."

4. Princess Eugenie

Age: 32 | Position in line to the throne: 12

The second daughter of the Queen's son Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. Princess Eugenie is one of the eight grandchildren the Queen has. The youngest of the York sisters has a keen interest in art and actually works at art gallery Hauser & Wirth, where she has been since 2015.

As for her personal life, Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank in 2018 and the two announced that Eugenie had welcomed a baby boy three years later. August Brooksbank's full name features a sweet nod to the Queen's late husband Prince Philip. And furthermore, Eugenie's son doesn't have a royal title - which was a conscious choice made by both of his parents.

Eugenie is one rare Royal Family member to have a personal Instagram account. This April, she wished her grandmother a happy birthday, adding: "You have been such an inspiration to me and so many across the world. Thank you for your support, love and strength. Xx"

5. James Viscount Severn

Age: 14 | Position in line to the throne: 15

He may be the Queen's youngest grandchild but James Viscount Severn actually sits above many of his older cousins in the royal line of succession. The 14-year-old has mostly kept away from the spotlight and is rarely photographed out and about - most probably because he's a minor.

Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex's son is still in education and reportedly attends the prep school Eagle House School, near Sandhurst in Berkshire. He is also honouring his late grandfather Prince Philip by working towards his bronze Duke of Edinburgh award this year.

Aside from that, there's not much known about the royal teenager. However, rumour has it that James is actually the Queen's 'favourite grandson'.

6. Lady Louise

Age: 18 | Position in line to the throne: 16

Royal fans may be wondering why Lady Louise isn't a princess - and it seems to be a decision made by both her parents and the Queen when she was born. The only daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex - who live at Bagshot Park - and older sister to James Viscount Severn, she celebrated her 18th birthday last November. Summer 2021 also saw another momentous day for Lady Louise, as she received her A-level results too. She reportedly chose English, History, Politics and Drama as her four subjects.

It seems that the royal young adult holds a special bond with her grandmother too. Lady Louise has a cute name for the Queen and also shares her love of horses. In fact, the Queen was overcome with emotion watching Louise perform a special tribute to Prince Philip during this year's Royal Windsor Horse Show.

It's thought that Lady Louise has a special role in the upcoming Platinum Jubilee celebrations and extra bank holiday weekend marking it.

7. Peter Phillips

Age: 44 | Position in line to the throne: 18

Peter Phillips is the oldest of Queen Elizabeth's grandchildren and the first son of Princess Anne and ex-husband Captain Mark Phillips. Though in the royal line of succession, the 44-year-old is not considered a "working royal". This means he is not obliged to carry out royal duties and instead leads a relatively normal life with a regular career. Peter currently works as a managing director for boutique sports management company SEL UK. Prior to this he had similar management positions at Jaguar Racing and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Sadly, Peter Phillips and wife Autumn divorced officially in July 2021, after announcing their marriage was over a year earlier. Phillips wed Canadian management consultant Autumn Kelly in 2008 at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. They have welcomed two children together - Savannah, 11 and 10-year-old Isla - and despite the divorce remain committed to co-parenting compassionately.

Peter is dating again and has found love with new partner Lindsay Wallace. According to The Sun, he introduced her to the Queen after a shooting party at Windsor in January 2022. "The Queen is one of the most important people in Peter’s life so it’s only right that he introduces Lindsay to her," a source told the paper. "It was a very warm meeting and the Queen was clearly delighted to meet someone who makes Peter so happy."

8. Zara Phillips

Age: 41 | Position in line to the throne: 21

Last but no means least of the Queen's grandchildren is Zara Phillips. Peter's younger sister takes after Her Majesty and her mum - Princess Anne - for her dealings with horses. She's a retired British equestrian who has competed in the Olympics and won a number of medals, including Gold as the individual European Champion at Blenheim Horse Trials in 2005.

Nowadays, Zara works as a director at Cheltenham Racecourse. This is in addition to her role as a full-time mother to her three children: daughters Mia and Lena and son Lucas - who Zara gave birth to on her bathroom floor last March. She's married to former England rugby star Mike Tindall. The couple met during the World Cup in Australia in 2003 and tied the knot in May 2011 in a romantic Scottish castle.

Zara has previously shared insights into her sweet relationship with the Queen. Talking on the House of Rugby podcast, she told host Alex Payne that she often gets her grandmother's "good look". She said: “I always get the good look. We are okay, I think we are alright.”

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