This 19-Year-Old Princess Has Been Removed From The Line To The British Throne

Grace Kelly's granddaughter is no longer an heir to the British throne

This 19-Year-Old Princess Has Been Removed From The Line To The British Throne

by Phoebe Parke |
Updated on

Princess Alexandra of Hanover has reportedly been removed from the British line of succession after becoming a member of the Catholic Church, according to Royal Central.

The 19-year-old is the only child of Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Princess Caroline of Monaco.

She was christened as a Lutheran two months after she was born in 1999, but has now decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Catholic, thus renouncing her claim to the British throne, as the Queen is the head of the Church of England.

Princess Alexandra is still 12th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne - Prince Albert II, Prince of Monaco is the current reigning monarch.

Reactions to the news have been mixed; ‘I understand that if the sovereign is also Head of the Church of England, they should be Anglican; but to disallow only Catholics and not others, like Lutherans, is antiquated bigotry,’ wrote one Royal Central commenter.

‘I'd always thought the Hanovers, like the Hohenzollerns, were out of the line of succession since the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas became Windsors,’ added another.

READ MORE: An A-Z Guide To Dressing Like The Queen

Gallery

An A-Z Guide On Dressing Like The Queen

Queen in Anello and Davide1 of 27

A

London-based footwear brand Anello and Davide is where the Queen purchases some of her favourite shoes. And it was recently revealed that Her Majesty has hired someone to break in her block heels... If that's not goals, then we don't know what is.

Queen with broaches2 of 27

B

The Queen's most cherished piece of jewellery? The brooch. Her Majesty is rarely seen without a bejewelled pin on the left of her jacket. She'll even go so far as to pesonalising her brooch depending on the country she is visiting.

Queen colour block3 of 27

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The Queen of England? More like the Queen of colour-blocking. Her Majesty has a talent for making anything look brilliant whether its head-to-toe fuchsia or this season's 'It' hue, yellow.

Queen in jewels4 of 27

D

Diamonds are the Queen's best friend, after all.

Queen on tube5 of 27

E

Enjoy fashion. What inspires us the most about the Queen is the way in which she embraces fashion. She plays with the colour palette, experiments with hats and is never, ever short of Instagrammable accessorises. But the best part? She's always dressed for the day ahead. Whether she's travelling by horse-drawn carriage or, well, the tube...

Queen in flower crown6 of 27

F

Believe it or not, the Queen was the original festival girl. Just take a moment to appreciate the flower-embellished hats she donned in the late seventies.

Queen holding baby7 of 27

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We can't help but wonder if the Queen inspired Princess Diana's love of colourful gloves?

Queen in headscarf8 of 27

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We doubt the Queen ever has a bad hair day but if she does, she's got a failsafe plan. Whether she's out riding her horses or going on a state visit, Her Majesty is sure to don a fabulous headscarf. And of course, the accessory will always match her co-ords.

Queen in chic outfits9 of 27

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Invest. The Queen rarely performs outfit repeats. So ensure you have a co-ord for every possible occasion. You never know who you might meet and quite frankly, it could be a little embarassing...

Queen in ceremonial gowns10 of 27

J

The Queen has reportedly never worn jeans. Or at least, she's never been spotted in public donning a pair.

Queen with corgis11 of 27

K

Keep your corgis close. The Queen's greatest accessories are of course her beloved pets. You cannot even begin to channel the Queen's majestic aesthetic without the help of the most quintessentially royal emblem there is.

Queen in sparkles12 of 27

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Let loose on the sparkles. You needn't be a princess to don glitter. The Queen debuted one of our favourite looks to date back in 1964 when she attended a banquet at Claridges in a gold dress and fur stole.

Queen with handbag13 of 27

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The Queen has been carrying the miniature handbag before we even knew they were a trend.

Queen with handbag14 of 27

Queen with handbag

But Her Majesty doesn't just carry them on the crook of her arm for sartorial purposes, as the secret reason behind her growing collection was recently revealed...

Queen wedding day15 of 27

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Queen Elizabeth II married Philip Mountbatten on 20 November, 1947. As the second world war had only just come to an end, Her Majesty had to purchase material for her wedding dress using ration coupons. The gown was designed by Norman Hartnell and was made from white satin.

Queen in furs16 of 27

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Rule number one when it comes to royal protocall? One can never be overdressed. So don layers of pearls, faux furs and always choose the sparkliest tiara.

Queen in pearls17 of 27

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Well, you couldn't possibly rule as the Queen of England without pearls. Her Majesty is rarely spotted without a full set.

Queen in rainbow colors18 of 27

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Rainbow hues. There isn't a colour on the spectrum that the Queen cannot pull off. Whether it's primary red or sunny yellow. We challenge you to find someone who wears it better. Good luck.

Queen in royal farms on throne19 of 27

R

Rule the fashion scene. The Queen is never afraid to don the brightest colour in the crowd or debut the sparkliest tiara. Channel Her Majesty this season with similar flair and enthusiasm. Do Liz proud.

Queen with mum20 of 27

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Seek sartorial inspiration from your mum. Her Majesty often co-ordinated with the late Queen Mother. The mother/daughter duo often sported similar hats, hairstyles and miniature handbags.

Queen in trousers21 of 27

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The Queen has only ever been photographed in trousers once. Her Majesty was pictured in a suit by Ian Thomas during the 1970 Royal Canadian Tour.

Queen with matching umbrella22 of 27

U

The Queen is as dedicated to fashion as she is to her royal duties. And if she's going to colour-block her outfit, she isn't one to do it half-heartedly. Her Majesty even goes so far as to co-ordinate her umbrellas to her outfits.

Queen in maximalist clothing23 of 27

V

Veer away from monochrome. The Queen is no Scandi-wannabe. Want proof? We challenge you to find an ounce of minimalism in her wardrobe. So channel the rainbow and you'll soon bring a smile to your colleague's faces. We'll be paying sartorial homage to Her Majesty next Monday in sunny yellow...

Queen on horseback24 of 27

W

Oh, one does love to go outdoors. The Queen is renowned for her adoration of horses and always dresses for the occasion. Her go-to outfit? Her Majesty often teams a waistcoat and waterproof with a co-ordinating headscarf and wellies.

Queen Elizabeth as a young princess25 of 27

X

XCI. The Queen has been reigning the style stakes for a grand 91 years. Impressive.

Queen in yellow26 of 27

Y

The Queen is undoubtedly able to pull of any hue but our favourite? It has to be yellow. The sunny shade is a failsafe and the Queen has been donning the look long before any of us declared it the colour of the season.

Queen in zipped jacket with queen mum27 of 27

Z

Zip up. Each of the Queen's outfits is fitted with a zip in preparation for endless outfit changes.

Princess Alexandra of Hanover has two half-brothers from her father’s previous marriage, and two from her mother’s previous marriage as well as a half-sister Charlotte Casiraghi. She is the only one of her siblings to carry any kind of royal title.

Princess Alexandra has been photographed at fashion shows over the years, including Saint Laurent’s show at Paris Fashion Week in 2017, and Chanel’s AW18/19 presentation in March 2018.

She is the granddaughter of Grace Kelly and related to Queen Victoria on her father’s side, she is currently dating Ben Sylvester Strautmann.

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