While many young girls dream of feeling like a princess on their wedding day, it’s a rare few that actually become royalty when they get married.
When Catherine Middleton walks down the aisle at Westminster Abbey on Friday, she will marry Britain’s Prince William and become consort to a future King of England. His father, Prince Charles, is heir apparent to the crown.
“As the wife of the second-in-line to the throne she will regularly have royal duties,” said Estelle Bouthillier, an information and documentation analyst at Concordia University and an expert on the Royal Family.
“At the beginning, she will mostly go with Prince William. When she becomes accustom to those events, she will start do to some alone.”
It remains to be seen whether or not the first couple years of their marriage will have many official engagements. Prince William is currently on a tour of duty as a search and rescue pilot with the British air force, which is expected to last until 2013.
“After this date, they may start having more royal duties to do,” noted Ms. Bouthillier. “We have to remember that the Queen and Prince Philip are 85 and 90-years-old (as of 2011), they will want to slow down their activities and ask the new generation to pitch in more.”
And while she adjusts to life as a royal, Ms. Middleton can take solace in knowing that several other commoners have married into the Royal Family over the past several decades – including one with connections to Newfoundland and Labrador.
Born in Placentia
The Countess of St. Andrews was born Sylvana Palma Tomaselli on May 28, 1957 in Placentia, a community located on the province’s east coast.
“I am really touched by your interest, but am sorry to have to say that my parents left Newfoundland when I was about 18 months old,” wrote the Countess in an email to the Georgian regarding her early life.
Her family returned to live in Europe, but the Countess moved back to Canada as a teenager, living in Quebec before moving to British Columbia.
She was married to John Paul Jones on Dec. 25, 1977, in B.C. and divorced four years later. She completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of British Columbia and a master’s degree at York University in Ontario.
It was while pursuing her academic career at the University of Cambridge in Britain that she met George Windsor, the Earl of St. Andrews, in 1985. His father, the current Duke of Kent, is a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
“At the time of the engagement on June 10, 1987, there were few comments in the press,” said Ms. Bouthillier, noting the Queen gave her consent to the marriage.
The Countess’ engagement ring was a round sapphire with a diamond on each side. The couple married on Jan. 9, 1988, at the Leith Registrar Office, near Edinburgh in Scotland.
“The bride was wearing a blue velvet two-piece suit with a white blouse (and) her cossak-style hat was of the same fabric as her suit,” noted Ms. Bouthillier. “Her bridal bouquet was made of Christmas roses.”
She said members of the groom’s family attending the ceremony included his parents, his brother and sister, Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra and her son, James Ogilvy.
Among the bride’s supporters were her father, Maximilian Karl Tomaselli, and friend Katherine Panter. About 1,000 people gathered outside the office to cheer on the couple and a reception at the Holyrood House Palace following the ceremony.
The Earl and Countess are considered private citizens and do not carry out official royal duties. Ms. Bouthillier said this wouldn’t change once the Earl’s father dies and the couple becomes the Duke and Duchess of Kent.
“They attended special family events like the funeral of the Queen Mother or the celebrations of the Queen’s Golden Anniversary,” noted Ms. Bouthillier. “I will assume they will attend the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.”
Line of succession
While the Queen gave her consent to the marriage of the Earl and Countess of St. Andrews, the Earl lost his place in the line of succession to the British crown because his wife is a Roman Catholic.
“According to the Act of Settlement 1701, no Roman Catholic or (a person) married to one can succeed to the throne,” said Ms. Bouthillier.
The Earl and Countess have three children, the eldest being Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick.
“He was born on Dec. 2, 1988,” said Ms. Bouthillier. “Diana, Princess of Wales was his godmother. He converted to Catholicism in 2003. Therefore, he lost his rights to succeed to the throne.”
Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor was born on Sept. 30, 1992. She also converted to Catholicism in 2008 and lost her rights in the line of succession.
The couple’s youngest child, Lady Amelia Windsor, was born on Aug. 24, 1995. She has not converted to Catholicism and is currently 29th in line to the throne.
And while the Countess has not visited Newfoundland since leaving as an infant, she told the Georgian she hopes to one day return one day with her family.
“Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to go back, though it is on my wish list and my children are also very eager to visit,” she stated.
Another Royal with Canadian ties expected at wedding
Besides the Countess of St. Andrews, there’s another member of the Royal Family with Canadian connections expected to attend the marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Autumn Phillips is the wife of Peter Phillips – the son of Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, and the eldest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Ms. Philips was born in Montreal, Que., on May 3, 1978 to Brian and Kitty Kelly. In 2002, she obtained a degree in management from Montreal McGill University.
It was while attending the Montreal Grand Prix in 2003 that she met her future husband, 11th in the line of succession to the British crown.
“She was raised in the Roman Catholic faith (and) she converted to Anglicanism before her wedding to Peter Phillips,” said Estelle Bouthillier, an information and documentation analyst at Concordia University and an expert on the Royal Family. “This way, he did not lose his rights to succeed to the throne.”
Ms. Bouthillier noted the couple does not have a royal title, nor do they undertake official royal duties.
“When Peter Phillips was born on Nov. 15, 1977, Princess Anne and her (then) husband Mark Phillips, declined an offer from the Queen to bestow a title on their newborn son,” she said. “They wanted for him to be able to lead a private life. The same is true for his sister, Zara Phillips.”
Mr. Philips works for the Royal Bank of Scotland and Ms. Philips is currently a stay-at-home mother with their daughter, Savannah, who was born on Dec. 29, 2010.
Ms. Bouthillier noted the daughter’s name has not officially been confirmed by Buckingham Palace officials.
