Princess Alexandra of Hanover (born 1999)

Princess Alexandra of Hanover (Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia; born 20 July 1999)[1] is a Monegasque figure skater and the fourth child of Princess Caroline of Monaco and the third of Ernst August, Prince of Hanover.

Princess Alexandra
Princess Alexandra in 2020
Born (1999-07-20) 20 July 1999 (age 24)
Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria, Austria
Names
Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia
HouseHanover
FatherErnst August, Prince of Hanover
MotherPrincess Caroline of Monaco

Early life and family edit

Alexandra was born on 20 July 1999 in Vöcklabruck, Upper Austria.[2][3] She was christened on 19 September 1999 by Horst Hirschler, Landesbischof of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover, in a ceremony at her father's hunting lodge Auerbach, near Grünau im Almtal, Upper Austria. Her godparents are her paternal aunt Alexandra, Princess of Leiningen, maternal half-sister Charlotte Casiraghi, Ulrike Ulmschneider, Maryam Sachs, Virginia Gallico, George Condo, and Eric Maier. She was named after each of her godmothers.[4]

She has half-siblings from her parents' previous marriages. From her father's previous marriage, she has two half-brothers, Hereditary Prince Ernst August and Prince Christian of Hanover.[3] From her mother's previous marriage, she has two half-brothers, Andrea and Pierre Casiraghi, and one half-sister, Charlotte Casiraghi. Her maternal uncle, Albert II, is the sovereign of Monaco. She is a granddaughter of American actress Grace Kelly.[5][6] On her father's side, she is a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and King Christian IX of Denmark.[7] She is also a first cousin once removed of Queen Sofía of Spain and King Constantine II of the Hellenes.

Alexandra is the only one of Princess Caroline's four children who bears any royal style or title. While she is formally styled as Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Hanover in Monaco, she is afforded the style and title out of courtesy elsewhere.[2][3] She is 13th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne.[2][8] Through her father, she was in the line of succession to the British throne[9] until 2018, when she was confirmed into the Catholic Church.[10]

Figure skating career edit

Alexandra began skating when she was ten years old after receiving ice skates as a Christmas present.[8] When she was 11 years old, she competed at a competition in Toulon, France.[11] At the age of 12, she competed in the "Skate 7" class at the 10th Figure Skating Championship in Monaco, finishing in second place. She was awarded the cup of the Monegasque Federation of Skating.[citation needed]

Alexandra represented Monaco in figure skating at the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival in Austria[12] and in two competitive events during the 2015–16 season at the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating.[13]

Career results edit

JGP: Junior Grand Prix[14]

Programs edit

Season[15] Short program Free skating Exhibition
2015–2016
[15]

Competitive highlights edit

International: Junior[14]
Event 14–15 15–16
JGP Spain 33rd
JGP Austria 35th
EYOF 29th

Detailed results edit

2015–16 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
1–4 October 2015 2015 JGP Spain Junior 34
12.86
33
29.78
33
42.64
9–13 September 2015 2015 JGP Austria Junior 35
14.02
35
30.53
35
44.55
2014–15 season
Date Event Level SP FS Total
26–28 January 2015 2015 EYOF Junior 29
11.72

29
11.72

Personal life edit

When Alexandra was 11 years old, German entertainment magazine Freizeit Revue published an article about and photographs of her competing at a figure skating competition in France. The article also covered her mother's dating life and other personal matters. Alexandra sought injunctive relief and sued the magazine, taking the case to the German Federal Court of Justice.[11]

In March 2015, Alexandra attended Monaco's Rose Ball for the first time. However, it was not until the next year's ball that she entered the event with her family, thus gaining the notice of the society press.[16]

In October 2018, Princess Alexandra converted to Catholicism, thereby renouncing her distant place in the line of succession to the British throne.[17]

References edit

  1. ^ Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XVIII. "Haus Hannover". C.A. Starke Verlag, 2007, pp. 23, 25–26. ISBN 978-3-7980-0841-0.
  2. ^ a b c Prince's Palace of Monaco. Biography: HRH The Princess of Hanover Archived 22 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b c Willis, Daniel A., The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, Clearfield Company, 2002, p. 73. ISBN 0-8063-5172-1
  4. ^ Kelley, Parker (2021). Her Way: The Extraordinary Life of Monaco's Princess Caroline (Kindle ed.). p. 71. Retrieved 24 October 2021. She was named Alexandra Charlotte Ulrike Maryam Virginia, in the tradition of the Hanover family to name female babies after each godmother or male babies after each godfather.
  5. ^ "Fun Fact: Olympic Figure Skater Gracie Gold's Costume Designer Also Makes Dresses for Grace Kelly's Granddaughter".
  6. ^ "See Grace Kelly's 14 Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren Today!". 22 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Princess Caroline's daughter Alexandra of Hanover: from cheeky young princess to belle of the ball". 28 April 2016.
  8. ^ a b Knightley, Emma (2018). Princely Monaco XXI: The House of Grimaldi in the 21st Century (Kindle ed.). ISBN 9780359058945.
  9. ^ Willis, Daniel A., The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain, Clearfield Company, 2002, p. vii. ISBN 0-8063-5172-1
  10. ^ "Princess Alexandra of Hanover removed from British line of succession for becoming Catholic".
  11. ^ a b "Germany: Federal Court allows publication of photos of Princess Caroline's daughter - Global Media and Communications Watch". 4 October 2013.
  12. ^ "Albert de Monaco : Fier, il salue la prestation sur glace de sa nièce Alexandra". Pure People.
  13. ^ "Princess Alexandra of Hanover: from cheeky royal to belle of the ball". 28 April 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Competition Results: Alexandra DE HANOVRE". International Skating Union.
  15. ^ a b "Alexandra DE HANOVRE: 2015/2016". International Skating Union.
  16. ^ "Princess Alexandra of Hanover: from cheeky royal to belle of the ball". 19 November 2018. Archived from the original on 19 November 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Monegasque princess removed from British line of succession for becoming Catholic". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
Princess Alexandra of Hanover (born 1999)
Cadet branch of the House of Welf
Born: 20 July 1999
Lines of succession
Preceded by
Balthazar Rassam
Succession to the Monegasque throne
13th in line
Followed by