The Gist
The British royal family is large, with many cousins, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren filling up its ranks.
Non-working royals include DJ and event curator Cassius Taylor, jewelry designer Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, and art historian Flora Vesterberg.
Some lesser-known working royals—like Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester—have served the public quietly for decades.
There are the British royals everyone knows—the Waleses, the Sussexes, King Charles and Queen Camilla—and then there are those who occupy more obscure branches on the Windsor family tree.
Whether it’s because they land much later in the order of succession to the throne or simply because they choose to live out of the spotlight, several of Queen Elizabeth’s relatives would make you do a double-take in public. You’ll catch glimpses of them at royal holiday gatherings, like Christmas at Sandringham, or at monumental state events, like funerals or coronations. However, their day-to-day affairs are less publicized than those of the MPRs—Most Popular Royals, that is.
Despite not being as well known, many of them serve the public as much as Prince William and Kate Middleton. The late Elizabeth’s only daughter, Princess Anne, may not have received as much media attention as some of her brothers over the course of her lifetime. Yet the 75-year-old Princess Royal has been quietly lauded for being the “hardest-working royal” due to her impressive number of engagements each year. That’s not to mention her status as a sustainable style icon with a penchant for pulling the clothing equivalent of “deep cuts” out of her closet to rewear decades later.
Wondering which other underrated and overlooked British royals you haven’t heard of? Here’s a brief breakdown of King Charles’s quieter connections, from distant relations to young newcomers who represent the future of the Firm.
01 of 08
Samuel Chatto
Samuel Chatto (R) at ‘The Alchemist’s Feast’ summer party and fundraiser in June 2022.
Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images for The National Gallery
How They’re Connected: His maternal grandmother, the late Princess Margaret, was Queen Elizabeth’s younger sister.Place in Line to the Throne: 30th
Samuel Chatto is Princess Margaret’s eldest grandchild, the son of artist Lady Sarah Chatto and former actor Daniel Chatto. Margaret’s relatives all appear to have inherited her creative spirit—none more so than 29-year-old Samuel. Educated in art history at the University of Edinburgh, he’s worked for years as a successful ceramics artist. Like his parents, Samuel doesn’t hold royal titles, nor does he have any official responsibilities. However, he’s attended his share of Windsor family holiday gatherings.
02 of 08
Cassius Taylor
Cassius Taylor attends The Apple TV BAFTA Brunch on May 9, 2026.
Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Apple TV
How They’re Connected: His maternal grandfather, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: 50th
Every family needs a DJ in the mix; Cassius Taylor fills that role for the Windsors. He was born in December 1996 to Lady Helen Taylor and art dealer Timothy Taylor and is King Charles’s second cousin once removed. While he’s not a working royal, his job in music and event curation takes him all around the world: His Instagram account is full of photos from his gigs, behind-the-scenes glimpses of invite-only fashion fêtes, and the occasional shirtless shot. Hello! named him their “most eligible royal of 2026.” In the accompanying profile, he discussed being named after boxer Muhammad Ali (whose birth name was Cassius Clay), his tattoos, and his love of dogs.
03 of 08
Flora Vesterberg
Flora Vesterberg at the Cartier Queen’s Cup Polo at Guards Polo Club on June 16, 2024.
Credit: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Cartier
How They’re Connected: Her paternal grandmother, Princess Alexandra of Kent, was a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: 61st
Flora Vesterberg (born Flora Ogilvy) is an art historian, PhD student, British Vogue contributor, and a distant royal relative—her father, artist James Ogilvy, is King Charles’s second cousin. Her professional and educational pursuits (detailed on her website) keep her as busy as any working royal, and Flora will soon add another role to her list: mother. In January 2026, the 31 year old shared on Instagram that she’s expecting her first child with husband Timothy Vesterberg.
04 of 08
Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick
Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick, at the vigil for Katharine, Duchess of Kent in 2025.
Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
How They’re Connected: His grandfather, Prince Edward, is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: N/A
He’s got the formal name to suit a member of the monarchy (Edward Edmund Maximilian George Windsor), but the first cousin twice removed of Queen Elizabeth prefers to go by the rustic nickname Eddy Downpatrick. Princess Diana was his godmother. An Oxford graduate who studied French and German and once worked at JP Morgan, Downpatrick found his true calling in fashion. The 37 year old launched men’s clothing brand FIDIR in 2017, per Tatler. He also operates Aristeia Travel, which offers bespoke travel experiences. He’s excluded from the line of succession because he’s a Roman Catholic, The Times reported in 2003.
05 of 08
Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones
Margarita Armstrong-Jones at a Service of Thanksgiving for Prince Philip in March 2022.
Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
How They’re Connected: Her paternal grandmother, Princess Margaret, was the sister of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: 28th
Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones is a Gen-Z Windsor. She doesn’t have royal titles but has a courtesy noble title through her father, David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon. Margarita, 24, has one of the most unique jobs of anyone in her lineage: She’s trained as a jewelry designer, selling her bespoke creations through her label, Matita. She’s also fond of the engagement ring she inherited from her free-spirited grandmother. “I wear it to things I think she would want to be there for,” Margarita told The Telegraph in 2025.
06 of 08
James, Earl of Wessex
James, Earl of Wessex at Easter Sunday Service at Windsor Castle in 2025.
Credit: Getty Images
How They’re Connected: His father, Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, is Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son.Place in Line to the Throne: 16th
He’s the youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth, but you might not recognize the 18 year old who’s 16th in line for the British throne. That’s because James, Earl of Wessex, has kept a lower profile than many of his cousins. His mother Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, told The Sunday Times in 2020 about James and his sister Louise’s relatively normal upbringing. “They go to friends for sleepovers and parties. At weekends we do lots of dog walking and stay with friends…When they are with the Queen, she is their grandmother,” Sophie explained.
07 of 08
Mia Tindall
Mia Tindall at the Christmas Morning Service at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, 2025.
Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
How They’re Connected: Her maternal grandmother, Princess Anne, is the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: 23rd
Mia Tindall is the late queen’s great-granddaughter. While she doesn’t have royal titles, the 12 year old has already made several appearances at official royal events—from serving as a bridesmaid at Princess Eugenie’s 2018 wedding to joining King Charles and the rest of her family for Christmas festivities at Sandringham. She’s also a doting big sister to siblings Lena and Lucas Tindall.
08 of 08
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, at St James’s Palace on June 2, 2026.
Credit: Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty Images
How They’re Connected: He’s a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.Place in Line to the Throne: 32nd
While he was born fifth in line to the throne, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, has since dropped to 32nd. He’s a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth—their fathers were brothers—and a full-time working royal. Per the royal family’s official website, he worked as an architect before inheriting his father’s dukedom in the mid-’70s. At 81 years old, he follows the example of his late cousin the queen by remaining active in public duties, participating in engagements as recently as May 2026.
Read the original article on InStyle