For most of us, the arrival of February 29 means one extra day in the calendar, but a lesser-known member of the extended British Royal Family who has links to Queen Elizabeth II celebrates a rather rare birthday on a leap year.
Queen Elizabeth’s first cousin, Princess Alexandra, gave birth to the only leap year royal baby on record, in 1964 – which means today he celebrates his 60th milestone birthday.
Princess Alexandra of Kent and her husband, Angus Ogilvy, welcomed their only son, James Ogilvy, during a home birth at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond Park, Surrey.
It was reported on BBC News, Angus called the late Queen shortly after he was born at 12.15pm to inform her of the exciting news. A cable breaking the news of the birth was later sent to Mr Ogilvy’s parents, the Earl and Countess of Airlie, who were sailing from South Africa to England at the time.
James Ogilvy does not hold any royal titles but will be invited to major royal occasions alongside his wife, Julia Rawlinson. James married Julia, the daughter of a merchant banker, on July 30, 1998, at St Mary’s Church in Saffron Walden, Essex.
The royal who maintains a lower profile compared to his extended royal clan, chose to pursue a life outside the intense public scrutiny and works as a British landscape designer and is the founder and editor of Luxury Briefing.
He and his wife, Julia, share two children, Flora Vesterberg and Alexander Ogilvy, born in 1994 and 1996, respectively. Flora married Swedish financier Timothy Vesterberg in a low-key ceremony at St James’s Palace on September 26, 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic and had a party the following year.
In the celebrations, Flora wore a stunning bespoke Phillipa Lepley wedding dress and the historic Ogilvy Tiara.
James recently attended the memorial service for King Constantine, the former King of Greece, in Windsor on Tuesday – and his mother Princess Alexandra, 87, was also in attendance.
Royal watchers on X expressed their fondness for the Princess, who is still classed as a working member of the Firm despite her advanced years.
One wrote: “What a wonderful lady always a constant support to our beloved Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip. Now still supporting the family whenever she can.”
Throughout Queen Elizabeth’s reign, Alexandra has often represented her at events both in the UK and around the world. As the Queen’s cousin, the princess was one of the bridesmaids at Her Majesty’s wedding to Prince Philip.
Hugo Vickers, a royal historian, said: “She [Alexandra] wouldn’t give away any secrets and that must be very special for the Queen, I think.”
