James, Earl of Wessex, begins a new chapter away from the royal spotlight

At 18, James, Earl of Wessex, is beginning university life and taking a significant step toward a future largely outside the public eye.

The youngest son of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh has enrolled at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, where he is studying Rural Land & Property Management. His induction programme began on September 21 and runs through Friday.

The university’s degree covers a broad range of subjects connected to rural land and property, including planning and development, law, valuation, building construction and management, alongside the fundamentals of rural professional practice.

James’ university plans were confirmed by Buckingham Palace in August after he achieved the grades required for his course. The announcement also confirmed that he would go straight to university rather than taking a gap year.

A quiet member of the royal family

James is the son of Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Prince Edward is the youngest of Queen Elizabeth II’s four children, making him the younger brother of King Charles III, Princess Anne and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

James is also the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s youngest grandchild. He has an older sister, Lady Louise Windsor.

Unlike some of his royal cousins, James has generally kept a relatively low public profile. His university move marks another stage in a path that has so far seen him spend much of his life away from the attention that accompanies more prominent members of the family.

Before university, James attended Radley College in Oxfordshire, a boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18 set on an 800-acre rural campus.

He received his A-level results in August alongside thousands of other students across the UK. He then prepared to move on to higher education, becoming the final one of Queen Elizabeth II’s grandchildren to complete his schooling.

James is currently 17th in the line of succession.

A rare appearance with Princess Catherine

James’ transition into university life comes only months after one of his more noticeable public appearances.

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, he attended the traditional Easter Matins service at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle with members of the royal family. It was a rare public appearance for the young Earl, who generally stays out of the spotlight.

Among those attending was Catherine, Princess of Wales, and photographs from the event captured a friendly interaction between her and James.

The appearance attracted particular attention because James’ mother, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was absent from the service after reportedly feeling unwell. His sister, Lady Louise Windsor, was also not there, as she was understood to be concentrating on her studies at the University of St Andrews.

James instead attended alongside his father, Prince Edward, as the wider royal family gathered at Windsor.

He is a first cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry, placing him within one of the better-known branches of the royal family despite his own relatively limited presence in the public eye.

Why the Easter moment caught people’s attention

For royal watchers, the interaction between James and the Princess of Wales stood out precisely because he is so rarely seen at major public events.

Images showed James keeping his gaze lowered as the family arrived, while Catherine was seen interacting with him in a relaxed manner. The moment prompted a wave of positive comments from royal fans, many of whom appreciated the apparent warmth between the two members of the family.

One person described it as a “lovely interaction between the Princess of Wales and James, Earl of Wessex.”

Another wrote that the Princess of Wales would be a “good guide for the young royals,” adding that her down-to-earth manner could help them feel comfortable around her.

Others similarly praised Catherine for making James appear at ease, while one commenter highlighted the closeness between the Wales and Edinburgh families.

James had previously been seen with the royal family at the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in 2025, when he was still completing his A-level studies at Radley College.

Now, with school behind him and university beginning, the Earl of Wessex is entering a very different phase of his life.

His choice of Rural Land & Property Management gives him a specialised academic path focused on land, property and the countryside, while his decision to begin university without a gap year means he has moved directly from school into undergraduate study.

For a young royal who has spent much of his life away from the spotlight, the next few years are likely to look rather different as James settles into university life in Cirencester.