Lady Helen Taylor | |
|---|---|
 Lady Helen in 2012 | |
| Born | Helen Marina Lucy Windsor (1964-04-28)28 April 1964 (age 61) Iver,Buckinghamshire, England |
| Occupation | Business representative |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | House of Windsor |
| Education | |
Lady Helen Marina Lucy Taylor (néeWindsor; born 28 April 1964) is a relative of theBritish royal family. She is the daughter ofPrince Edward, Duke of Kent, andKatharine, Duchess of Kent, and a great-granddaughter of KingGeorge V.
Helen Marina Lucy Windsor was born on 28 April 1964 atCoppins, a country house inIver,Buckinghamshire, the only daughter of theDuke andDuchess of Kent. She was christened on 6 June in the private chapel atWindsor Castle by theDean of Windsor Rt. Rev.Robin Woods. Her godparents werePrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon; Hon.Angus Ogilvy,Myra Butter, and Sir Philip Hay.[1]
She was educated at Eton End[2] School inDatchet, then atSt Mary's School, Wantage,[3] andGordonstoun.[4] At Gordonstoun, she was one of 20sixth form girls "in the robustly masculine environment of Gordonstoun," wrote Alan Hamilton.[5]
She was called "Melons" in the popular press.[6][7]
I was slightly chubby, it was the boys at Gordonstoun who called me that. I think there are only about two people who call me that now. The original context has long gone.[8]
During the 1980s, her boyfriend wasNigel Oakes, who "appalled the Queen" after she smuggled him into her parents'grace-and-favour home,York House, St James's Palace.[9][10]
According toLol Tolhurst ofThe Cure, Helen was a "mad Cure fan" who visited the band backstage at a gig inBath in 1983.[11]
After she left Gordonstoun (where she had art class), she was desperate[12] to come to London and earn money, starting in 1984 atChristie's auction house in their Contemporary Department.[13]
Helen worked with the art dealerKarsten Schubert between 1987 and 1991, behind the front desk, and was later credited with discoveringRachel Whiteread andGary Hume, but confessed in a television interview that she had turned down representing artistDamien Hirst.[14]
For 17 years, Helen was a fashion ambassador and muse toGiorgio Armani.[15]
At some point Helen reportedly dated David Flint Wood, who would later marry her cousinIndia Hicks.[16]
At 19, Helen met[12]Timothy Verner Taylor (born 8 August 1963), an art dealer. They married nine years later, on 18 July 1992, atSt. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. The bride wore aCatherine Walker design.[17]Giorgio Armani provided an outfit for her wedding.[18]
In 1998, her husband was diagnosed withHodgkin's disease.[12]
Helen and her husband have four children, who immediately follow her in theLine of succession to the British throne:
She is a patron of theCLIC Sargent children's cancer charity.[19]
She is a trustee ofThe Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.[13]
She is on the advisory board of theGlyndebourne Festival Opera after being a trustee.[13][20][21]
Lady Helen Taylor Born: 28 April 1964 | ||
| Lines of succession | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Louis Windsor | Line of succession to the British throne granddaughter ofGeorge, Duke of Kent great-granddaughter ofGeorge V | Succeeded by Columbus Taylor |
Generations are numbered by their descent fromGeorge V andMary of Teck | ||
| 1st generation |  | |
| 2nd generation | ||
| 3rd generation | ||
| 4th generation | ||
| 5th generation | ||
*Descendant ofElizabeth II and therefore use the surnameMountbatten-Windsor, but officially considered members of the House of Windsor | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
