James, Viscount Severn (James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor; born 17 December 2007), is the younger child and only son of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and the youngest grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. He is 12th in line of succession to the British throne.

James was born by caesarean section at 16:20 UTC on 17 December 2007, at Frimley Park Hospital.^[1] Prince Edward, who was present for the birth of his second child, remarked that the birth was "a lot calmer than last time" (a reference to the emergency delivery of their first child, Lady Louise), that his wife was "doing very well," and that his son was "like most babies, rather small, very cute and very cuddly."^[1] The baby and his mother were released from hospital on 20 December, and the following day his names were announced as James Alexander Philip Theo.^[2] He was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London on 24 January 2008, with what Buckingham Palace called a "minor allergic reaction."^[3] He was released from the hospital within days.

He was baptised on 19 April 2008, in the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle by David Conner, the Dean of Windsor and his godparents were Alastair Bruce of Crionaich, Duncan Bullivant, Thomas Hill, Denise Poulton and Jeanye Irwin.^[4][5] He wore a newly made replica of the royal christening gown originally used by Victoria, the eldest daughter of Queen Victoria, in 1840. It has been worn for most royal christenings since then, and the original gown has now been preserved.^[4]

James currently attends St George's School, Windsor Castle.^[6]

In April 2015, James and his sister participated in their first overseas engagement. They accompanied their parents on a trip to South Africa.^[7]

Letters patent issued in 1917 assign a princely status and the style of Royal Highness to all male-line grandchildren of a monarch.^[8] Therefore, all else being equal, James would have been styled as "His Royal Highness Prince James of Wessex". However, when his parents married, the Queen, via a Buckingham Palace press release, announced that their children would be styled as the children of an earl, rather than as princes or princesses.^[9] Thus, as is customary for the eldest son of an earl, court communications refer to him as Viscount Severn, which is one of his father's subsidiary titles.

The title Viscount Severn is derived from the Welsh roots of the Countess's family,^[10] the River Severn rising in Wales.

In June 2008, to recognise a visit by his father to the Canadian province of Manitoba, the Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba-in-Council named a lake in the north of the province after James.^[11]