Vanessa Walker, Duchess of Valtoria
| Riley | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Valtoria | |
| File:Lady Riley Lopes.png Lady Lopes in 2021 | |
| Full name
Riley Mae[fn 1] | |
| Born | Miss Riley Mae Lopes 5 November 1993 The Bronx, Bronx County, New York, New York, United States |
| Family | Lopes (by birth) Beaumont (honorary) Ryan (upon marriage) |
| Fiancé | King Liam |
| Father | Immanuel Lopes |
| Mother | Joan Lopes |
| Religion | Judaism |
Her Royal Highness Riley, Duchess of Valtoria (Riley Mae;[fn 1] born 5 November 1993), is an American-born Skavandian socialite, former civil servant and former waitress. She is set to become a member of the Skavandian royal family upon her marriage to King Liam of Skavand, when at time she will become the queen consort.
Born in The Bronx, New York City, she attended The Bronx High School of Science and later studied at University of New York graduating with a bachelor in communications in 2016. While attending post-secondary education, Riley worked as a waitress at a local Bronx café from 2009–2018. She subsequently accepted a job in 2018 on the congressional campaign of U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and later in her congressional office in Parkchester, Queens. She later left that job a year later resumed her work as a waitress at Windows on the City, Lower Manhattan restaurant.
While waitressing in 2021, Riley met Lord Maxwell Beaumont, Drake Walker, and then Liam, the Prince of Skavand and heir apparent of the Skavandian throne, while they were visiting the city for the Prince’s bachelor party. She later became friends with the group. After spending time with the Prince, Lord Beaumont invited Riley to live in Skavand to join the 2021 social season, a series of events held from March–May to honor the royal family and nobility in the Commonwealth. Speculation was raised that she was invited to attend the social events as an opportunity to get to know the Prince and possibly court him; he recently turned 30 and had to be married by that age to assume the Skavandian throne in accordance with their constitution.
She became an honorary member of the House of Beaumont and was raised to the peerage as a condition to join the events. She became Her Grace The Lady Riley Lopes, Countess Beaumont, in March 2021 and moved to Cordonia, the capital of Skavand. During the social season, tabloids described Riley as "the Bronx princess" and gained praise for her humility and knowledge in international relations and has been compared to American-born British royal Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. After Liam inherited the throne and became the King, he proposed to Riley and the couple became engaged to marry in June 2021. The engagement came after a frameup against Riley by the media.
Early life and education
Riley was born on 5 November 1993 in The Bronx, Bronx County, New York, New York, United States, to Joan (née Kennedy), former member of the the New York City Council from the 18th district; and Immanuel Lopes, corporate banker. She is the half-niece of American rapper Lisa Lopes through her father Immanuel. Her father is the younger half-brother of Lisa's father, Ronald Lopes. Asked about the connection while with Prince William at the annual derby races in Cordonia in May 2021, Riley said that her father is not close with his brother of the immediate family of Lisa Lopes and that she has never met the singer.
Private career
Countess Beaumont
Lopes–Al Saadi scandal
Engagement to King Liam
Public image and character
Personal life
Riley has suffered from major depressive disorder.
Titles, styles, honors, and arms
Titles and styles
- 1993–2021: Miss Riley Mae Lopes
- March 2021–May 2021: Her Grace Lady Riley Mae Lopes, Countess Beaumont
- May 2021–present: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Valtoria
Notes, references and external links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Since Riley became the Duchess of Valtoria, she no longer needs to use a last name but may choose to do so. Since The Duchess is not yet a Skavandian citizen, she has not been issued a passport; she has an American passport which still uses her birth name of Riley Mae Lopes. This is due to American nationality law which does not recognize foreign titles. The press secretary said that once Riley marries King Liam, her American passport will read Riley Mae Ryan. Her Skavandian permanent residency card reads Her Royal Highness Riley Mae The Duchess of Valtoria, her legal name and title in Skavand.