Princess Marie-Sophie of Lyncanestria

Styles of
**Princess Marie-Sophie**
Styles of; Princess Marie-Sophie
Reference style	Her Imperial Highness
Spoken style	Your Imperial Highness
Alternative style	Madame

Full name
	Marie-Sophie Élisabeth Catherine

Marie-Sophie
Marie-Sophie
Princess of Lyncanestria
	Marie-Sophie in 2018
Born	12 November 1998 (age 26); Château de Montroi; Montroi, Lyncanestria
Full name
Full name
	Marie-Sophie Élisabeth Catherine
House	Villeneuve
Father	Philippe VIII of Lyncanestria
Mother	Alys of Aldéon
Religion	Church of Lyncanestria

Template:Lyncanestrian Imperial Family Princess Marie-Sophie of Lyncanestria (Marie-Sophie Élisabeth Catherine; 12 November 1998) is a member of the Lyncanestria imperial family and Barroese royal family as the second child and elder daughter of the reigning Emperor, Philippe IV. As such she is styled Her Imperial Highness and afforded the rank of both imperial and royal Princess. She is currently third in-line to the throne of Barrois after her two brothers due to agnatic-preference succession laws. A younger member of the imperial and royal family, she is still a university student and partakes in limited public events.

Early life

Princess Marie-Sophie was born in the early hours of 11 November 1998 at the Hôtel-Dieu de Montroi, the same hospital at which all members of the immediate royal family had been delivered since her father's delivery in 1973. She was the second child and first daughter born to Prince Samuel Philippe and his wife, Princess Alys. She was born during the last year of the reign of her great-grandfather, Philippe III.

At the time of her birth she held neither an imperial or royal title; as imperial Prince or Princess is a title constitutionally limited to the children of elected reigning and deceased emperors, while Barroese royal family law limits it to the children, male-line grandchildren, and the first male child of the Prince Royal's eldest son. She was christened at three weeks, on 5 November 1998 at the Barroese royal chapel in the Palais Beaulieu as Marie-Sophie Élisabeth Catherine, named so after her maternal grandmother Marie-Sophie de Bréziers, her paternal grandmother Elizabeth of Ghant, and her four-times great grandmother Catherine I, the only reigning empress of Lyncanestria.

Education

She was brought up in the same manner as her father, beginning her schooling under a governess and tutor, then moving onto a state school for her secondary education. Her most notable tutor included the noted mathematician and philosopher Jacques Bouviers, who also tutored her elder brother, the Prince Guillaume. Of the two, Dr. Bouviers recounted in his memoirs, "... the two were excellent students... [but] the Princess had the passion of a learner." With the recommendation of her tutor and following her examinations for entry, she was accepted into the premier lyceum Eugène Dufay Preparatory School, where she began schooling in 2013. In 2017, she received her bac avec la plus grande distinction. She took a gap year after her graduation, during which she began to take more royal duties, including opening ceremonies, reviews of the troops and state visits. The princess was expected to resume her studies in the fall semester of 2018 in pursuit of degrees in political science and philosophy, with a focus on ethics and logic, however she extended her leave and did not return until the beginning of 2019.

As of 2021, she had completed her undergraduate education, and had enrolled in a mater's program studying religious anthropology.

Royal duties

Marie-Sophie, as member of the Imperial Household and the Imperial Family, is expected to undertake some duties and functions in an official capacity on the royal family's behalf. Prior to her grandfather's death, public appearances of the Princess were limited primarily to balcony appearances after the Fête nationale and other national celebrations. Since her father's ascension to the throne in 2013, Marie-Sophie has been seen at state banquets, visits, and formal reviews of the troops in an official capacity alongside her elder brother. In addition to royal functions, Marie-Sophie is expected to assume roles in Villeneuve-sponsored trusts and endowments. On her eighteenth birthday, she became an honorary member of the Lyncanestrian Aristotelian Society.

Personal life

The Imperial Household has repeatedly requested that the media maintain their distance from the Emperor's children, but despite this the life of the Princess and her brothers are subject to a lot of gossip and speculation in the press. In 2013, it was speculated by La Métropolitaine that Marie-Sophie was in a relationship with the son of the Prime Minister. The rumours were denied by both the Prime Minister and the Imperial Household.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

Upon her birth, Marie-Sophie did not hold an Imperial title or style, as in accordance with the different laws governing the usage of Prince and Princess, this was restricted to grandchildren of the monarch. When her grandfather became Emperor she was elevated to the rank of Royal Highness and Princess, a style which she has kept to this day.

12 November 1998 – 17 August 1999: Her Serene Highness Marie-Sophie de Villeneuve, Princess of the Blood
17 August 1999 – 6 July 2013: Her Royal Highness Marie-Sophie, Princess of Barrois
6 July 2013 – present: Her Imperial Highness Princess Marie-Sophie of Lyncanestria

Honours

As daughter of an Emperor, Marie-Sophie was expected to be inducted into a number of orders of chivalry once she reached the age of 17, the age at which such honours are conferred in the Lyncanestrian tradition. Upon reaching the age of majority in August 2016, the Princess was bestowed several awards during her father's birthday honours.