Meet Samuel Chatto as he sparks engagement rumours amid Christmas debut with girlfriend

A split image of Samuel Chatto and Lady Sarah Chatto
A split image of Samuel Chatto and Lady Sarah Chatto

Lady Sarah Chatto's eldest son, Samuel Chatto, sparked engagement rumours on Christmas Day this year after attending the annual service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

The 28-year-old grandson of Princess Margaret was joined not only by his fellow royal family members but also by his girlfriend, Eleanor Ekserdjian—a move traditionally unprecedented within the royal household.

Samuel and his girlfriend Eleanor joined the royal family at their annual Christmas Day walkabout
Samuel and his girlfriend Eleanor joined the royal family at their annual Christmas Day walkabout (PA Images via Getty Images)

Usually, only married partners of royals join the family for their annual Christmas Day walkabout. Prince Harry was the first senior royal to defy convention in 2017 when he was joined by his then-fiancée, Meghan Markle, prior to their 2018 nuptials.

Due to his position within the royal family, Samuel is largely able to keep out of the public eye. However, through his talents as a ceramicist and sculptor, he has built up an impressive following on social media.

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But who is Samuel Chatto? Keep scrolling to find out...

A Royal Education

After being brought up in Kensington, Samuel and his 25-year-old brother, Arthur, followed in the footsteps of Prince William and Prince Harry, both attending Eton College.

Samuel and Arthur Chatto both attended Eton College before heading to the University of Edinburgh
Samuel and Arthur Chatto both attended Eton College before heading to the University of Edinburgh (Getty Images)

They went on to complete their degrees at the University of Edinburgh in History of Art, where Samuel met his lovely girlfriend, Eleanor. Despite their similarities in education, the brothers couldn't be more different when it comes to their chosen career paths.

Arthur, Samuel's younger brother is a Marine
Arthur, Samuel's younger brother is a Marine (Getty Images)

Upon leaving university, younger brother Arthur joined the Royal Marines. Prior to his higher education, Arthur carried out a very special royal role, acting as Page of Honour for Queen Elizabeth II from 2009 to 2015.

Arthur was a Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II
Arthur was a Page of Honour to Queen Elizabeth II (Getty Images)

The position is a ceremonial one and involves attendance at state occasions, where the Page carries the train of the Queen's dress. The royal role is traditionally carried out by teenage sons of members of the nobility or royal family.

Artistic Talents

Unlike his Marine brother, Samuel has a passion for the arts—more specifically pottery—and has found great success within his career as a ceramicist and sculptor.

After university, Samuel completed a six-week apprenticeship at North Shore Pottery and, in 2020, completed a course at the Royal Drawing School.

Samuel currently lives in West Sussex, where his home doubles as his personal ceramics studio.

The artist has amassed an impressive 89,000 followers on Instagram, where he regularly showcases his creative masterpieces, which he also sells on his official website.

Back in 2019, Samuel told the Daily Mail:" I've always had a strong affinity with creating objects, having spent much of my childhood crafting imagined landscapes and sculptural models, which naturally led me to clay during my later years at school.

Samuel lives in West Sussex where he has his home art studio
Samuel lives in West Sussex where he has his home art studio (Instagram)

"My creative practice took a back seat while I studied History of Art at Edinburgh, but was revived in the summer of 2017 by a visit to North Shore Pottery [in Caithness].

"Inspired by what I had seen in Scotland, and completely uninspired by my three-month job in the commercial art market, I spent my weekends setting up a small home studio to rediscover my creativity and built a wood-fired kiln at the bottom of my garden."

He added:"The decision to start selling my work comes from a strong belief in the power of beautiful, well-made objects to enrich and enhance our lives."

Passion for Yoga

As well as his dedication to all things ceramic, Samuel is a trained yoga teacher. At the end of 2018, he spent six weeks in India, where he completed his 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

The 28-year-old also has a passion for yoga
The 28-year-old also has a passion for yoga (Instagram)

Writing about the experience on Instagram, he penned:"I also had the most amazing six weeks in India, four of which were spent completing my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training! Although I have no plans of teaching anytime soon, it was an incredibly eye-opening experience for which I am so deeply grateful.

"I had the pleasure of connecting with so many beautiful, supportive, and honest/open/loving people, discovered so much about my body and mind, and have come away with knowledge of an invaluable practice and a whole new family of kind-spirited friends! So grateful and so excited for a new year full of deeper connections with myself and those around me. Loads of love, Sam x."