Who Is Princess Margaret's Grandson Samuel Chatto?

We'll just come right out and say it: Samuel Chatto is a hottie — and we're not the only ones who think so. Even the British press has sung his praises on a few occasions. If you're currently ogling the man and wondering how on earth you didn't know of his existence before today, the answer is pretty simple: He's not a working member of the royal family and mostly keeps to himself. As for how he fits into the family tree? Samuel is one of Princess Margaret's grandchildren. Margaret, of course, was Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister. His mother is Lady Sarah Chatto, Princess Margaret's daughter, and his father is Daniel Chatto.

Samuel Chatto was born on July 28, 1996, and spent most of his childhood in Kensington. After completing his education at Eton College, Samuel enrolled at the University of Edinburgh, where he studied History of Art. Samuel has a younger brother, Arthur Chatto, who also enrolled for a degree in History of Art at the same university. Samuel is 29th in line to the throne, which means he pretty much gets to live a normal life and won't be called in to perform royal duties anytime soon, despite King Charles III's cancer diagnosis. If you're eager to know more about this royal, you're in the right place. Read on for everything there is to know about the elusive Samuel Chatto.

After Samuel Chatto graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2018, he set his sights on becoming a professional potter. While this might seem like a rather odd job for a member of the royal family, it's not all that unusual. Chatto's parents both work as professional artists, while Princess Eugenie makes her money working at the Hauser & Wirth art gallery in London.

Fresh out of university, Chatto set off to North Shore Pottery in Scotland for a six-week apprenticeship, where he spent hours honing his skills. In January 2019, he took to Instagram to share his experience with followers and sing his teacher's praises. "2018 was such an incredible year of self reflection and growth for me," he wrote, before adding that he appreciated the opportunity to learn from his instructor. "Clay consumed my every waking hour and I am so excited to see what I can achieve this year!" he concluded.

Samuel Chatto's 2018 pottery apprenticeship paid off in dividends, as his career pretty much took off in 2019. While Chatto initially tried to make a career working in the commercial art market, he found that it didn't interest him and opted to do his own thing instead after three months of giving the venture a try. He consequently opened a ceramics studio to showcase his work, and the rest is history.

Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2019, Chatto revealed a bit about his passion for creating ceramics, saying that making things is something he's been passionate about since his childhood. "I spent much of my childhood crafting imagined landscapes and sculptural models, which naturally led me to clay during my later years at school," he explained. After realizing that working in the art market left him creatively numb, Chatto started preparing to open his own studio and spent his weekends building a wood-fired kiln in his garden. "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," he said.

In October 2019, Chatto exhibited some of his work at Bruton hotel and restaurant At The Chapel. He made the exciting announcement on Instagram, explaining the inspiration behind some of the pieces that will be on display. Chatto drew from Medieval English and Ancient Athenian pottery to create his works of art.

Samuel Chatto might have opened a successful studio in 2019, but he's continued to hone his craft, and in 2023, he undertook yet another apprenticeship, this time in Kyoto, Japan, with porcelain master Yagi Akira. Here, he learned traditional Japanese techniques that provided him with new insights and ideas to incorporate into his work. Having never worked with porcelain before, Chatto found it a fascinating and eye-opening experience.

By the time June 2024 rolled around, Chatto landed himself an exhibition spot at Hauser & Wirth, where Princess Eugenie works. It's here that he got to exhibit some of the art he learned to create during his time in Japan. Chatto took to Instagram to announce the news, explaining that the porcelain tea set he created using Japanese techniques was set to be on display at the prestigious art gallery. 

"I'm showing a series of vessels and teaware @make_hauserwirth a combination of works made in Japan and Sussex," Chatto explained in the caption. "I hope that my vessels, with their weight and proportion, have the feeling of the maker's hand, and therefore invite the viewer to hold and drink from them," he added. In a note from the studio, Chatto added to the caption, he described his work as "the perfect combination of form and function." The studio's note also hinted at Chatto's newfound love for Japanese porcelain techniques, explaining that he was drawn to ways in which the techniques differ vastly from Western techniques.

Samuel Chatto might fly under the radar most of the time, but he's been spotted at royal events on several occasions. He has attended Princess Catherine's carol service, and unsurprisingly, turned some heads. This event isn't the only royal family holiday tradition Samuel has taken part in — he's also been seen at the Christmas church service at Sandringham with the rest of the royals. Samuel has also made appearances at the Royal Ascot and Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022. Most notably, Samuel and his brother, Arthur Chatto, had a great time at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. "The wedding yesterday was so full of love and warmth and joy!!" Samuel shared in a post on Instagram.

Samuel has attended less festive royal events as well. He was at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022 along with his brother and his parents. It's likely Samuel and his family were relatively close to the queen, given that the monarch was said to have taken Lady Sarah Chatto under her wing after Princess Margaret died.

As many outlets have noted, whenever Samuel makes an appearance at royal events, a slew of tweets and Instagram posts follow from royal fans discussing his good looks. Looking at photographs taken at these events, one can see why — the budding artist cleans up quite nicely.

As far as grand royal events are concerned, few have made a splash quite like King Charles III's coronation in 2023. While all eyes were on Prince George as he stepped into his first royal role as the king's page of honor, some royal fans couldn't help but turn their attention to Samuel Chatto as he entered Westminster Abbey with his parents in tow. Pundits quickly took to social media to share that they spotted the rarely-seen royal at the event. Samuel even got his own headline in the New York Post, which dubbed him the "coronation heartthrob." He and his father, Daniel Chatto, looked handsome in their matching suits as they left the church after the ceremony.

One only has to glance at the comments section on Samuel's Instagram page to deduce that he's left an impression on royal fans. While Samuel mostly posts pictures of his artwork, it's clear that royal fans have been not-so-secretly crushing on him for years. When he shared a photo of himself sitting at a potter's wheel in January 2019, followers were anything but subtle in the comment section. "Bro is handsome," one wrote. "Cutie," another added. When he shared snaps from an art show later that year, he received similar comments. "Can't believe that I share the same sky with one of God's finest creations," one person wrote. "You are very cute!!!" another added. "My husband," another quipped.

In addition to pursuing his love of art, Samuel Chatto also found the time to become a certified yoga teacher. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, Chatto reinvented himself. In a series of posts on Instagram shared in January 2019, he reflected on the previous year and all he had learned and accomplished, which included completing his 200-hour yoga teacher training in India. Chatto noted that he didn't plan on opening up his own yoga studio anytime soon, but said that the experience was invaluable. 

"It was an incredibly eye opening experience which I am so deeply grateful for," he wrote on Instagram. "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!" he added.

While tragedies plagued the royal family for the majority of 2024, there was plenty of excitement when King Charles III announced that he would be hosting a state banquet for Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako amid undergoing his cancer treatment. Many senior members of the royal family attended the event, including Prince William, but the banquet was overshadowed by everyone worrying about Princess Anne, who landed in the hospital after suffering a horse-related accident. Anne was also supposed to be in attendance at the banquet, but given her injuries, she couldn't make it.

Luckily, Samuel Chatto was available to show some familial support. He made an appearance at the grand event, and it seems his attendance was a surprise to pundits and the press alike. It made sense that Charles invited him, however, given his ties to Japan. "Samuel Chatto was an unexpected guest at the state banquet, but was invited because he has recently exhibited some of his work in Japan," royal editor Emily Nash told Hello! Nash added that it isn't unusual to invite royal family members who have the background to make small talk with the guests of honor. "Other royals have previously been invited if they have connections to the visiting nation, such as Lady Gabriella Windsor, who was invited to the banquet for the king and queen of Spain because she has worked in Spain," Nash explained.

You might not know this about Sarah Ferguson, but she is pretty good friends with Samuel Chatto's mother. It may come as no surprise, then, that she's long supported his art. When Chatto and his girlfriend, Eleanor Ekserdjian, showcased their work at The Redfern Gallery in London in July 2024, Sarah popped by. What's more, she shared some pictures of Chatto's art to her Instagram page. In the images, Sarah can be seen admiring and posing with Chatto's pieces. 

"I believe in supporting young artists and really pushing them to show off the talent that they have to as big an audience as they can," Sarah wrote in the caption. Referring to Chatto as "my friend," Sarah encouraged her followers to pay the gallery a visit. "I'd urge you to go and have a look up close at the skill and craftsmanship that goes into creating such wonderful art," she wrote. Chatto's art hasn't been publicly endorsed by any other members of the royal family.

When Samuel Chatto headed to India for yoga training, he didn't travel alone. Fellow yogi, Sophie Pipe, accompanied the young aristocrat on his journey to the yoga capital of the world. Chatto and Pipe previously met at the University of Edinburgh, where they bonded over their shared love of health and wellness. The duo embarked on an intense romantic relationship that brought them to Greece, Turkey, and Switzerland over the course of their years-long partnership. Both Chatto and Pipe seemed to enjoy their time together, posting about their shared experiences on social media.

While the couple's romance may have appeared largely carefree, there are still some weird rules you have to follow when dating a royal. Throughout her relationship with Chatto, Pipe had to appear at some very important events, including the 2016 Royal Ascot. This sort of outing required a type of costume change for Pipe, who was typically known for her low-key, human rights-inspired attire. Large hats, formal dresses, and heels would transform her look on these occasions. Although Pipe blended in with the royals, the relationship was not to be. In 2021, the couple parted ways for good.

If things didn't work out so well between Samuel Chatto and Sophie Pipe, the same cannot be said about the young royal's romance with Eleanor Ekserdjian. Like both Chatto and Pipe, Ekserdjian was a student at the University of Edinburgh. However, as a fellow artist, Ekserdjian had much more in common with Chatto, especially in terms of professional interests. In 2024, both artists displayed their work at The Redfern Gallery in London at the same exhibition, titled "Crosscurrents."

Interestingly, Chatto and Ekserdjian have gotten along so swimmingly that the pair has repeatedly catalyzed engagement rumors. In 2024, Ekserdjian joined Chatto for the royal family's Christmas celebration at Sandringham. But a weird royal family Christmas tradition dictates that casual dates never come to Sandringham over the holidays. The fact that Ekserdjian was welcomed into the firm had some royal watchers wondering if wedding bells were about to start ringing.

When Christmas 2025 came rolling around, though, Chatto and Ekserdjian were nowhere to be seen. The couple seemingly took a step back from the drama that clouded the royal family's holiday, which came in the wake of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's downfall. Nonetheless, in 2026, Tatler listed Chatto and Ekserdjian as one of society's couples most likely to wed next. As of this writing, the couple remain boyfriend and girlfriend.

Although Samuel Chatto and Eleanor Ekserdjian refrained from joining the royal family for their drama-filled 2025 Christmas celebration in Sandringham, it wouldn't be fair to say that the pair has avoided royal life altogether. Just a few months prior, in August, Chatto and Ekserdjian performed royal duties alongside King Charles III. Although they have no intention of becoming working royals, Chatto and Ekserdjian traveled to Scotland for the Mey Highland Games, which they attended alongside the king.

Chatto and Ekserdjian's attendance at the Mey Highland Games suggests that King Charles III's vision for a slimmed-down monarchy has come back to haunt him. After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their duties, it was difficult for the royal family to perform the same level of hard work that had previously defined them. As one royal expert told The Guardian, "Charles is in a bind. He needs more royals who appeal to young people." Even in August 2025, that was apparent to Charles. Ekserdjian and Chatto, though, seemed happy to support the monarch and fill that gap.

Samuel Chatto provided a key service to the British royal family by attending the Mey Highland Games in August 2025, but it's possible that his role within the firm could increase in the coming years. Shortly after Chatto appeared alongside King Charles III in Scotland, several of the biggest names in the British royal family were embroiled in controversy.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson — previously the Duke and Duchess of York — were stripped of their titles in October of that year, due to their association with the late convicted pedophile financier, Jeffrey Epstein. This scandal essentially cut the House of York from the royal fold, and the monarchy instantly lost the moral support of the York family darlings, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

Without Beatrice and Eugenie to occasionally step in and perform royal duties for the king, the royal family has welcomed the support of the Chatto family. In April 2026, Samuel Chatto's mother, Lady Sarah Chatto, has already proven her loyalty to the crown by attending an important event at London's British Museum honoring the late Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday. In light of Sarah's appearance at this gathering, royal experts have speculated that the Chatto family will become increasingly visible as the year continues.