Eugenie praised for A-level results

Princess Eugenie has been praised for her A-level results which appear to be the best grades posted by a senior member of the royal family.

The Queen's 18-year-old granddaughter achieved A grades in art and English literature and a B in history of art.

The Princess' parents, the Duke of York and his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York, said in a joint statement: "We are delighted by Eugenie's achievements. She has worked extremely hard towards these justifiably fantastic results."

The Royal Family are not known for their academic prowess and excel more in sporting activities. Diana, Princess of Wales, who did not sit any A-levels, reportedly joked about her own intellect describing herself as "thick as a plank".

Only Eugenie's sister Princess Beatrice, 20, a dyslexia sufferer, has come close to her grades achieving an A in drama and B grades in history and film studies last summer.

The 18-year-old attended Marlborough College, a £23,000-a-year boarding school in Wiltshire, and it is thought she will spend the next 12 months on a gap year.

In 2000 Eugenie's cousin Prince William achieved the A-level grades needed to attend the University of St Andrews when he achieved an A for geography, B for history of art and C for biology. Prince Harry, who has joked about his lack of academic ability, gained a B in art and a D in geography.

The grades of the Queen's grandchildren Zara and Peter Phillips have never been released by Buckingham Palace. Zara, the reigning world three-day eventing champion, said in an interview she passed physical education, geography and biology, but did not get the grades needed to do physiotherapy at her chosen university and after a gap year took two courses in equestrian massage. Her brother achieved the minimum grades of B,C,C needed to study for a sports science degree at the University of Exeter.

The Prince of Wales is thought to have the best A-level grades of the older senior royals, achieving a B in history and a C in French. The Duke of York passed three A-levels in history, English, and economics and political science but only the result for the last subject is known - reportedly an E grade.

The Earl of Wessex is said to have got a C for English literature, and D grades for history and economics and political science, while the Princess Royal achieved a D in history and E in geography.