Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

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Birgitte
Duchess of Gloucester
Spouse Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Issue
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster
Lady Davina Lewis
Lady Rose Windsor
Full name
Birgitte Eva[1]
Titles and styles
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester
HRH Princess Richard of Gloucester
Frøken Birgitte van Deurs
Frøken Birgitte Henriksen
Royal house House of Windsor
Father Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen
Mother Vivian van Deurs
Born 20 June 1946 (1946-06-20) (age 61)
Odense, Denmark

The Duchess of Gloucester GCVO DStJ (Birgitte Eva; formerly van Deurs; born Henriksen, 20 June 1946), is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandchild of George V.

The Duchess of Gloucester, with her husband, undertakes royal duties on behalf of the Duke's cousin, Elizabeth II.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Birgitte was born Birgitte (bree-gee-tae) Eva Henriksen, in Odense, Denmark, the younger daughter of the late Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his former wife, the late Mrs Vivian van Deurs. She took her mother's maiden name, van Deurs, when her parents separated.

Birgitte moved to Cambridge, England and also worked at the Danish embassy in London.

[edit] Marriage

In February 1972, Birgitte became engaged to Prince Richard of Gloucester, the second eldest son of The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The marriage took place on 8 July 1972 at St. Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. At that date she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester.

Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard's elder brother, Prince William, was killed in a flying accident. Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir to the Dukedom and upon his father's death in 1974, the couple became Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Together the couple have three children:

None of their children carry out any Royal Duties.

[edit] Official role

The Duchess of Gloucester is patron of a large number of organisations, many of which have medical, educational or welfare connections. She has also accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first such visit was in 1973, when The Duke and Duchess represented The Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway.

The Duchess is also sponsor of two Royal Navy Ships: HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown.

[edit] Titles, styles, honours and arms

British Royal Family

HM The Queen
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
v • d • e
Styles of
The Duchess of Gloucester
Reference style Her Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style Ma'am

[edit] Titles and styles

  • 20 June 1946 – 15 January 1966[2]: Frøken Birgitte Henriksen
  • 15 January 1966 – 8 June 1972: Frøken Birgitte van Deurs
  • 8 June 1972 – 10 June 1974: Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester
  • 10 June 1974 –: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester

[edit] Honours

[edit] Honorary military appointments

British

Commonwealth Realms

  • Colonel-in-Chief, Flag of Canada Canadian Forces Dental Service
  • Colonel-in-Chief, Flag of Australia Royal Australian Army Educational Corps
  • Colonel-in-Chief, Flag of New Zealand Royal New Zealand Army Educational Corps
  • Colonel-in-Chief, Flag of Bermuda Bermuda Regiment

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ As a titled royal, Birgitte holds no surname, but, when one is used, it is Windsor
  2. ^ Name change is mentioned in parish register of Th. Kingo, Odense (Regional Archive, Odense)
Order of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Lady Louise Windsor		 Ladies
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester		 Succeeded by
The Duchess of Kent
v • d • e
UK Order of Precedence (Ladies)*
Persondata
NAME Gloucester, Birgitte
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Windsor, Birgitte Eva; Deurs, Birgitte Eva van; Henriksen, Brigitte Eva
SHORT DESCRIPTION Wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
DATE OF BIRTH 20 June 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH