Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Richard | |||||
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Duke of Gloucester (more) | |||||
The Duke of Gloucester in October 2015 | |||||
Born |
Hadley Common, Hertfordshire | 26 August 1944||||
Spouse | Birgitte van Deurs (m. 1972) | ||||
Issue |
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House | Windsor | ||||
Father | Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester | ||||
Mother | Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester | ||||
Religion | Church of England |
Royal Family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms | |
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Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, KG, GCVO (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He succeeded to the dukedom of Gloucester, as the second Duke, upon his father's death in 1974 and is currently 24th in line to the British throne, and the first not descended from King George VI. He is also the senior male line descendant of Queen Victoria.[2]
The Duke of Gloucester carries out royal engagements on behalf of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II.
Early life
Prince Richard was born on 26 August 1944 at Hadley Common[3] in Hertfordshire. His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. His mother was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester (née Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott), a daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch.
He was baptised at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park on 20 October 1944 by Archbishop of Canterbury Cosmo Lang. His godparents were his paternal aunt, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Marie Louise (his cousin), the Countess of Athlone (his cousin, for whom her daughter, Lady May Abel Smith stood proxy), the Duke of Buccleuch (his maternal uncle), the Marquess of Cambridge (his cousin), Lady Sybil Phipps (his maternal aunt), and General the Earl Alexander of Tunis (for whom his wife, then Lady Margaret Alexander, stood proxy). Because of the War, newspapers did not identify the precise location of the christening, saying only that it took place at "a private chapel in the country".[4][5][6]
As a patrilineal grandson of the British monarch, he was styled His Royal Highness Prince Richard of Gloucester from birth. At the time of his birth he was fifth in the line of succession to the throne but second in line to his father's dukedom, behind his brother, Prince William of Gloucester, who died in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed at Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton. When Prince Richard was four months old, he accompanied his parents to Australia, where his father served as Governor-General from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to Barnwell Manor in 1947.
Education and career
Prince Richard's early education took place at home; later, he attended Wellesley House School at Broadstairs and Eton College. In 1963, he matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge where he studied Architecture, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June 1966; he proceeded as MA (Cantab) in 1971.
Later in 1966, straight after university, Prince Richard joined the Offices Development Group in the Ministry of Public Building and Works for a year of practical work. He returned to Cambridge in 1967, completing both parts of the Diploma in Architecture degree in June 1969, and upon passing his exams, he became a practising partner in a London architects firm.
Although intending to practise full-time as an architect, the death of his elder brother Prince William in 1972, when he crashed his plane in a flying competition, left Richard first in line to his father's dukedom and increased his family obligations and royal duties. He therefore resigned his partnership and began representing his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II on royal duties. On 10 June 1974, Prince Richard succeeded to his father's titles as Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster, and Baron Culloden. The Duke remains particularly interested in architecture and conservation; he became a corporate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (and FRIBA) in 1972 and serves as a Commissioner of the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage). He is Royal Patron of the UK branch of the charity Habitat for Humanity,[7] Royal Patron of the St. George's Society of New York,[8] and President of The London Society.
He has published three books of photographs under the name Richard Gloucester: On Public View: a Selection of London's Open-air Sculpture, with Paul William White (London, Hutchinson, 1971); The Face of London (London, Phaidon Press, 1973); and Oxford and Cambridge, with Hermione Hobhouse (London : Macdonald General Books, 1980). A keen motorist, Prince Richard was President of the Institute of Advanced Motorists for more than 32 years; he passed the Institute's Advanced Driving Test in 1965. On his appointment in 1971, it was recorded that the Institute's new President was "currently [driving] an Austin 1300";[9] he stood down as President in January 2005.[10]
Activities
On 10 April 2008, The Duke of Gloucester was officially installed as inaugural Chancellor of the University of Worcester at a ceremony in Worcester Cathedral. In this role, the Prince officiates at degree ceremonies and major events, as well as promoting the University overseas. The Duke carried out the first of these duties on 5 and 6 November 2008 at the Graduation Award Ceremonies.
The Duke is also Patron of the Severn Valley Railway and the Pestalozzi International Village Trust. He shares a name with another duke of Gloucester, King Richard III, and is the Patron of the Richard III Society.[11] On 22 March 2015, he attended ceremonies for the reinterment of Richard III in Leicester.
During 2009, the Duke became Patron of the De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre[12] in support of its bid to raise funds through private means and through a bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to help develop this learning experience, protect the priceless exhibits and improve visitor access to the oldest aviation heritage centre in Britain. It celebrated its 50th anniversary on 15 May 2009.
On 8 November 2011 he opened the new Law School Building at the University of Hertfordshire on the de Havilland campus site of the former de Havilland Aircraft factory.[13]
Among his duties as the Chancellor of the University of Worcester, the Duke of Gloucester was present at the opening of the new University library: The Hive—Europe's first joint public and university library—which was officially opened by his cousin, The Queen, on 11 July 2012.
On 19 March 2013, the Duke represented Queen Elizabeth II at The Vatican for the inauguration of Pope Francis.
He is also a member of the International Advisory Board of the Royal United Services Institute.
On 11 March 2015, the Duke visited the Royal School Dungannon in Dungannon, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland to celebrate their 400th anniversary since King James I opened the school; presenting a commemorative plaque and raising an anniversary flag on the grounds.
On 22 March and 26 March 2015, the Duke represented the Queen at the ceremonies marking the reburial and commemorations of King Richard III in Leicester Cathedral. The king had held the title Duke of Gloucester himself before his ascension to the English throne.
Marriage and family
On 8 July 1972, Prince Richard married the Danish-born Birgitte van Deurs in St Andrew's Church at Barnwell, Northamptonshire; they have three children:
- Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, born 24 October 1974. He married Claire Booth on 22 June 2002. The couple have two children: Xan Windsor, Lord Culloden (born 12 March 2007) and Lady Cosima Rose Alexandra Windsor (born 20 May 2010)
- Lady Davina Lewis, born 19 November 1977. She married Gary Lewis on 31 July 2004. The couple have two children: Senna Kowhai Lewis (born 22 June 2010) and Tāne Mahuta Lewis (born 25 May 2012)
- Lady Rose Gilman, born 1 March 1980. She married George Gilman on 19 July 2008. The couple have two children: Lyla Beatrix Christabel Gilman (born 30 May 2010) and Rufus Gilman (born October/November 2012)
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's official residence is at Kensington Palace in London.[14] They have leased their private home, Barnwell Manor, since 1994.
Titles, styles, honours and Arms
Titles
- 26 August 1944 – 10 June 1974: His Royal Highness Prince Richard of Gloucester
- 10 June 1974 – present: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester
Formal style
- His Royal Highness Prince Richard Alexander Walter George, Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Grand Prior of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Honours
See also: List of honours of the British Royal Family by country
British honours
- 1997 Royal Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)
- 1974 Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)
- 1975 Grand Prior of the Order of St John (GCStJ)
- 1953 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
- 1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
- 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
- 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
- 1984 Service Medal of the Order of St John (with 3 Bars)
Commonwealth honours
- 1975 Member, 1st Class of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta
- 1975 Nepalese Coronation Medal
- 1978 Solomon Islands Independence Medal
- 1980 Badge of Honour, New Hebrides[15]
- 1980 Vanuatu Independence Medal
- 1 August 2008 Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown of Tonga
- 2008 Star of the Solomon Islands (SSI)
Foreign honours
- 1973 Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- 1975 Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the Polar Star
- 1974 Sash of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
Honorary military appointments
- Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Australian Army Education Corps[16]
- Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps
- Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Anglian Regiment
- Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Medical Corps
- Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Logistic Corps
- Royal Colonel, of the 6th (V) Battalion, The Rifles
- The Royal Honorary Colonel, of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)
- Honorary Air Commodore, of RAF Odiham
- Honorary Air Commodore, of 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 16 June 2001.[17]
- Honorary Air Marshal, Royal Air Force, 1 September 1996.[18]
Arms
As Grand Prior, like other Bailiffs Grand Cross of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem, HRH is entitled to augment the Arms of the Order in chief. |
Issue
Name | Birth | Marriage | Issue | |
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Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster | 24 October 1974 | 22 June 2002 | Claire Booth | Xan Windsor, Lord Culloden Lady Cosima Windsor |
Lady Davina Lewis | 19 November 1977 | 31 July 2004 | Gary Lewis | Senna Lewis Tāne Lewis |
Lady Rose Gilman | 1 March 1980 | 19 July 2008 | George Gilman | Lyla Gilman Rufus Gilman |
Ancestry
Patrilineal descent
Patrilineal descent |
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Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son. His patrilineal descent (the principle behind membership in Germanic royal houses) can be traced back through the generations—which means that if The Duke of Gloucester were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Wettin, as all his male-line ancestors have been members. The line diverges from the British royal line at Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, and from then on follows his paternal ancestors. Prince Richard is currently the senior agnatic descendant of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as the heir-male of King Edward VII. House of Wettin
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See also
References
- ↑ As a titled royal, Richard needs no surname, but, when one is used, it is Windsor.
- ↑ "Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester – Royal Family History". Royal Family History. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ↑ Royal Children by Charles Kidd & Patrick Montague-Smith
- ↑ The Times, 21 October 1944
- ↑ The Times, 5 August 1942
- ↑ "Yvonne's Royalty Home Page – Royal Christenings". Users.uniserve.com. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ http://www.habitatforhumanity.org.uk/page.aspx?pid=312
- ↑ http://www.stgeorgessociety.org/board.html
- ↑ "Appointments Register". Motor. 9 October 1971. p. 57.
- ↑ Resignation Press Release Archived 17 May 2005 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ "The Richard III Society". Richardiii.net. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ "Mosquito Aircraft Museum – de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre". Dehavillandmuseum.co.uk. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ↑ Lennon, Chris (9 November 2011). "Royal opening of University of Hertfordshire law court". Welwyn Hatfield Times (WGC).
- ↑ "Royal residences: Kensington Palace".
- ↑ Mackay, James, Editor; Mussell, John W.; Editorial Team of Medal News (2004). The Medal Yearbook 2004. Devon, UK: Token Publishing Ltd. p. 236. ISBN 9781870192620. Cite uses deprecated parameter
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(help) - 1 2 "Burke's Peerage – The Royal Family – HRH The Duke of Gloucester". Burke's Peerage & Gentry and The Origins Network. Retrieved 7 June 2011.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 56269. p. 8120. 10 July 2001. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 54519. p. 12011. 9 September 1996. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ↑ "Duke of Gloucester". britishflags.net.
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by the Duke of Gloucester
- Profile at www.royal.gov.uk
- Burke's Peerage and Baronetage
- Media related to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester at Wikimedia Commons
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Born: 26 August 1944 | ||
Lines of succession | ||
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Preceded by Arthur Chatto |
Line of succession to the British throne son of Henry, son of George V |
Succeeded by Earl of Ulster |
Peerage of the United Kingdom | ||
Preceded by HRH Prince Henry |
Duke of Gloucester 5th creation, 2nd Duke 10 June 1974 – present |
Incumbent Heir apparent: Earl of Ulster |
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
Preceded by Viscount Linley |
Gentlemen HRH The Duke of Gloucester |
Succeeded by HRH The Duke of Kent |
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