by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Eleanor of Provence, wife of King Henry III of England; Credit – Wikipedia

Eleanor of Provence was born circa 1223 in Aix-en-Provence, the capital of the County of Provence, now in France. Her parents were Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy. The couple had two stillborn sons, but their four beautiful daughters made excellent marriages and were all queens via these marriages.

• Margaret of Provence (1221–1295), wife of King (Saint) Louis IX of France
• Eleanor of Provence (1223–1291), wife of King Henry III of England
• Sanchia of Provence (1228–1261), wife of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, King of the Romans, son of King John of England and brother of King Henry III of England
• Beatrice of Provence (1231–1267), wife of King Charles I of Sicily

King Henry III of England was in marriage talks for the hand of Joan, Countess of Ponthieu when his brother Richard, Earl of Cornwall told him of the beauty of the Provence sisters. Henry immediately canceled his talks for Joan and made an offer to marry Eleanor of Provence. Eleanor traveled from Provence in the south of France to the court of King Louis IX of France to visit her sister Margaret, and then continued her journey to England, landing in Dover. On January 14, 1236, 28-year-old King Henry III and Eleanor, who was about 12 years old, were married at Canterbury Cathedral by Edmund Rich, Archbishop of Canterbury.  Eleanor was crowned Queen of England at Westminster Abbey on January 20, 1236.

Despite the couple’s age difference, their marriage was a happy one. Henry had the Palace of Westminster refurbished for his bride, gave her a number of gifts, and paid personal attention to establishing and equipping Eleanor’s household. King Henry III was greatly devoted to Edward the Confessor and had adopted him as his patron saint. Eleanor became equally devoted to the saint and their first child was named for Edward the Confessor.

Henry and Eleanor had five children:

• King Edward I of England (1239–1307), married (1) Eleanor of Castile, had issue (2) Margaret of France, had issue
• Margaret, Queen of Scots (1240–1275), married King Alexander III of Scotland, had issue
• Beatrice, Countess of Richmond (1242–1275), married John II, Duke of Brittany, had issue
• Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster (1245–1296), married (1) Aveline de Forz, no issue (2) Blanche of Artois, had issue
• Katherine of England (1253 – 1257), died at age 3

King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence;  Credit – Wikipedia

As a young queen, Eleanor was admired by the English. However, this admiration eventually turned to annoyance and then rebellion when it was realized how many uncles and cousins from her mother’s side of the family Eleanor had brought with her. Her uncle William of Savoy became a close advisor of her husband, displacing and displeasing English barons. Taxes were increased due to Eleanor’s extravagance and her financial support and gifts to her friends and family. Eventually, King Henry III’s demands for extra finances and dissatisfaction with Henry’s methods of government caused the Second Baron’s War (1264-1267), a civil war between the forces of the barons led by Simon de Montfort, against the royalist forces led by Prince Edward (later King Edward I of England), in the name of King Henry III. After a three-year war, the royalist forces were victorious. Simon de Monfort, who was married to Eleanor, King Henry III’s sister, was defeated and brutally killed at the Battle of Evesham.

King Henry III died in 1272 at the age of 65, after a 56-year reign, making him the fourth longest-reigning British monarch after Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Victoria, and King George III. Eleanor survived her husband for 19 years and helped raise several of her grandchildren. In 1280, Eleanor retired to Amesbury Priory, a Benedictine monastery at Amesbury, Wiltshire, England where she died on June 24/25, 1291. It appears that Eleanor requested that she be buried with her husband at Westminster Abbey, but was buried at the Amesbury Priory where she had died. Eleanor’s remains were lost when the Abbey was destroyed in 1539 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.  Her heart was buried at London’s Greyfriars Monastery which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

England: House of Plantagenet Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Index
• House of Plantagenet Index (1216 – 1399)
• British Royal Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Other Important Events
• Coronations after the Norman Conquest (1066 – present)
• History and Traditions: Norman and Plantagenet Weddings
• House of Plantagenet Burial Sites

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester is the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Birgitte Eva Henrisksen was born in Thomas Kingos Parish in Odense, Denmark on June 20, 1946.  She is the daughter of Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and Vivian van Deurs. When her parents divorced, Birgitte started using her mother’s maiden name, van Deurs, as her surname.

Birgitte received her early education in her hometown of Odense, Denmark and her secondary education at Brillantmont International School in Lausanne, Switzerland. She also attended the Margrethe School in Copenhagen, Denmark also known as the Scandinavian Academy of International Fashion and Design. The school’s name refers to its first patron, Princess Margrethe of Denmark who married Prince René of Bourbon-Parma. Princess Benedikte, sister of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Princess Elisabeth of Denmark, cousin of Queen Margrethe II also attended Margrethe School. Princess Benedikte became the patron of the school.

It was while attending the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge, England that Birgitte met her husband, Prince Richard of Gloucester. Prince Richard was studying architecture at Magdalene College, Cambridge University. As the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (third son of King George V of the United Kingdom), Prince Richard expected to have to earn his own way and planned a career as an architect as his elder brother Prince William would become Duke of Gloucester upon their father’s death. Prince Richard received his Bachelor of Arts in June 1966 and subsequently received his Master of Arts in 1971. Upon completion of his training, Prince Richard went into practice as a partner in a London architectural firm. In 1971, Birgitte was also working in London as a secretary at the Danish Embassy.

Birgitte and Prince Richard became engaged in February 1972 and were married on July 8, 1972, at St. Andrew’s Church in Barnwell, Northamptonshire, England nearby the Gloucester family home Barnwell Manor.  Birgitte was then styled Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester. Prince Richard’s father was unable to attend the wedding. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester had suffered his first stroke in 1965 and subsequent strokes required him to use a wheelchair and rendered him unable to speak for his remaining years.

First row, seated: Princess Alice of Albany; Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; The Queen Mother; Vivian van Deurs Second row, standing: Prince Michael of Kent; Princess Margaret; The Prince of Wales; Prince Richard of Gloucester; Birgitte van Deurs; Prince William of Gloucester; two members of Birgitte’s family; Asger Henriksen; Photo Credit – orderofsplendor.blogspot.com

Shortly after the wedding, on August 28, 1972, Prince Richard’s elder brother Prince William crashed his plane in a flying competition and died. (See Unofficial Royalty: Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the end of August, scroll down) This terrible tragedy left Prince Richard first in line to his father’s dukedom and increased his family obligations and royal duties. Therefore, he resigned his partnership in the architectural firm and began to represent his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II, at royal engagements.

On June 10, 1974, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester died and Prince Richard succeeded his father as Duke of Gloucester. Birgitte was then styled Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester. The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester’s official residence is at Kensington Palace in London. In 2019, they moved from the large Apartment 1 to the Old Stables, a smaller residence that is also located within the Kensington Palace grounds. They have leased out their private home Barnwell Manor in Northamptonshire, England since 1994.

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Alice with her son the Duke of Gloucester, daughter-in-law the Duchess of Gloucester and her grandchildren, Lady Davina Windsor, Lady Rose Windsor, and Alexander the Earl of Ulster celebrating her 100th birthday in 2001

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester have three children:

• Alexander Patrick Gregers Richard Windsor, Earl of Ulster (born 1974) married Claire Booth. The couple had two children:
  • Xan Richard Anders Windsor, Lord Culloden (born 2007)
  • Lady Cosima Rose Alexandra Windsor (born 2010)
• The Lady Davina Elizabeth Alice Benedikte Lewis (born 1977), married Gary Lewis, divorced in 2018.  The couple had two children:
  • Senna Kowhai Lewis (born 2010)
  • Tāne Mahuta Lewis (born 2012)
• The Lady Rose Victoria Birgitte Louise Gilman (born 1980), married George Gilman. The couple had two children:
  • Lyla Beatrix Christabel Gilman (born 2010)
  • Rufus Gilman (born 2012)

Embed from Getty Images
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester attending the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in 2019

The Duchess of Gloucester carried out many public engagements on behalf of her patronages and organizations and in support of her husband’s first cousin Queen Elizabeth II. She also supported The Queen at official engagements such as state banquets, religious services, garden parties, and receptions. The Duchess of Gloucester also made official overseas visits as a representative of The Queen with and without her husband. She continues to carry out engagements and represents her husband’s first cousin once removed King Charles III.

In 2024, The Duchess of Gloucester was made a Lady Companion of the Order of the Garter by King Charles III.  This appointment is very significant, as Royal spouses (other than the spouse of the Sovereign or the Heir) are not traditionally invested in the Order of the Garter.  This is in recognition of her many years of support to both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III.

The Duchess’ patronages include:

• Bliss, the special care baby charity
• St Paul’s Cathedral School
• St John’s School, Leatherhead
• Bridewell Royal Hospital (King Edward’s School, Witley)
• Royal Academy of Music

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Tomb of Joan of Navarre and her husband King Henry IV in Canterbury Cathedral; Photo Credit: Susan Flantzer

Joan of Navarre was born around 1370 in Pamplona in the Kingdom of Navarre, now in present-day Spain. Originally named Jeanne after her mother and her paternal grandmother Jeanne II, Queen of Navarre, her name was anglicized as Joan or Joanna after she became Queen of England. Joan’s father was Charles II, King of Navarre who lived up to the nickname Charles the Bad. Joan’s mother was Jeanne of Valois, daughter of Jean II, King of France, called Jean the Good. Joan’s mother died when Joan was about three years old.

Joan had six siblings:

• Marie (1360 – after 1400), married Alfonso d’Aragona, Duke of Gandia, no issue
• Charles III, King of Navarre (1361–1425), married Eleanor of Castile, had issue
• Bonne (1364 – after 1389)
• Peter, Count of Mortain (circa 1366 – 1412), married Catherine of Alençon, no issue
• Philip (born and died 1368)
• Blanche (1372–1385)

When Joan was around 16 years old, she became the third wife of Jean IV, Duke of Brittany who was around thirty years older. Jean previously had married two English brides, Mary of Waltham, the daughter of King Edward III of England, and Joan Holland, the daughter of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent. Both marriages were childless.

Joan and Jean had nine children:

• Jeanne of Brittany (1387 – 1388)
• Daughter (1388)
• Jean V, Duke of Brittany (1389–1442) married Joan of France; had issue
• Marie of Brittany (1391 – 1446) married John I of Alençon; had issue
• Marguerite of Brittany (1392 – 1428) married Alain IX, Viscount of Rohan and Count of Porhoët
• Arthur III, Duke of Brittany (1393 – 1458) married 1) Margaret of Burgundy; 2) Joan of Albret; 3) Catherine of Luxembourg-Saint-Pol; no legitimate issue from his three marriages
• Gilles of Brittany (1394 – 1412)
• Richard of Brittany (1395 – 1438) married Margaret d’Orléans, Countess of Vertus; had issue
• Blanche of Brittany (1397 – aft. 1419), married John IV, Count of Armagnac; had issue

Jean IV, Duke of Brittany died in 1399 and Joan became regent for her eldest son Jean V, Duke of Brittany for two years until he came of age at the age of 12. Henry Bolingbroke, the future King Henry IV of England, visited the court of Brittany in 1399. He had been banished from England by his cousin King Richard II of England who Henry overthrew later that same year. Henry made a good impression on Joan and she was determined to marry him if the opportunity should arise. In 1402, after Joan’s son came of age, she sent an emissary to England to arrange a marriage with Henry. Henry’s first wife Mary de Bohun died in childbirth in 1394 giving birth to her seventh child. Henry was agreeable to the marriage and a proxy marriage was held on April 3, 1402, with Joan’s emissary standing in for the bride.

Joan left France for England in January of 1403 with her two youngest daughters and had an uncomfortable, stormy crossing. Her ship, due to land at Southampton, was blown off course by the terrible weather and finally landed in Falmouth in Cornwall. She traveled to Winchester where Henry met her and they were married at Winchester Cathedral on February 7, 1403. They traveled to London where Joan’s coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on February 26, 1403.

At the time of their marriage, Henry was about 37 and Joan was about 35, but they had no children together. Joan got along well with her stepchildren especially Henry of Monmouth, Prince of Wales, the future King Henry V of England. In his last years, King Henry IV suffered from a disfiguring disease (possibly leprosy, syphilis, or psoriasis) and had severe attacks (possibly from epilepsy or cardiovascular disease).  While in prayer at the shrine of Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, Henry suffered a fatal attack, possibly a stroke.  He was carried to the Jerusalem Chamber, a room in the house of the Abbey’s abbot, where he died at age 45.  Henry was not buried at Westminster Abbey but instead requested that he be buried at Canterbury Cathedral, presumably because of an affinity towards St. Thomas Becket whose shrine was there.

King Henry V held his stepmother in the highest regard as shown by his appointing “his dearest mother” as regent in 1415 when he went to France and gained his great victory at the Battle of Agincourt.  After the battle, Joan walked in the procession from St. Paul’s Cathedral to Westminster Abbey for a service of thanksgiving, but she must have had ambivalent feelings. One of her sons-in-law died on the French side in the battle and her son Arthur, who was taken prisoner, spent five years as a prisoner at the Tower of London and Fotheringay Castle.

In 1418, while King Henry V was once again fighting in France and his brother John, Duke of Bedford was acting as regent, Joan was suddenly arrested and accused of using witchcraft to poison the king. She was sent to Pevensey Castle in Sussex, England where she was kept for four years until she was released in 1422. She lived quietly through the reign of King Henry V and into the reign of his son King Henry VI. Joan died on June 10, 1437, at her favorite residence, Havering Palace in the village of Havering-atte-Bower in what is now the London Borough of Havering, at the age of about 67. She was buried with King Henry IV at Canterbury Cathedral.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

England: House of Lancaster Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Index
• House of Lancaster Index
• British Royal Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Other Important Events
• Coronations after the Norman Conquest (1066 – present)
• History and Traditions: Norman and Plantagenet Weddings
• House of Lancaster Burial Sites