Category Archives: British Royals

The Laird o’ Thistle – Special Edition – A Funeral at Windsor

Out of a day of many unforgettable images, viewed by a worldwide audience, one picture has quickly come to epitomize the funeral of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Saturday 17 April 2021. It is the photo of his widow, HM the Queen, sitting alone in the choir stalls of St. George’s Chapel, a tiny figure, her shoulders stooped with age and sorrow, masked (perhaps a blessing?) and wearing somber black relieved only by a stunning diamond broach that first belonged to her grandmother.

The scene set me thinking…. One of my first forays into reading books about the royals, fifty-some years ago, was Marion Crawford’s THE LITTLE PRINCESSES. Miss Crawford – the Scottish governess who cared for and companioned the princesses from the early 1930s, through WWII, and up to Elizabeth and Philip’s marriage – noted her concern at the time as to whether Princess Elizabeth should attend the Lying-in-State, and then the Windsor funeral, of King George V in 1936. Was it too much for one so young? (Not yet age 10 at the time.) It was duly decided that the princess would attend and, as one would expect of this particular princess, she proved her mettle. “Crawfie” described her as somber and pale, wearing a black coat and little velvet tam as she joined her heavily veiled mother and the royal ladies at Paddington Station for the trip to Windsor and St. George’s.

Later on Saturday, after the funeral, I decided to look for any images of Princess Elizabeth at that 1936 funeral and struck gold as it were. On YouTube, I found a clip from the British Pathe newsreel coverage of that day: YouTube: The Funeral Of His Majesty King George V (1936). If you look at the 9:00 minute mark you’ll find the coffin of George V being carried up the steps of St. George’s Chapel, followed by his sons, widow, and family. At the 9:30 mark, you will see, in the lower right of the screen, the unmistakable image of Princess Elizabeth, solemn but observant, as she and her mother join the Duke of York on the steps. A small solemn figure, dressed in black… then, and now.

The Queen is the last surviving member of the family that attended the funeral of George V. In subsequent years she has returned many times, for the burial services of her adored father, George VI; her formidable grandmother, Queen Mary; her mother-in-law, Princess Alice; her uncles, the Dukes of Windsor and Gloucester; her mother, Queen Elizabeth; her sister, Princess Margaret; and various other members of the House of Windsor, now including that of her much-beloved husband and companion of 73 years. (Among those, I’ve looked, but have not found out, whether she was also among the attendees at the particularly poignant and tearful funeral of the Duke of Kent in 1942, after his tragic death in wartime service.)

Not one to dwell on such things, snippets of memories of all those other funerals must nonetheless have passed through the Queen’s mind over the last week or so… along with thoughts of others such as Lord Mountbatten’s and Princess Diana’s, in particular. For all of those services since 1947, she had had Prince Philip at her side.

On Saturday Philip was not at her side but, in a way, he was all around her. Though down-sized and adapted due to COVID, Prince Philip’s hand shown through in every detail of the striking service that may set a new standard for royal funerals at St. George’s. Two of the pieces of music, the settings of Psalms 100 and 104, beautifully sung by the 4-person ensemble in the bare nave, were originally commissioned by Prince Philip. Liturgically and aesthetically, the whole service was perfection.

Following the service I found myself imagining the Queen calling the Prince of Wales and her new Lord Chamberlain over to her afterward and saying something to the effect of, “On Monday, start re-writing my funeral plans to be more like this. I know there will have to be the State ceremonies in London, but here at Windsor, I want something like today.”

It is inevitable that sometime in the next few years the Queen will follow those who have gone before her. That, too, must have crossed her mind, sitting there by herself on Saturday afternoon. And, with that thought, perhaps also the well-known and much-beloved prayer of John Henry Newman:

O Lord support us all the day long,
until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.
Then in your mercy grant us a safe lodging,
and holy rest, and peace at the last,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – The Laird o’ Thistle
April 19, 2021

Funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 3:00 PM at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor England. It was a ceremonial royal funeral, the same as for Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002, rather than a state funeral which is usually reserved for monarchs. The funeral plans reflected The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a smaller, no-fuss funeral. His wishes were made clear to the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which is responsible for organizing the funeral. The arrangements were planned over many years, with The Duke of Edinburgh’s involvement and The Queen signed off on the funeral plans. Last-minute changes were necessary to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. After The Duke of Edinburgh’s death on April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle, his coffin, covered with his personal standard and a wreath of flowers, rested in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Procession from Windsor Castle to St. George’s Chapel

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The funeral service was preceded by a ceremonial procession within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards moved the coffin from the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle the short distance to St. George’s Chapel. The band of the Grenadier Guards, of which The Duke of Edinburgh was Colonel for 42 years, led the procession. They were followed by the Major General’s Party, and then the Service Chiefs, reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s close relationship with all branches of the British military. The coffin was carried in a purpose-built Land Rover, which The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in designing.

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The Range Rover carrying The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin

Royal Standard of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Credit- Wikipedia

The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was draped with his personal flag, his royal standard, representing his Danish and Greek heritage, the Mountbatten family, and his British title.

  • Lions and hearts from the Danish coat of arms
  • The national flag of Greece
  • Black and white stripes from the Mountbatten family arms
  • The arms of the city of Edinburgh representing his title Duke of Edinburgh

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s four children, his three eldest grandsons, his son-in-law, and his nephew by marriage walked behind the coffin, in this order:

The Prince of Wales – The Princess Royal

The Duke of York – The Earl of Wessex

The Duke of Cambridge – Peter Phillips – The Duke of Sussex

David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon – Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

Plan of Windsor Castle. Key: A: Round Tower, B: Upper Ward, Quadrangle, C: State Apartments, D: Private Apartments, E: South Wing, F: Lower Ward, G: St George’s Chapel, H: Horseshoe Cloister, K: King Henry VIII Gate, L: The Long Walk, M: Norman Gate, N: North Terrace, O: Edward III Tower, T:  Curfew Tower; Credit – Wikipedia

The procession proceeded from the Quadrangle in the Upper Ward, into the Lower Ward, and then into Horseshoe Cloister. The route of the procession was lined by representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force, and The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. Guns were fired at intervals of one minute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn at Windsor Castle and the Curfew Tower Bell tolled during the procession.

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The National Anthem was played as the coffin arrived in Horseshoe Cloister, the area in front of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel, where it was met by the Commonwealth Defense Advisers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Trinidad and Tobago. The West Steps of St. George’s Chapel were lined by a Dismounted Detachment of the Household Cavalry. Reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Navy service, a Royal Navy Piping Party was in position on the south side of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel. When the Land Rover stopped at the foot of the West Steps, the Piping Party piped the ‘Still’ – used to call all hands to attention as a mark of respect or to order silence on any occasion.

Then the pallbearers lifted the coffin and proceeded up the West Steps, stopping on the second landing. The Royal Navy Piping Party then piped the ‘Side’ – used when distinguished visitors arrive onboard a Royal Navy ship. The coffin paused for the National Minute Silence at 3:00 PM.

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At the top of the West Steps, David Connor, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury received the coffin. As the doors to St. George’s Chapel closed, the Royal Navy Piping Party piped the ‘Carry On’ – used to dismiss the crew back to their duties.

Guests

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Although St. George’s Chapel can seat 800 people, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there could be only 30 guests at the funeral. Buckingham Palace said The Queen faced some very difficult decisions in selecting the guests and wanted all branches of her husband’s family to be represented. The guests, who sat socially distanced in family groups, wore masks during the funeral service and members of the Royal Family wore day dress or morning coat with medals.

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s four sisters were represented by members of the House of Baden, the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and the House of Hesse.

  • Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden: Heir to the Head of the House of Baden, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Maximilian, Margrave of Baden who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and Berthold, Margrave of Baden
  • Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg: Head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark and Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
    Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse: Head of the House of Hesse, into which The Duke of Edinburgh’s sisters Princess Cecile of Greece and Denmark and Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark married. Via their mutual descent from Queen Victoria, Donatus is the third cousin twice removed of both The Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen. Cecilie married Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine who was a grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Alice). Sophie first married Prince Christoph of Hesse (son of Princess Margarete of Prussia who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal). After Christoph died in World War II, Sophie married Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover who was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal.

The Funeral Service

The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (link below) contains all prayers, hymns, and instructions. In addition, some links have been added to provide additional information.

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The funeral service began as the coffin entered St. George’s Chapel and was carried in procession to the catafalque in the quire followed by the family members who participated in the procession. Before the service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s naval cap and sword were placed on the coffin.

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Before his death, the Duke of Edinburgh decided which of his insignia, the medals and decorations conferred on him by the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, would be displayed at his funeral. The insignia he chose, together with his Field Marshal’s baton and Royal Air Force Wings, and his insignia from Greece and Denmark, as he was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, were placed on cushions on the altar before the funeral service.

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Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

As per The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes, no sermon or eulogy was delivered. No members of the royal family read lessons or gave readings. The service was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. Due to public health guidelines because of COVID-19, some elements of the funeral plan were modified, although the funeral service was still very much in line with The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a simple, no-fuss funeral.

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David Conner, Dean of Windsor

During the funeral service, a choir of four singers (three male Lay Clerks, the adult singers of St George’s Chapel Choir, and one outside female soprano) was conducted by James Vivian, Organist & Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the organ was played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The choir, located in the nave, away from the seated congregation, sang four pieces of music chosen by The Duke of Edinburgh. In line with public health guidelines due to COVID-19, there was no singing by the congregation.

The Burial

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An artist’s depiction of the Royal Vault: The bench in the middle is used as a temporary place for coffins waiting to be interred elsewhere. Coffins of permanent burials were placed on the shelves along the sides.

By the time of King George II’s death in 1760, the royal burial vaults at Westminster Abbey were quite crowded. His successor, his grandson King George III, decided to build a new royal vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The new Royal Vault was constructed in 1804 under what is now the Albert Memorial Chapel which was once the original chapel built by King Henry III and then used as the chapel of the Order of the Garter.

Coffins interred in the Royal Vault; Credit – the-lothians.blogspot.com

After the funeral service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault. The vault is accessible from the quire of St. George’s Chapel where a portion of the floor can be raised for lowering coffins into the passage that leads to the Royal Vault. In 1873, a mechanically operated platform was installed to ease the lowering of coffins into the vault, and steps to the vault were added behind the high altar. On September 19, 2022, when the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was moved to King George VI Memorial Chapel where Queen Elizabeth II’s parents King George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister Princess Margaret are interred.

King George VI Memorial Chapel; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

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.

Works Cited

  • ABC News. 2021. Order of Service for the funeral of Prince Philip. [online] ABC News. Available at: <https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/order-service-funeral-prince-philip-77126374> [Accessed 17 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip: Duke’s four children to walk alongside coffin at funeral. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56761074> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip funeral: Plans, timings and TV coverage. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56694327> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Who is going to Prince Philip’s funeral?. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56765468> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • Foster, Max and Said-Moorhouse, Lauren, 2021. Royal New: Funeral of Prince Philp. [online] CNN. Available at: <https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/16185745461597f028d3d9ece/raw?utm_term=16185745461597f028d3d9ece&utm_source=cnn_Royal+News+April+16&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1618574546161&bt_ee=2CsV8c8KA32Eq8u01ykfbTgxTwJVlgL3CstWN%2Fv1c3eXMqFwDhBFxEnwpAQtMlTU&bt_ts=1618574546161> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • The Royal Family. 2021. Funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh. [online] Available at: <https://www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0> [Accessed 17 April 2021].

Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

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The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was released on the evening before the funeral. It contains all prayers, hymns, and instructions. As per The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes, no sermon or eulogy was delivered. No members of the royal family read lessons or gave readings. The service was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.

During the funeral service held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a choir of four singers (three male Lay Clerks, the adult singers of St George’s Chapel Choir, and one outside female soprano) was conducted by James Vivian, Organist & Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the organ was played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The choir, located in the nave, away from the seated congregation, sang four pieces of music chosen by The Duke of Edinburgh. In line with public health guidelines due to COVID-19, there was no singing by the congregation.

The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

All stand. The Coffin is removed from the Land Rover and is carried to the West Steps where it rests at 3 pm for the one-minute National Silence.

The Coffin is then carried to the Catafalque in the Quire. Members of the Royal Family who have walked in the Procession are conducted to their places in the Quire.

Meanwhile, the choir sings

THE SENTENCES by William Croft (1678-1727)

I AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John 11. 25-26)

I KNOW that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. (Job 19. 25-27)

WE brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (1 Timothy 6. 7, Job 1. 21)

All remain standing. The Dean of Windsor shall say:

THE BIDDING

WE are here today in St George’s Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us. We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith. Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humour and humanity. We therefore pray that God will give us grace to follow his example, and that, with our brother Philip, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.

All sit. The choir sings Eternal Father, Strong to Save – Melita (music) by J. B. Dykes (1823-1876), Lyrics by William Whiting (1825-1878), Arranged by James Vivian (b. 1974)5

ETERNAL Father, strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amid its rage didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O sacred Spirit, who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
Who bad’st its angry tumult cease,
And gavest light and life and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them whereso’er they go:
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

All remain seated.

THE FIRST LESSON

Ecclesiasticus 43. 11-26 read by the Dean of Windsor

LOOK at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.

All remain seated as the choir sings The Jubilate Deo in C by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), written for St George’s Chapel, Windsor at the request of The Duke of Edinburgh

O BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands:
serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.

For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:
and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

All remain seated.

THE SECOND LESSON

John 11. 21-27 read by the Archbishop of Canterbury

MARTHA said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”

All remain seated as the choir sings Psalm 104 by William Lovelady (born 1945) abridged and arranged for choir and organ by James Vivian (born 1974) with the composer’s permission. Words from Psalm 104, adapted by Sam Dyer (born 1945)

The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady. Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness’s 75th Birthday.

MY SOUL give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

The waters rise above the highest mountain,
And flow down to the vales and leas;
At springs, wild asses quench their thirst,
And birds make nest amid the trees.

The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour,
The fir tree is a home for storks;
Wild goats find refuge in the hills,
From foes the conies shelter in the rocks.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

O Lord, how manifold is your creation,
All things in wisdom you provide;
You give your riches to the earth,
And to the sea so great and wide.

You take your creatures breath and life is ended,
Your breath goes forth and life begins;
Your hand renews the face of earth,
Your praise my whole life I will sing.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

Let us pray. All sit or kneel.

The choir sings THE LESSER LITANY by William Smith (1603-45), adapted by Roger Judd, MVO (born 1944)

LORD, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

The choir sings THE LORD’S PRAYER Music by Robert Stone (1516-1613) from John Day’s Certaine Notes 1565

OUR Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil. Amen.

THE RESPONSES

ENTER not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord.
For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Grant unto him eternal rest.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.
We believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord.
In the land of the living.
O Lord, hear our prayer.
And let our cry come unto thee.

THE COLLECT

The Dean of Windsor shall say:

O MERCIFUL God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us by his Holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him: We meekly beseech thee, O Father that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come ye blessed children of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful Father through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O ETERNAL God, before whose face the generations rise and pass away, thyself unchanged, abiding, we bless thy holy name for all who have completed their earthly course in thy faith and following, and are now at rest; we remember before thee this day Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, rendering thanks unto thee-for his resolute faith and loyalty, for his high sense of duty and integrity, for his life of service to the Nation and Commonwealth, and for the courage and inspiration of his leadership. To him, with all the faithful departed, grant thy peace; Let light perpetual shine upon them; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Dean of Windsor, Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, shall say:

O LORD, who didst give to thy servant Saint George grace to lay aside the fear of man, and to be faithful even unto death: Grant that we, unmindful of worldly honour, may fight the wrong, uphold thy rule, and serve thee to our lives’ end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOD save our gracious Sovereign and all the Companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of The Garter. Amen.

O GOD of the spirits of all flesh, we praise thy holy name for thy servant Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has left us a fair pattern of valiant and true knighthood; grant unto him the assurance of thine ancient promise that thou wilt ever be with those who go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters. And we beseech thee that, following his good example and strengthened by his fellowship, we may at the last, together with him, be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O LORD God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory; through him, who for the finishing of thy work laid down his life, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort: Deal graciously, we pray thee, with those who mourn; that casting every care on thee they may know the consolation of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All sit as the choir sings THE ANTHEM – Russian Kontakion of the Departed, translated by William John Birkbeck (1859-1916), Kiev Melody, arranged by Sir Walter Parratt, KCVO (1841-1924)

GIVE rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints:
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man:
And we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return.
For so thou didst ordain, when thou createdest me, saying,
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

All we go down to the dust; and, weeping, o’er the grave,
we make our song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

All stand.

THE COMMENDATION – As the Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor shall say:

GO forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul,
In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee;
In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee;
In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengtheneth thee;
May thy portion this day be in peace,
and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.

All remain standing. The Garter Principal King of Arms proclaims:

THE STYLES AND TITLES OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH

THUS it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustrious and most Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon whom had been conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Lord

High Admiral of the United Kingdom, One of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Husband of Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, whom may God preserve and bless with long life, health and honour and all worldly happiness.

A LAMENT played by the Pipe Major of The Royal Regiment of Scotland

THE LAST POST sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines

After a period of silence the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry sounded REVEILLE

ACTION STATIONS sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines

Then the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounces THE BLESSING

All remain standing as the choir sings THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

GOD save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!

All remain standing in their places as Her Majesty The Queen, Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family leave the Chapel via the Galilee Porch escorted by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Music after the service: Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel, will play Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 546 Johann Sebastian Bach

How to Watch Prince Philip’s Funeral in the United States

Credit – Wikipedia

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The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh will take place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 3:00 PM British Time (10:00 AM US Eastern Time) at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor, England. It will be a ceremonial royal funeral, the same as for Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002, rather than a state funeral which is usually reserved for monarchs. Unofficial Royalty will be publishing an article about the funeral over the weekend.

In the United States, the following channels will be showing the funeral:

  • ABC – coverage starts at 9:30 AM US Eastern Time
  • BBC World News – coverage starts at 7:30 AM US Eastern Time
  • CBS – coverage starts at 9:30 AM US Eastern Time
  • CNN – coverage starts at 9:00 AM US Eastern Time
  • Fox News – coverage starts at 9:00 AM US Eastern Time
  • MSNBC – coverage starts at 9:00 AM US Eastern Time
  • NBC – coverage starts at 9:30 AM US Eastern Time
  • Telemundo (Spanish language channel) – coverage starts at 9:00 AM US Eastern Time

The funeral service itself will start at 3:00 PM British Time (10:00 AM US Eastern Time). However, prior to the funeral service, there will be a procession from Windsor Castle the short distance to St. George’s Chapel which will start at 2:45 PM British Time (9:45 AM US Eastern Time). A military band, members of the military, The Duke of Edinburgh’s children (The Prince of Wales, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York and The Earl of Wessex), his three eldest grandsons (The Duke of Cambridge, The Duke of Sussex and Peter Phillips), his son-in-law Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, and the late Princess Margaret’s son David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon will accompany the coffin of The Duke of Edinburgh. The Queen will travel with a lady-in-waiting in the state Bentley at the end of the procession.

Although St. George’s Chapel can seat 800 people, due to COVID restrictions, there can be only 30 guests at the funeral. Buckingham Palace said The Queen faced some very difficult decisions in selecting the guests and wanted all branches of her husband’s family to be represented.

  • The Queen: wife of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Prince of Wales: eldest son of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Duchess of Cornwall: wife of The Prince of Wales
  • The Duke of Cambridge: grandson of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Duchess of Cambridge: wife of The Duke of Cambridge
  • The Duke of Sussex: grandson of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Duke of York: second son of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi: granddaughter of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi: husband of Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
  • Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank: granddaughter of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Jack Brooksbank: husband of Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank
  • The Earl of Wessex: third son of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Countess of Wessex: wife of The Earl of Wessex
  • James Mountbatten-Windsor, Viscount Severn: grandson of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor: granddaughter of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • The Princess Royal: only daughter of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence: husband of The Princess Royal
  • Peter Phillips: grandson of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Zara Tindall: granddaughter of The Duke of Edinburgh
  • Mike Tindall: husband of Zara Phillips
  • David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon: son of the late Princess Margaret, nephew of The Queen
  • Lady Sarah Chatto: daughter of the late Princess Margaret, niece of The Queen
  • Daniel Chatto: husband of Lady Sarah Chatto
  • The Duke of Gloucester: paternal first cousin of The Queen
  • The Duke of Kent: paternal first cousin of The Queen
  • Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy: paternal first cousin of The Queen
  • Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma: wife of Norton Knatchbull, 3rd Earl Mountbatten of Burma who is the grandson of Prince Philip’s uncle Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, who was killed by the IRA in 1979. The Countess was Prince Philip’s carriage driving partner and one of his closest friends.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s four sisters will be represented by members of the House of Baden, the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and the House of Hesse.

  • Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden: Heir to the Head of the House of Baden, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Maximilian, Margrave of Baden who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and Berthold, Margrave of Baden
  • Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg: Head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark and Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
  • Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse: Head of the House of Hesse, into which The Duke of Edinburgh’s sisters Princess Cecile of Greece and Denmark and Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark married. Via their mutual descent from Queen Victoria, Donatus is the third cousin twice removed of both The Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen. Cecilie married Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine who was a grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Alice). Sophie first married Prince Christoph of Hesse (son of Princess Margarete of Prussia who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal). After Christoph died in World War II, Sophie married Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover who was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal.

The Laird o’ Thistle – Special Edition – The Passing of Prince Philip

by The Laird o’Thistle
April 9, 2021

Buckingham Palace announced the news at mid-day: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning [9 April 2021] at Windsor Castle.” The news was a surprise, and not a surprise. He was so very old, and so very frail-looking in the final pictures of him leaving hospital last month.

Thoughts immediately began to fly in my head. The first one was “Well, he got his wish!” (Philip’s remark from some years back, that “he could think of nothing worse!” than turning 100, has been widely reported over the last year or so. And so here he dies, two months short of the mark.) My second thought was, “How will this affect the Queen?” She turns 95 herself twelve days from now.

Any death, even in one so elderly, even when anticipated, rips a tear in the fabric of a family. Queen Elizabeth has lost her deeply beloved spouse of nearly 73½ years, the man she is said to have adored since 1939 when she was a teenage Princess and he a handsome naval cadet (and Prince). At age 72, Prince Charles has lost his father… with whom he did not always have an easy relationship. Princess Anne has often been said to be the closest to her father of the four children. Prince William has been particularly close to his grandparents ever since their staunch support at the time of Princess Diana’s death; and it was Philip who volunteered to walk with him and Prince Harry in Diana’s funeral procession. The two youngest grandchildren, Prince Edward’s Louise and James, have grown up almost literally on the doorstep of Windsor Castle, with Lady Louise taking up Philip’s love of carriage driving. And, and, and…. All the dynamics now shift and change.

Prince Philip died at Windsor Castle, where 160 years ago the previous Prince Consort (a title Philip never officially held) also died. In the 2005 BBC documentary series, WINDSOR CASTLE – A ROYAL YEAR, Philip commented that Prince Albert’s ongoing heritage was a hard act to follow. Philip’s mother, Princess Alice, was born at Windsor in 1885, in the presence of her great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. Prince Philip had served as a very hands-on Ranger of the Great Park at Windsor since 1952, and oversaw the rebuilding and restoration effort after the 1992 fire. He also co-designed the great formal rose garden on the castle’s east terrace.

Who was he? Born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, he was the eldest living member of the former Greek royal family. Until today he was also perhaps the closest living relative of both Czar Nicholas II (a first cousin of Philip’s father) and the Czarina Alexandra (his mother’s aunt). He was a serving Naval Officer in both the Mediterranean and Pacific in WWII, later given the historic title of Lord High Admiral by the Queen. He was something of an explorer in the early years of the Queen’s reign, and an early environmentalist. He painted in oils.

His big job in life, however, was to be “supporting the Queen” in her role as monarch. It was Philip who broke the news to Elizabeth of her father’s death in February 1952. Always a few steps behind… or wandering off on his own at times… on state occasions and royal visits, HM described him on their 50th wedding anniversary (23 years ago!) as “simply my strength and stay all these years.” Although viewed with some apprehension by members of the “establishment” in early years (reportedly including Churchill, and Queen Mary, for instance, but not King George VI), he departs the scene as the longest-ever British royal consort, and as a careful hand in the many adaptations the royal family has necessarily made since 1952.

It has been noted how this last year of quarantine together has proved something of an ironic “gift” to the Queen and Prince Philip, giving them more time together, day-by-day, than they have had since early on in their marriage.

In interviews at the time of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee (2012) and her 90th birthday (2016) there began to be speculations about how she might cope when he eventually stepped out of the picture. Would it impede her ability to carry on? Some of the answer began to emerge after Prince Philip’s retirement from royal duties in 2017. Often accompanied by younger members of the family, the Queen has kept on keeping on… at least until now. Now, we’ll see what happens.

It has previously been reported that – unlike the late Queen Mum – Prince Philip decidedly did not want a big state funeral. His preference is said to have been for something more modest and private. We’ll now see how things unfold. Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions will certainly be a factor. Greater privacy will, I think, be a true blessing for his widow and family.

Back in that 2005 documentary, Prince Philip refused to try to say what his legacy might be. That, he thought, was for others to determine. “You just hope that you’ll leave things better than they might have been otherwise.” In that, there can be little doubt that he succeeded. Well done, Sir. And, thank you!

Yours aye,

Ken Cuthbertson – the Laird o’ Thistle

Unofficial Royalty Resources on Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Credit – Wikipedia

Born a Prince of Greece and Denmark on June 10, 1921, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was the youngest of the five children and the only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg. He was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Princess Alice, Grand Duchess of Hesse and by Rhine.

On November 20, 1947, the Duke of Edinburgh married the future Queen Elizabeth II and the couple had four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Anne, Princess Royal; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. The Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9, 2021, just two months short of his 100th birthday. He was the longest-serving consort of a British monarch and the longest-lived male member of the British royal family.

All article links below are from Unofficial Royalty.

We are pleased to have a special edition column from one of our columnists:

The Laird o’ Thistle – Special Edition – The Passing of Prince Philip

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Parents and Siblings

Spouse, Children, and Grandchildren

Catherine of Lancaster, Queen of Castile

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Catherine of Lancaster, Queen of Castile; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Born March 31, 1373, at Hertford Castle in Hertfordshire, England, Catherine of Lancaster was the elder but the only surviving child of the two children of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and his second wife Constance of Castile. Catherine’s paternal grandparents were King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. Her maternal grandparents were King Pedro I of Castile and his first wife Maria de Padilla. Catherine was a half-sister of King Henry IV of England.

Catherine had one younger brother who died in infancy:

  • John of Lancaster (1374 – 1375)

Catherine had seven half-siblings from her father’s first marriage to Blanche of Lancaster:

Catherine had four half-siblings from her father’s relationship with his mistress and subsequently his third wife Katherine Swynford:

Catherine’s parents had married in 1371, as part of a calculated plan for the English to gain control of the Kingdom of Castile, now part of Spain. In 1369, King Pedro I of Castile had been killed by his half-brother who then assumed the throne of Castile as King Enrique II of Castile. Catherine’s mother Constance was the elder surviving daughter, the co-heiress of her father with her younger sister Isabella, and a claimant to the throne of Castile. After his marriage to Constance, John of Gaunt assumed the style of King of Castile in the right of his wife. Constance’s younger sister Isabella of Castile accompanied her sister to England. In 1372, Isabella married John of Gaunt’s younger brother, Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York as part of a dynastic alliance to further the English claim to the crown of Castile.

The English were never able to gain control of the Kingdom of Castile. In 1388, under the Treaty of Bayonne, Constance, Duchess of Lancaster renounced all claims to the Castilian throne and accepted the proposal of her first cousin King Juan I of Castile, to marry her daughter Catherine to his son, the future King Enrique III of Castile. The marriage would end the conflict between the descendants of Pedro I of Castile and Enrique II of Castile and give legitimacy to the House of Trastámara which would become the first ruling house of a united Kingdom of Spain.

Enrique III, King of Castile; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 17, 1388, at the Cathedral of Saint Antoninus of Pamiers in Palencia, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain, fifteen-year-old Catherine of Lancaster was married to her nine-year-old second cousin Enrique, who received the title Prince of Asturias at that time. He was the first person to hold this title, and it designated him as the heir apparent. Today Prince or Princess of Asturias is the title used by the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the throne of Spain.

It is probable that the marriage was not consummated for some time due to Enrique’s young age. Eventually, Catherine (Catalina in Spanish) and Enrique had three children:

Through their son Juan II of Castile, Catherine and Enrique III are the grandparents of Isabella I, Queen of Castile and great-grandparents of Catherine of Aragon (daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon), the first wife of King Henry VIII of England. Catherine of Aragon was named for her great-grandmother Catherine of Lancaster, Queen of Castile. Catherine and Enrique are the ancestors of all subsequent monarchs of the Kingdom of Castile and a united Kingdom of Spain.

On October 9, 1390, Catherine’s father-in-law King Juan I of Castile, aged thirty-two, died after a fall from his horse and her eleven-year-old husband became Enrique III, King of Castile. After a three-year regency, King Enrique III assumed full power. However, due to ill health in the latter part of his reign, Enrique delegated some of his power to his brother Ferdinand. Enrique died, aged 27, on December 25, 1406, in Toledo, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain. King Enrique III’s son and successor was not quite two years old when he became King Juan II of Castile. His mother Catherine and his paternal uncle Ferdinand, who became King Ferdinand I of Aragon in 1412, were co-regents during his minority. When Ferdinand died in 1416, Catherine served as sole regent until her death in 1418. Her son King Juan II immediately took power, without continuing the regency.

Chapel of the New Monarchs at Toledo Cathedral where Catherine I buried with her husband along with other members of the the House of Trastámara; Credit – De Jose Luis Filpo Cabana – Trabajo propio, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30738992

On June 2, 1418, Catherine of Lancaster, Queen of Castile died from a stroke at age 45 in Valladolid, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain. She is buried with her husband King Enrique III of Castile in the Capilla de los Reyes Nuevos (Chapel of the New Monarchs) in the Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo, also known as Toledo Cathedral in Toldeo, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain.

Tomb of Catherine of Lancaster, Queen of Castile; Credit – De Borjaanimal – Trabajo propio, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44532496

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Catherine of Lancaster – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Lancaster> [Accessed 2 April 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Henry III of Castile – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_III_of_Castile> [Accessed 2 April 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Catalina de Lancaster – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalina_de_Lancaster> [Accessed 2 April 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/constance-of-castile-duchess-of-lancaster/> [Accessed 2 April 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2017. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/john-of-gaunt-1st-duke-of-lancaster/> [Accessed 2 April 2021].

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.

Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster; Credit – Wikipedia

Constance of Castile was the second wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the fourth but the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. Through their daughter Catherine, Constance and John are the great-grandparents of Queen Isabella I of Castile and León and the great-great-grandparents of Isabella I’s daughter Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England. Constance and John are the ancestors of all subsequent monarchs of the Kingdom of Castile and León and a united Kingdom of Spain.

Constance’s mother Maria de Padilla; Credit – Wikipedia

Born in 1354 at the Castle of Castrojeriz in Castrojeriz, Kingdom of Castile, now in Spain, Constance of Castile was the second of the three daughters and the second of the four children of Pedro I, King of Castile and the first of his three wives Maria de Padilla, a Castilian noblewoman who had been his mistress. They married in secret in 1353. Although Pedro was forced to repudiate his marriage with Maria de Padilla to marry Blanche of Bourbon (no children), their relationship continued until she died in 1361.

Constance had three siblings:

Constance had had one brother from her father’s third marriage with Juana de Castro:

  • Juan of Castile (1355 – 1405), married Elvira de Eril and Falces, had two children

Battle of Nájera during the Castilian Civil War; Credit – Wikipedia

Throughout the reign of Pedro I, King of Castile, the Castilian Civil War (1351 – 1369), a war of succession over the Kingdom of Castile, was fought between Pedro I and his half-brother Enrique, one of ten children of Pedro’s father King Alfonso XI of Castile and his long-time mistress Eleanor of Guzmán. In 1369, Pedro lost the civil war, his crown, and his life when he was stabbed to death by his half-brother who then succeeded to the throne as Enrique II, King of Castile. Constance was now a pretender to the throne of Castile and remained besieged in the Alcázar del Rey Don Pedro in Carmona for two more years until it was agreed that she could depart for territories of King Edward III of England now in present-day France.

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 21, 1371, in English territory, at Roquefort near Bordeaux, Guienne (now in France), 31-year-old John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, King Edward III’s fourth but third surviving son, married 17-year-old Constance. This was John of Gaunt’s second marriage. His 23-year-old first wife Blanche of Lancaster, the wealthy heiress whose Duchy of Lancaster, to this day, is held in trust for the Sovereign to provide income for the use of the British monarch, died in 1368. Of John and Blanche’s seven children, three survived to adulthood including King Henry IV of England and Philippa of Lancaster who married King João I of Portugal.

Embed from Getty Images
The Savoy Palace, the London home of John of Gaunt

The marriage of Constance and John was a calculated plan for England to gain control of the Kingdom of Castile. After his marriage to Constance, John assumed the style of King of Castile in the right of his wife. On February 9, 1372, Constance made a ceremonial entry into London as the Queen of Castile, accompanied by John’s eldest brother, Edward (the Black Prince), Prince of Wales, along with an impressive escort of English and Castilian retainers and London dignitaries. Crowds lined the streets to see Constance as she made her way to the Savoy Palace, the London residence of John of Gaunt, where she was ceremonially received by her husband.

Constance’s younger sister Isabella of Castile accompanied her to England. On July 11, 1372, Isabella married John of Gaunt’s younger brother, Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York as part of a dynastic alliance to further the English claim to the crown of Castile.

Constance and John of Gaunt had two children but only one survived infancy:

The English were never able to gain control of the Kingdom of Castile. In 1388, under the Treaty of Bayonne, John of Gaunt and his wife Constance of Castile renounced any claim to the throne of Castile in favor of King Enrique III of Castile, the grandson of Constance’s half-uncle King Enrique II of Castile who had taken the throne from Constance’s father King Pedro I of Castile. The treaty further stipulated that King Enrique III of Castile should marry his second cousin Catherine of Lancaster, John and Constance’s daughter and the granddaughter King Pedro I, thereby uniting the two opposing factions of the family. Also included in the treaty was the creation of the title Prince of Asturias as the title of the heir to the throne of Castile. Today Prince or Princess of Asturias is the title used by the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the throne of Spain.

Soon after King Edward III of England founded the Order of the Garter in 1348, women were appointed Ladies of the Garter but were not made companions. In 1378, Constance received the honor of being appointed the fourth Lady of the Garter.

Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster died on March 24, 1394, aged 39–40, at Leicester Castle in Leicestershire, of England. She was buried at the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke, in Leicester, England, which was destroyed in the mid-16th century under the Dissolution of the Chantries Act during the reign of King Edward VI of England. In 1396, Constance’s widower John of Gaunt married his long-time mistress Katherine Swynford, with whom he already had four children. John survived Constance by five years, dying on February 3, 1399, aged 58, at Leicester Castle in Leicestershire, England. He was buried with his first wife Blanche of Lancaster in a magnificent tomb at Old St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England which was destroyed in the Great Fire of London of 1666.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Constance of Castile, Duchess of Lancaster – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constance_of_Castile,_Duchess_of_Lancaster> [Accessed 1 April 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Peter of Castile – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_of_Castile> [Accessed 1 April 2021].
  • Es.wikipedia.org. 2021. Constanza de Castilla (1354-1394) – Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre. [online] Available at: <https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constanza_de_Castilla_(1354-1394)> [Accessed 1 April 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/john-of-gaunt-1st-duke-of-lancaster/> [Accessed 1 April 2021].
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2021. Констанция Кастильская, герцогиня Ланкастер — Википедия. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%86%D0%B8%D1%8F_%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F,_%D0%B3%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%86%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%8F_%D0%9B%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80> [Accessed 1 April 2021].

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.

George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, Favorite of King Charles II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

A member of the Villiers family, a prominent aristocratic family during the Stuart dynasty, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham was born on January 30, 1628, during the reign of King Charles I of England. He was the third of the four children and the second but the eldest surviving of the three sons of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Katherine Manners. George was a half-first cousin once removed of King Charles II’s mistress Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland who was born as Barbara Villiers. Barbara’s father William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison was the son of Sir Edward Villiers, a half-brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham.

George (on his mother’s lap) with his parents and his sister Mary; Credit – Wikipedia

George had three siblings:

  • Mary Villiers (1622 – 1685), married (1) Charles Herbert, Lord Herbert, no children (2) James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox, had two children (3) Colonel Thomas Howard, no children
  • Charles Villiers, Earl of Coventry (1625 – 1627), died in childhood
  • Lord Francis Villiers (1629 – 1648), unmarried, died in a skirmish at Kingston-Upon-Thames during the Second English Civil War

The elder George Villiers, the 1st Duke of Buckingham, was a courtier and favorite of King James I of England and his son King Charles I until a disgruntled army officer assassinated him on August 23, 1628. His seven-month-old son George inherited his father’s wealth and his long string of titles: Duke of Buckingham, Marquess of Buckingham, Earl of Buckingham, Earl of Coventry, Viscount Villiers, and Baron Whaddon. George’s mother Katherine succeeded to one of her father’s titles Baron de Ros of Helmsley upon his death in 1632, becoming the 18th Baroness de Ros of Helmsley in her own right. She married for a second time to Randal MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim in 1635, and went to live at Dunluce Castle in County Antrim, Ireland. Katherine survived her first husband by twenty-one years, dying in 1649 in Waterford, Ireland, probably of the plague. Upon his mother’s death, George inherited her title Baron de Ros of Helmsley.

George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and his brother Lord Francis Villiers; Credit – Wikipedia

George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and his brother Lord Francis Villiers were brought up in the household of King Charles I with Charles I’s sons, the future King Charles II and the future King James II. King Charles I took responsibility for George and Francis because of his loyalty to their assassinated father and because he did not think their Catholic mother should raise them. The education of the two Villiers boys and the two royal princes was overseen by William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle and Brian Duppa, Bishop of Winchester, and then later by John Earle, Bishop of Salisbury. The philosopher Thomas Hobbes was their mathematics teacher.

George and his brother Francis actively supported and fought with the Royalists during the English Civil War. After the death of his brother in a battle near Kingston upon Thames, George Villiers fled England and took refuge like many other royalists in the Netherlands. The execution of King Charles I on January 30, 1649, made his son Charles the de jure King of England. Because he participated in the Royalist cause, George’s property in England was confiscated but King Charles II in exile made him a Knight of the Garter in 1649 and a member of the Privy Council in 1650.

King Charles II in exile, 1653; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1650, accompanied by George, Charles landed in Scotland and raised an army of 10,000 men. After being crowned King of Scots at Scone on January 1, 1651, Charles marched his army into England but was overwhelmingly defeated at the Battle of Worcester.  After being a fugitive for six weeks, Charles escaped England and fled to France. Oliver Cromwell was declared Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. England remained a Commonwealth and then a Protectorate until 1660.

George followed the English royal family into exile. He returned to England in 1657 and married Mary Fairfax, the only child and heir of Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron. After the Cromwell government confiscated George’s property, it was given to Mary’s father Thomas Fairfax. George hoped that the marriage would result in him getting back his property. George and Mary’s marriage was childless. Mary was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Charles II’s wife Catherine of Braganza from 1663 – 1688.

In 1658, George was suspected of organizing a plot against Cromwell’s government. He was placed under house arrest at York House, his home in London, but escaped and when he was captured, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London until his father-in-law negotiated his release in 1659. The conditions of George’s release were a promise not to assist the enemies of the government and a large security payment from his father-in-law Thomas Fairfax.

On September 3, 1658, Oliver Cromwell died. His son Richard Cromwell ruled only until April 1659 and there was a real possibility for the restoration of the monarchy. On May 1, 1660, Parliament formally invited Charles, as King Charles II, to be the English monarch in what has become known as the Restoration. On May 23, 1660, Charles landed at Dover, England, and on his 30th birthday, May 29, 1660, King Charles II entered London in a procession with George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham accompanying the king.

After the restoration of King Charles II, George held several positions including Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire, Minister of State, and Master of the Horse. His endeavor to influence English politics was stymied by the Lord Chancellor Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, and in 1667 George took an active part in the overthrow of Hyde. He then played an important role in the group of five royal advisors that called itself the CABAL, formed from the letters of its members’ names:

C (Sir Thomas Clifford)
A (Anthony Ashley-Cooper, Baron Ashley)
B (George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham)
A (Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington)
L (John Maitland, 2nd Earl of Lauderdale)

George’s mistress Anna Maria Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury; Credit – Wikipedia

George was one of the Restoration rakes which included John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester, Sir Charles Sedley, and Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset. Following the example of King Charles II, they distinguished themselves in drinking, sex, and witty conversation. In 1667, George began an affair with Anna Maria Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury, the wife of Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury. The Earl challenged George to a duel and was mortally wounded by George, dying two months later of his injury. After the death of the 11th Earl of Shrewsbury, his widow Anna Maria went to live with George which necessitated George’s wife Mary living in the home of her birth family until the affair ended in 1674.

The Life of Buckingham by Augustus Leopold Egg – George is the central figure with King Charles II standing behind him; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1674, the House of Commons and the House of Lords brought charges against George. He was accused of embezzling public funds, having secret negotiations with France, and condemned for his affair with Anna Maria Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury. Due to a petition from the House of Commons, George was removed from office by Charles II and resigned from the royal advisory group. However, as a peer, he was still a member of the House of Lords and participated in the business of the House of Lords. Personally, George reformed his ways, reconciled with his wife Mary, and began to pay his debts.

After the death of King Charles II in 1685, George retired to his estate in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, England. He died there on April 16, 1687, aged 59, from complications of a cold he caught while participating in a fox hunt. Originally buried in Yorkshire, on June 7, 1687, George’s remains were moved to the Buckingham Vault in the Chapel of St. Nicholas in Westminster Abbey in London, England. While his father has a lavish tomb with an effigy in the Chapel of St. Nicholas, George has no monument or marker. Because George had no legitimate male heir, his titles became extinct except for Baron de Ros of Helmsley from his mother’s family which fell into abeyance until 1790. George’s wife Mary survived him by seventeen years, dying on October 30, 1704, aged 67. She was buried with her husband in the Buckingham Vault in Westminster Abbey.

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The Chapel of St. Nicholas at Westminster Abbey where George and his wife Mary are buried in the Buckingham Vault

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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Villiers, 2Nd Duke Of Buckingham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Villiers,_2nd_Duke_of_Buckingham> [Accessed 31 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2016. King Charles II Of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-charles-ii-of-england/> [Accessed 31 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, Favorite of King James I of England and King Charles I of England. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/george-villiers-1st-duke-of-buckingham-favorite-of-king-james-i-of-england-and-king-charles-i-of-england/> [Accessed 31 December 2020].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Villiers (2E Duc De Buckingham). [online] Available at: <https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Villiers_(2e_duc_de_Buckingham)> [Accessed 31 December 2020].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Villiers (1628-1687). [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Villiers_(1628-1687)> [Accessed 31 December 2020].
  • Westminster Abbey. 2020. Villiers Family | Westminster Abbey. [online] Available at: <https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/villiers-family> [Accessed 31 December 2020].

Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner, Lady-in-Waiting and Confidante of Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Anne as a debutante – Credit – Anne Veronica (née Coke), Baroness Glenconner by Navana Vandyk, whole-plate film negative, 8 May 1950, NPG x97522 © National Portrait Gallery, London

In 1971, Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner became a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, the sister of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and remained a lady-in-waiting until Princess Margaret’s death in 2002. In 2020, Anne Tennant’s memoir Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown was published. Her reason for writing the memoir was because she “was so fed up with people writing such horrible things about Princess Margaret.”

Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner was born Anne Veronica Coke (pronounced “Cook”) on July 16, 1932, in London, England, the eldest of the three daughters of Thomas Coke, the future 5th Earl of Leicester (1908 – 1976) and Lady Elizabeth Mary Yorke (1912 – 1985), daughter of Charles Yorke, 8th Earl of Hardwicke. Anne’s father, who became the 5th Earl of Leicester in 1949, served as Equerry to the Duke of York (the future King George VI) from 1934-1937. When the Duke of York became King George VI, he became Extra Equerry to the king from 1937-1952, and then continued as Extra Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II. Anne’s mother served as Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II from 1953 – 1973.

Anne had two younger siblings:

  • Lady Carey Elizabeth Coke (1934 – 2018), married Bryan Ronald Basset, had three sons
  • Lady Sarah Marion Coke (born 1944), married Major David Finlayson Wylie-Hill Walter, had two sons

Holkham Hall, Anne’s childhood home; Credit – By Holkham.j.lewis – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77267021

Anne spent her childhood at Holkham Hall, the 18th century Coke family country estate in Holkham, Norfolk, England. Sandringham House, the British monarch’s personally-owned country estate, was only 18 miles from Holkham Hall, and so Anne was a regular playmate of Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth were friends with Anne’s parents. They saw each other socially and the Coke family always attended the annual Christmas party at Buckingham Palace.

During World War II, Anne and her sister Carey stayed with their paternal great-aunt the Countess of Airlie, born Lady Bridget Coke and her husband David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie, and the six Ogilvy children. Their playmates were the three youngest Ogilvy children: David Ogilvy, the future 13th Earl of Airlie, The Honorable Angus Ogilvy who married Princess Alexandra of Kent, the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret, and The Honorable James Ogilvy.

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Queen Elizabeth II with her maids of honor: (left to right) Lady Moyra Hamilton, Lady Anne Coke, Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill, Lady Mary Baillie-Hamilton, Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Lady Jane Vane-Tempest-Stewart

In 1950, at the age of 18, Anne was formally presented at court and was named “debutante of the year” by Tatler which then was “an illustrated journal of society”. In 1953, Anne was selected to be one of the six maids of honor at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey.

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Colin Tennant and Lady Anne Coke pictured as they announce their engagement

In the summer of 1955, Anne met Colin Tennant, the son and heir of Christopher Tennant, 2nd Baron Glenconner at a debutante party at the Ritz Hotel in London. Their engagement was announced on December 16, 1955. On April 21, 1956, at St. Withburga’s Church in Holkham, Norfolk, England, Anne married Colin Tennant, the future 3rd Baron Glenconner. The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret attended the wedding. Antony Armstrong-Jones, Princess Margaret’s future husband, was the wedding photographer.

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Anne and Colin with their first child Charles

Anne and her husband had three sons and twin daughters:

  • The Honorable Charles Tennant (1957 – 1996), married Sheilagh Scott, had one son, Cody Tennant who became the 4th Baron Glenconner upon the death of his grandfather in 2010
  • The Honorable Henry Tennant (1960 – 1990), married Teresa Cormack (died 2018), had one son
  • The Honorable Christopher Tennant (born 1968), married (1) Anastasia Papadakos, had two daughters, divorced (2) Johanna Lissack Hurn
  • The Honorable May Tennant (born 1970), married Anton Creasy, had one daughter
  • The Honorable Amy Tennant (born 1970), unmarried
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Anne and Colin’s twin daughters with their nanny Barbara Barnes who later became Prince William’s nanny

Sadly, all three sons had major medical issues. The eldest son Charles died in 1996 from Hepatitis C due to his long-term heroin use. Henry, the second son, died from AIDS in 1990. Henry and his wife Tessa had a son Euan shortly before Henry told Tessa that he was gay. The couple separated but remained close. Their son Euan Tennant manages The Glen, the Tennant family estate in Traquair, Scotland. The youngest son Christopher suffered severe brain damage in a motorcycle accident in 1987 in Belize. He was found by a passing motorist and taken to the hospital, where he spent the next three months in a coma.

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Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by Princess Margaret, Anne, and Colin as they arrive on Mustique during their 1977 Silver Jubilee Tour

Two years after Anne and Colin married, Colin bought the Caribbean island of Mustique £45,000. He built a new village for its inhabitants, planted coconut palms, vegetables, and fruit, and developed the fisheries. In 1960, Princess Margaret and her new husband Antony Armstrong-Jones visited Mustique while on their honeymoon cruise to accept a wedding gift from Colin, a plot of land on which Princess Margaret built a villa called Les Jolies Eaux, French for “the pretty waters.” Due to financial issues, by 1987, Colin had sold, by 1987, all of his financial interest in Mustique. After that Anne and Colin lived in England and in the Caribbean island country of St. Lucia.

In early 1971, shortly after the christening of Anne’s twin daughters, at which Princess Margaret was May’s godmother, the princess asked Anne to become one of her ladies-in-waiting. Anne accompanied Princess Margaret on many engagements and tours and she once stood in for Princess Margaret on a trip to the Philippines to meet with Imelda Marcos when Margaret became ill. For her service to the royal family, Anne received the Royal Victorian Order on June 14, 1991.

The Glen, the Tennant family country estate; Credit – By Jim Barton, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13581551

Prior to a dinner party during the summer of 1973 at The Glen, the Tennant family home, where Princess Margaret would be a guest, another guest canceled at the last minute. At the suggestion of Colin’s aunt, Anne called Roddy Llewellyn, the younger son of Sir Harry Llewellyn, 3rd Baronet, an Olympic gold medallist in show jumping. At that dinner party, the 43-year-old still-married Princess Margaret first met 25-year-old Roddy Llewellyn. Their much-publicized eight-year relationship was a factor in the end of Princess Margaret’s marriage. After Princess Margaret’s funeral in 2002, the Queen Mother discussed Roddy Llewellyn with Anne and thanked her for having introduced her daughter to Roddy, because “he made her really happy.”

In 1994, Princess Margaret, Anne, and Colin attended a dinner at mutual friends’ home in Mustique. During that dinner, Princess Margaret suffered her first stroke. Over the following year, Anne noticed Margaret becoming gradually slower and moments where she would suddenly lose her place. In 1999, while in Mustique, Margaret scalded her feet in the bath. Although Anne was not in Mustique, she rushed there to be with Margaret. When Margaret refused to go home to England for treatment, Anne called Queen Elizabeth who persuaded her sister to come home. After that, Princess Margaret was wheelchair-bound. She had two more strokes and her eyesight began to fail. When Anne was not on duty, she visited Margaret as much as possible. Margaret spent Christmas 2001 at Sandringham with her family but Anne, who was also in Norfolk, had to be called in because Margaret refused to eat and seemed to have given up on life. Anne managed to get Margaret to eat a jam tart, watch her favorite television programs, and settle down.

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Princess Margaret making one of her rare public appearances shortly after she scalded her feet, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting Anne Tennant, March 20, 2000

After the Christmas holidays, Princess Margaret returned to her London home at Kensington Palace. Anne visited her, read to her, and listened to the radio with her. On the evening of February 8, 2002, Anne received a phone call from Princess Margaret’s Private Secretary saying that Margaret had suffered another stroke and that the prognosis was not good. Princess Margaret died early the next morning. After Princess Margaret’s funeral service, Queen Elizabeth thanked Anne for all that she had done for Margaret. She acknowledged Roddy Llewllyn’s positive impact on her sister and was glad that her home on Mustique had made Margaret happy.

In 2009, Anne’s husband Colin was diagnosed with prostate cancer but was determined that no one should find out. He died on August 27, 2010, from a heart attack, at the age of 83, and was buried in the Traquair Kirkyard, near The Glen, the Tennant family home. Colin’s grandson Cody Tennant, the only child of Colin’s eldest son Charles succeeded as the 4th Baron Glenconner and received all property and funds connected to the Baron of Glenconnner title.

However, Colin left his family an unpleasant surprise. Colin had made a new will seven months before his death and had left everything not connected to the Baron of Glenconner title to Kent Adonai, a St. Lucia citizen, and his valet for 26 years who was with him when he had his fatal heart attack. The Tennant family contested the will and after an eight-year legal battle, the estate was divided more or less equally between Kent Adonai and Cody Tennant, 4th Baron Glenconner.

Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner; Credit – https://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/client/anne-glenconner

The family remains bitter over what Colin did but as Anne wrote in her memoir, “Obsessing about this would have driven me mad so, instead, I made a decision to move on.” Anne moved on with her life, living in the farmhouse in Norfolk, England that she had bought for herself years before, surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

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.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anne Tennant, Baroness Glenconner. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Tennant,_Baroness_Glenconner> [Accessed 18 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Tennant,_3rd_Baron_Glenconner> [Accessed 18 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Thomas Coke, 5th Earl of Leicester. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Coke,_5th_Earl_of_Leicester> [Accessed 18 February 2021].
  • Glenconner, Anne, 2020. Lady in Waiting: My Extraordinary Life in the Shadow of the Crown. New York: Hachette Book Group, Inc.
  • Thefreelibrary.com. 2000. FAITH HEALER SAVED MY THIRD SON FROM DEATH; Tennant matriarch finds peace in India. – Free Online Library. [online] Available at: <https://www.thefreelibrary.com/FAITH+HEALER+SAVED+MY+THIRD+SON+FROM+DEATH%3B+Tennant+matriarch+finds…-a060956241> [Accessed 18 February 2021].