Category Archives: British Royals

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

 

Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott was born on December 25, 1901, at Montagu House in Whitehall, London, England. She was the third daughter and the fifth of eight children of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch and 9th Duke of Queensberry and Lady Margaret Bridgeman, daughter of George Bridgeman, 4th Earl of Bradford.  Alice’s father was the largest landowner in Scotland, and she was a descendant of King Charles II through an illegitimate line.

Alice had seven siblings:

  • Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott (1893 – 1976), married Admiral Sir Geoffrey Hawkins
  • Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 8th Duke of Buccleuch (1894 – 1973), married Vreda Lascelles (granddaughter of William Beauclerk, 10th Duke of St Albans), had issue
  • Lord William Montagu Douglas Scott (1896 – 1958), married Lady Rachel Douglas-Home (daughter of Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home), had issue
  • Lady Sybil Montagu Douglas Scott (1899 – 1990), married Charles Phipps, had issue
  • Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott ( 1904 – 1984), married David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter, had issue
  • Lady Angela Montagu Douglas Scott (1906 – 2000), married Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Dawnay, had issue
  • Lord George Montagu Douglas Scott (1911 – 1999), married Mary Bishop, had issue

Alice grew up in her family’s country homes Boughton House in Northamptonshire, England,  Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland and Bowhill House near Selkirk, Scotland. She attended St. James’ School for Girls, in West Malvern, Worcestershire, England.

In August of 1935, Lady Alice became engaged to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V. Alice’s father died from cancer on October 19, 1935, less than a month before the wedding date, November 6, 1935. The wedding was originally set to be held at Westminster Abbey, but the wedding venue was changed. It was deemed more appropriate to have the wedding at the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. Among the bridesmaids were the groom’s nieces Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret Rose.

NPG x134883; The wedding of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester by and after Vandyk

Photo Credit – The wedding of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester by and after Vandyk, hand-coloured bromide print, 6 November 1935, NPG x134883 © National Portrait Gallery, London

The couple had two sons and the family lived at the 16th-century Barnwell Manor in Northamptonshire, England, and York House, St. James’s Palace in London, England.

 

During World War II, Alice worked with the Red Cross and the Order of St John. She became head of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.  The Duke of Gloucester served as Governor-General of Australia from 1945 – 1947 and the family lived in Canberra, Australia. During the early reign of the Duke’s niece Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester carried out royal engagements including some overseas tours.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester leaving for Australia in 1945; Photo Credit – Wikipedia, Commonwealth Department of Information – National Library of Australia

In 1965, while driving back to Barnwell Manor after attending the funeral of Winston Churchill, the Duke suffered a stroke causing a car accident. The Duchess suffered injuries to the face which required 57 stitches. Three years later, the Duke suffered another stroke which left him incapacitated. The Duchess continued to talk and read to her husband hoping he could hear and understand. In 1972, her elder son died in a crash at a plane show. Alice never did tell her husband about the death of their son William, but she thought he understood from watching television.

On June 14, 1973, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester died at Barnwell Manor, his country home at the age of 74. He was buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore near Windsor Castle. After the Duke’s death, his widow received permission from Queen Elizabeth II to style herself Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester to distinguish herself from her son’s wife.

Alice_Gloucester

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester photographed with her dogs; Photo Credit – www.royal.gov.uk

On October 29, 2004, Princess Alice died peacefully in her sleep at Kensington Palace in London at the age of 102, the longest-lived member of the British Royal Family so far. Her funeral was held on November 5, 2004, at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle and was attended by members of the British Royal Family including Queen Elizabeth II. Alice was buried next to her husband and elder son in the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

Graves of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. photo: www.findagrave.com

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Prince William of Gloucester

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince William of Gloucester; Credit – Wikipedia

Prince William of Gloucester was born on December 18, 1941, at Hadley Common in Hertfordshire, England.  His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V and Queen Mary, and his mother was Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, the third daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch.

On February 22, 1942, Prince William was christened William Henry Andrew Frederick at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle. His godparents were:

Embed from Getty Images 
William, his mother, and his brother

William had one younger brother:

Prince William attended Wellesley House Preparatory School, Broadstairs in Kent, and Eton College. In 1960, he went to Magdalene College, Cambridge to read history, graduating with a BA degree in 1963, which was raised to an MA degree in 1968. Following Cambridge, he spent a year at Stanford University in California studying political science, American history, and business.  Upon his return to the United Kingdom, he worked for Lazard, an investment bank.  In 1965, he became the second member of the British Royal Family (after his uncle Prince George, Duke of Kent) to work in the civil service or the diplomatic service.  Prince William was employed by the Commonwealth Office and was posted to Lagos, Nigeria as the third secretary at the British High Commission. In 1968, he transferred to Tokyo to accept the post of second secretary in the British Embassy.

Since 1965, William had been suffering from fever and skin rashes. Some of these episodes lasted several months. In addition, he noticed that he often developed a blistering rash especially after being out in the sun. In 1968, Prince William was tentatively diagnosed with porphyria, and the diagnosis was later confirmed by two additional doctors. Porphyria is a disorder that results from a buildup of porphyrin in the human body. Porphyrin is necessary for the proper function of hemoglobin in the blood, but high levels of porphyrin can cause significant problems. Porphyria mainly affects the nervous system, skin, and other organs. Porphyria is usually inherited, but in some types of porphyria, environmental factors may trigger the development of symptoms. It is thought that the ill health of King George III, an ancestor of William’s father, was caused by porphyria. A member of the British Royal Family reliably diagnosed with porphyria gave credence to this theory which was first proposed by Dr. Ida MacAlpine and Dr. Richard Hunter in 1966.

 

Prince William was a licensed pilot, owned several airplanes, and enjoyed competing in air shows. On August 28, 1972, the prince planned on competing at the Goodyear International Air Trophy races at Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton, England. Express and Star photographer Ray Bradbury, an eyewitness, described what happened: “I saw Prince William’s Piper, number 66, and another Piper, number 69, take off. Number 69 appeared to get airborne before the prince. Then it seemed he was in some sort of trouble. He banked to port. It looked as though the Prince might have been troubled by the other aircraft making a turn at a higher altitude. His port wing seemed to hit the trees and he disappeared from view. Then there was an explosion.” See Unofficial Royalty: Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the End of August (scroll down).

William of Gloucester_plane

Prince William at the air show on the day of his death; Photo Credit- www.bobbington-village.co.uk

Prince William of Gloucester’s funeral was held on September 2, 1972, at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret had been at Balmoral and flew from Scotland for the funeral. The Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Anne arrived from Munich, Germany where they had been attending the Olympics. Prince William’s gold and crimson personal standard was draped over his coffin which was carried by eight Scots Guards. After the service, Prince William of Gloucester was buried at the Royal Burial Grounds, Frogmore in Windsor, England. Prince William was the elder son of his parents and would have succeeded his father as Duke of Gloucester.  His younger brother Prince Richard succeeded their father as Duke of Gloucester. The Prince of Wales was close to the older Prince William of Gloucester and named his first child in honor of him.

Prince William’s grave; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

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The Honourable Gerald Lascelles

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

The Honourable Gerald Lascelles; Credit – www.thepeerage.com

The Honourable Gerald David Lascelles was born on August 21, 1924, at Goldsborough Hall, near Knaresborough in North Yorkshire, England. He was the younger son of Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood and Mary, Princess Royal, the only daughter of King George V of the United Kingdom. Gerald had one older brother, George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood. He was a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

NPG x17403; Hon. Gerald David Lascelles; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood by Speaight Ltd, published by J. Beagles & Co

Hon. Gerald David Lascelles; Princess Mary, Countess of Harewood by Speaight Ltd, published by J. Beagles & Co, postcard print, 1924 NPG x17403 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Gerald attended Eton College. During World War II, he served as a Captain in The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own), an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army.

Gerald married twice. His first married actress Angela Dowding on July 15, 1952, at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster in London, England. Members of the British Royal Family attended the wedding except for Gerald’s first cousin Queen Elizabeth II, who had a last-minute cold. The Queen’s absence was seen as a snub to her cousin. The wedding reception was held at St. James’ Palace with Queen Mary, the groom’s grandmother, in attendance. Gerald and his family moved to Fort Belvedere in Surrey, England, the former country home of Gerald’s uncle, King Edward VIII (the Duke of Windsor).

Gerald and Angela had one son:

  • Henry Ulick Lascelles (born 1953), married (1) Alexandra Morton, had one son, divorced  (2) Fiona Wilmott, no children

Angela and Gerald divorced in 1978. Their marriage had collapsed when Gerald left Angela to live with another former actress Elizabeth Collingwood, whom he had known for 20 years and with whom he already had a son. After the divorce, Angela continued living in Windsor Great Park and remained on friendly terms with the Royal Family. Queen Elizabeth II often invited her to the Royal Enclosure at Ascot. Angela died in 2007 at the age of 87.

On November 17, 1978, in Vienna, Austria, Gerald married Elizabeth Collingwood (1924 – 2006). The couple had one child, a son Martin, but because Martin was born before his parents’ marriage, neither he nor his descendants are in the line of succession to the British throne.

  • Martin David Lascelles (born 1962), married Charmaine Eccleston, had one son. Martin also has an illegitimate daughter with singer Carol Anne Douet.

Gerald was a race car driver, a director of the Silverstone Circuit, a car race track in Northamptonshire, England, and served as president of the British Racing Drivers’ Club from 1964 to 1991. Like his brother, Gerald was interested in music. While his brother George was an opera enthusiast, Gerald preferred jazz. In the 1950s, he collaborated with jazz music critic Sinclair Traill in compiling the Just Jazz yearbooks.

Gerald Lascelles died on February 27, 1998, in Bergerac, France at the age of 73. He was buried at All Saint’s Church in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England where his parents and brother are also buried.

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Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood; Credit – Wikipedia

Henry George Charles Lascelles was born on September 9, 1882, in London, England. He was the elder son and the eldest of the three children of Henry Ulrick Lascelles, 5th Earl of Harewood and Lady Florence Bridgeman, daughter of Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford. At the time of his birth, Henry was styled The Honourable Henry Lascelles. When his grandfather died in 1892 and his father became the 5th Earl of Harewood, Henry was able to use one of his father’s subsidiary titles and be styled Viscount Lascelles. He became 6th Earl of Harewood upon the death of his father in 1929.

The Earl of Harewood is a Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1812 for Edward Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood (2nd creation), a wealthy sugar plantation owner and former Member of Parliament. The family seat is Harewood House, near Leeds in Yorkshire, England, which was built 1759 – 1771 for wealthy trader Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood (first creation). The Earl of Harewood also holds the subsidiary titles Viscount Lascelles and Baron Harewood.

Henry had a sister and a brother:

  • Lady Margaret Selina Lascelles (1883–1978), married Gustavus Hamilton-Russell, 9th Viscount Boyne, had issue
  • Major Hon. Edward Cecil Lascelles (1887–1935), married Joan Balfour, a granddaughter of George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll

Henry attended the Royal Military College Sandhurst and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the Grenadier Guards on February 12, 1902. He gained the rank of Captain in the service of the Grenadier Guards and fought in World War I where he commanded the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards. He was mentioned in dispatches and wounded twice. He also served with the Yorkshire Hussars Yeomanry and attained the rank of Major.

Henry married Princess Mary, the only daughter of King George V of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey in London, England on February 28, 1922. Despite their fifteen-year age difference and rumors that the marriage was not happy, their elder son George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood said the marriage was a happy one. He wrote in his memoirs that they “got on well together and had a lot of friends and interests in common.”

Photo Credit – Wikipedia, US Library of Congress Prints and Photos

Mary and Henry had two sons:

 

Henry and his wife enjoyed country pursuits. They both regularly rode with the Bramham Moor Hunt where Henry was Master of the Hunt. Henry was a Freemason and served as Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England from 1942-47. Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood died on May 23, 1947, at Harewood House at the age of 67, and was buried at All Saints Church in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England. Princess Mary survived him for 18 years and was buried with her husband.

Grave of Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood and her husband, George Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood. photo: www.findagrave.com

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Princess Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood; Credit – Wikipedia

The only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary was born on April 25, 1897, in the year of the Diamond Jubilee of her great-grandmother Queen Victoria, at York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. She was the third of the six children of her parents who were the Duke and Duchess of York at the time of her birth. The new baby was named Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary but was always known as Mary.

Mary was christened on June 7, 1897, at St. Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham. Her godparents were:

 

Princess Mary had five siblings, all brothers:

Princess Mary and her mother during World War I; Photo Credit: Wikipedia, United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs Division

Princess Mary was educated by governesses but she also shared some lessons with her brothers. During World War I, when she was a teenager, Mary accompanied her mother Queen Mary on visits to hospitals and other organizations that assisted soldiers and their families. Mary had her own project, Princess Mary’s Christmas Gift Fund, which sent a gift box to British soldiers and sailors for Christmas 1914. In 1918, Princess Mary began a nursing course at the Great Ormond Street Hospital, working two days a week in the Alexandra Ward.   Mary was active in supporting the Voluntary Aid Detachment, the Women’s Land Army, and the Girl Guides. She was the honorary president of the British Girl Guide Association from 1920 until her death.

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Mary was the first of her siblings to marry. On November 20, 1921, she became engaged to Henry, Viscount Lascelles, the eldest son of Henry Lascelles, 5th Earl of Harewood and Lady Florence Bridgeman, daughter of Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford.  Lord Lascelles was staying at York Cottage, the country home of Mary’s family, and it was there that the proposal took place. Queen Mary wrote in her diary for that day, “At 6.30 Mary came to my room to announce to me her engagement to Lord Lascelles! We then told G. (King George V) & then gave Harry L. our blessing. We had to keep it quiet owing to G. having to pass an order in council to give his consent. Of course, everybody guessed what had happened & we were very cheerful & almost uproarious at dinner. We are delighted.”

Princess Mary and Lord Lascelles (Henry) were married at Westminster Abbey on February 28, 1922. The wedding was the first time a child of a monarch had married at Westminster Abbey since 1290 when Margaret of England, daughter of King Edward I, married John II, son of Duke of Brabant. It also was the first royal occasion for Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (later wife of Mary’s brother King George VI), a friend of Mary’s and one of her bridesmaids. Despite their fifteen-year age difference and despite rumors that the marriage was not happy, their elder son George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood said the marriage was a happy one. He wrote in his memoirs that they “got on well together and had a lot of friends and interests in common.”

 

Mary and Henry had two sons:

In the early years of their marriage, Mary and Henry lived at Chesterfield House in London and Goldsborough Hall in Yorkshire.  In 1929, Henry’s father died, he became the 6th Earl of Harewood, and the family moved to Harewood House near Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. On January 1, 1932, Mary was given the style Princess Royal by her father, a style for the eldest daughter of the sovereign. The previous Princess Royal, Mary’s aunt Louise, had died the previous year.

Mary continued to carry out engagements during the reigns of her brother King George VI and her niece Queen Elizabeth II. Henry, 6th Earl of Harewood died at Harewood House on May 23, 1947. After her husband’s death, Mary lived at Harewood House with her elder son, the 7th Earl of Harewood, and his family. On March 28, 1965, Mary went for a walk on the grounds of Harewood House with her elder son George and two of her grandsons. She stumbled and fell and her son helped her to a seat while his sons ran back to the house to get help. Before help arrived, Mary died peacefully in her son’s arms from a heart attack at the age of 67. Her funeral at All Saints Church in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England was attended by members of the British Royal Family including Mary’s niece Queen Elizabeth II. Mary was buried with her husband at All Saints Church in Harewood, West Yorkshire, England.

Grave of Mary, Princess Royal, Countess of Harewood and her husband, George Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood. photo: www.findagrave.com

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King George V of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King George V of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

King George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert) was born on June 3, 1865, a month early, at Marlborough House in London, England, the second son and the second of the six children of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and his wife Alexandra of Denmark. His parents, then the Prince and Princess of Wales, wanted to name him George after Prince George, Duke of Cambridge. The baby’s grandmother, Queen Victoria, thought the name George was too modern: “George only came over with the Hanoverian family.” The Prince and Princess of Wales held their ground with the name George but had to agree to add the name Albert, so the baby’s name was George Frederick Ernest Albert. He was called Georgie in the family. At the time of his birth, George was third in the line of succession after his father and his brother Prince Albert Victor (Eddy) and he was styled Prince George of Wales. In 1892, George was created Duke of York, and when his father became king in 1901, he automatically became the Duke of Cornwall. He was created Prince of Wales on November 9, 1901.

Prince George was christened at the Private Chapel in Windsor Castle on July 7, 1865. His godparents were:

Prince George in 1870; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

George had five siblings:

George was only seventeen months younger than his brother Eddy. Because of their closeness in age, the two brothers were brought up and educated together. In 1877, Eddy and George joined the Royal Navy’s training ship, HMS Britannia.  The brothers remained aboard the Britannia for nearly two years before embarking on a three-year cruise on the HMS Bacchante.  Always accompanied by their tutor Mr. Dalton, the brothers visited the Mediterranean, the West Indies, South America, South Africa, Australia, China, and Japan.

In 1883, the brothers were separated. Eddy attended Trinity College, and Cambridge University, and George continued in the Royal Navy. While serving in the Royal Navy, George commanded Torpedo Boat 79 in the waters around the United Kingdom and HMS Thrush in the North American waters. His last active service was the command of HMS Melampus in 1891–92.

George wanted to marry his first cousin Princess Marie of Edinburgh, the daughter of his uncle Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh. His grandmother Queen Victoria, his father, and his uncle all approved of the match, but the mothers did not, and Marie was instructed to refuse when George proposed to her. On December 3, 1891, George’s brother Prince Eddy proposed to Princess Mary of Teck whose mother was a first cousin of Queen Victoria, Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge, the youngest child of Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge (the seventh son and tenth child of King George III and Queen Charlotte). The wedding was set for February 27, 1892, but on January 14, 1892, Eddy died of pneumonia.

After the death of Prince Eddy, Mary and George, now second in the line of succession, spent much time together. As time passed and their common grief eased, there was hope that a marriage might take place between them. George proposed to Mary beside a pond in the garden of his sister Louise’s home, East Sheen Lodge, on April 29, 1893. The engagement was announced on May 3, 1893, with the blessing of Queen Victoria. The couple married on July 6, 1893, at the at the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace in London, England, and eventually became the beloved King George V and Queen Mary.

George and Mary on their wedding day; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

George and Mary had six children:

 

In 1901, after the accession of King Edward VII, George and Mary toured the British Empire, visiting Malta, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. In 1906, they toured India and then traveled to Spain for the wedding of George’s first cousin Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg to King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Soon afterward, George and Mary traveled to Norway for the coronation of King Haakon VII, George’s first cousin, and Queen Maud, George’s sister.

On May 6, 1910, George’s father King Edward VII died and George became King. His coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on June 22, 1911. In December 1911, King George V and Queen Mary traveled to India for the Delhi Durbar where they were presented as Emperor and Empress of India.

 

Certainly, the most difficult period of George V’s reign was the years of World War I when the United Kingdom and its allies were at war with the Central Powers, led by the German Empire. Not only did about 1 million people from the United Kingdom and its colonies die, but the war pitted royal family against royal family. George was the first cousin of Wilhelm II, German Emperor and King of Prussia. He was also the first cousin to both Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, who was overthrown in 1917, and his wife, born Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine. At first, the British government offered asylum to Nicholas and his family, but the offer was later withdrawn. Nicholas and his family remained in Russia and all were executed in 1918. In 1919,  Nicholas II’s mother Maria Feodorovna (George’s maternal aunt, born Dagmar of Denmark) and other members of the extended Russian Imperial Family were rescued from Crimea by British ships.

King George V, on the right, with his first cousin Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia; Credit – Wikipedia

During World War I, on July 17, 1917, King George V issued a proclamation changing the name of the British Royal Family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment. George’s British relatives relinquished their German titles and styles and adopted British-sounding surnames. The king compensated his male relatives by creating them British peers. All this led George’s cousin Kaiser Wilhelm to remark that he would attend a performance of Shakespeare’s “Merry Wives of Saxe-Coburg” at the earliest opportunity.

George’s relationship with his eldest son and heir Edward, Prince of Wales (known as David in the family, the future King Edward VIII) was strained. The king was disappointed in his son’s failure to settle down and appalled by his affairs with married women. However, he was fond of his second son Prince Albert (known as Bertie in the family, the future King George VI). In 1935, King George V prophetically said of his eldest son, “After I am dead, the boy will ruin himself within 12 months”, and of Prince Albert and his elder daughter Elizabeth, “I pray to God my eldest son will never marry and have children, and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne.”

In his final years, King George had several problems exacerbated by his habit of smoking including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleurisy. On January 15, 1936, King George V went to bed at Sandringham House complaining of a cold, gradually becoming weaker, and drifting in and out of consciousness. On January 20, when the king was close to death, his doctors issued a bulletin with words that became famous: “The King’s life is moving peacefully towards its close.” As the king lay dying of bronchitis, Bertrand Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of Penn, Physician-in-Ordinary to King George V, gave him a lethal injection of cocaine and morphine, thereby hastening the king’s death to ensure that the announcement of the death would appear first in the morning edition of The Times and not in some lesser publication in the afternoon.

King George’s remains lay in state in Westminster Hall in London, England where an estimated 809,000 filed past his casket. As a mark of respect to their father, the king’s four surviving sons, King Edward VIII, Prince Albert, Duke of York, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Prince George, Duke of Kent, took the positions of the guards around the catafalque. Known as the Vigil of the Princes, it was repeated in 2002 when the casket of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother lay in state in Westminster Hall. Her four grandsons Charles, Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley took the place of the guards. It was then repeated again in 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II’s four children King Charles III, The Princess Royal, The Duke of York, and The Earl of Wessex stood vigil at her coffin. In addition, Queen Elizabeth II’s eight grandchildren, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Peter Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, Lady Louise Windsor, and Viscount Severn, held a vigil around the coffin of their grandmother.

The funeral for King George V was held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle where he was also interred.

 

King Edward VIII abdicated less than a year later and his brother Prince Albert, Duke of York ascended the throne, taking the regnal name George VI. King George VI was followed on the throne by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II, the Lilibet her grandfather hoped would become queen.

 

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.

Recommended Books

  • King George V – Kenneth Rose
  • King George V: His Life and Reign – Harold Nicolson

House of Windsor Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Maud of Wales, Queen of Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Maud of Wales, Queen of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Maud of Norway was born Princess Maud of Wales on November 26, 1869, at Marlborough House in London, England. She was the third and youngest daughter and the fifth of the six children of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark.

The infant princess was christened Maud Charlotte Mary Victoria at Marlborough House, her parents’ London home, on December 24, 1869. Her godparents were:

Princess Maud had five siblings:

 

Growing up, Maud was the most exuberant of the three sisters and was known as Harry in the family. She developed a one-sided romance with Prince Francis of Teck, the brother of her future sister-in-law Mary of Teck. Maud and Francis exchanged a couple of letters, but it was soon apparent that Francis was not interested in Maud.

Because Maud’s mother was a Danish princess, Maud visited her Danish relatives often and was familiar with her first cousin Prince Carl of Denmark (later King Haakon VII of Norway), the second son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark, who was three years younger than Maud. On October 29, 1895, the couple’s engagement was announced. The Prince of Wales (future King Edward VII) gave his daughter Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate for Maud to use on her visits to England.

Maud and Carl were married in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace on July 22, 1896. The bride wore a dress of white satin with a belt of silver embroidery and a wedding veil of old lace, a present from her grandmother Queen Victoria. The couple spent their honeymoon at Appleton House. Maud was so reluctant to leave England, that the couple was still at Appleton House five months after the wedding.

Painting by Laurits Tuxen; Credit – Wikipedia

Maud and Carl finally left for Denmark in December 1896 and took up residence at Bernstorff Palace in Gentofte near Copenhagen, Denmark. Because Maud found the cold Danish winters so difficult to bear, she visited England as often as possible. Maud and Carl had one child, a son:

Maud with her husband and son; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1905, upon the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway, the Norwegian government began searching for candidates to become King of Norway. Because of his descent from prior Norwegian monarchs, as well as his wife’s British connections, Carl was the overwhelming favorite. Before accepting, Carl insisted that the voices of the Norwegian people be heard regarding retaining a monarchy. Following a referendum with a 79% majority in favor, Prince Carl was formally offered and accepted the throne. He sailed for Norway, arriving on November 25, 1905, and took the oath as King two days later. Carl took the name Haakon VII and his son two-year-old son was renamed Olav and became Crown Prince of Norway. Maud and Carl were crowned in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway on June 22, 1906.

Maud and Carl on the coronation day; Credit – Wikipedia

Recognizing the people’s need to feel that their royal family was Norwegian, Maud and Haakon were photographed in Norwegian folk costumes and enjoying winter sports such as skiing. They ensured their son was raised as a Norwegian, although Maud never became fluent in Norwegian. Maud never gave up her love for her native country and visited often, usually staying at Appleton House. However, she fulfilled her duties as Queen of Norway. Maud became active in women’s rights and the welfare of unmarried women. During World War I, she founded Dronningens Hjelpekomité (the Queen’s Relief Committee) to assist people in difficult circumstances due to the war. Maud was renowned for using clothes and jewelry to give a regal appearance, perhaps something she had learned from her mother.

Maud skiing; Credit – Wikipedia

Maud’s last public appearance in the United Kingdom was in 1937 at the coronation of her nephew King George VI. She rode with her sister-in-law Queen Mary in the glass coach and sat with her in Westminster Abbey. In October 1938, Maud came to England, staying at Appleton House and then at a London hotel. While at the hotel, Maud became ill and was taken to a nursing home where abdominal surgery was performed. She survived the surgery, but died on November 20, 1938, six days before her 69th birthday, from heart failure. Her remains were taken to the chapel at Marlborough House in London, where she had been born and christened. Her casket was then taken by gun carriage to Victoria Station to travel by railroad to Portsmouth and then to travel by sea to Oslo, Norway. Upon arrival in Oslo, the casket was taken to a small church before burial in the royal mausoleum at Akershus Fortress in Oslo. Maud was the last surviving child of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Her husband King Haakon VII survived her for 19 years. He died on September 21, 1957, at the age of 85, and was buried with Maud in the white sarcophagus in the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Fortress.

White tomb of King Haakon VII and Queen Maud on the left and green tomb of their son King Olav V and his wife Princess Märtha of Sweden, Crown Princess of Norway on the right; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Norway Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

photo: Wikipedia

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent

Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent was the wife of Prince George, Duke of Kent (the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary). She was born Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, on December 13, 1906, in Athens, Greece. Her parents were Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark (a son of King George I of the Hellenes) and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna (a granddaughter of Alexander II, Emperor of All Russia). Through her father, she was a first cousin of Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh.

Her christening took place shortly after birth, with the following godparents:

Marina had two elder sisters:

1913 brought the family’s idyllic life to an end. Marina’s grandfather, King George I, was assassinated. After several years of upheaval, the monarchy was overthrown in 1924, and Prince Nicholas and his family settled in Paris.

by Bassano Ltd 12 x 10 inch glass plate negative, 29 November 1934 NPG x95788 © National Portrait Gallery, London

photo: by Bassano Ltd; 12 x 10 inch glass plate negative, 29 November 1934; NPG x95788; 
© National Portrait Gallery, London

In August 1934, she became engaged to Prince George, Duke of Kent. The two were second cousins, through their mutual descent from King Christian IX of Denmark. They married on November 29, 1934, at Westminster Abbey in London, England, followed by a Greek Orthodox ceremony in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. Marina was now officially styled HRH The Duchess of Kent. This would be the last marriage of a foreign princess into the British Royal Family. They settled into a home at No.3 Belgrave Square, in London, and Coppins, a country home in Buckinghamshire that Prince George inherited from his aunt, Princess Victoria.

The couple had three children:

Sadly, just six weeks after the birth of their youngest child, Prince George was killed when his military plane crashed in Scotland on August 25, 1942. At the time, there were no financial provisions made for a widow of a Royal Duke. The Duke’s Civil List payments stopped upon his death, leaving Marina and her children with no income. Fortunately, her brother-in-law, King George VI, and her mother-in-law, Queen Mary, stepped in to help.

 

Marina threw herself into her royal duties and her support of the war efforts. She trained as a nurse and joined the civil nurse reserve. She also supported numerous charities and military groups. From 1940 until her death, she served as Chief Commandant of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS). And from 1963 until her death, she served as the first Chancellor of the University of Kent at Canterbury.  She also held several honorary military positions, including:

  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Kent Regiment
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Dorset Regiment
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen’s Regiment (Allied)
  • Honorary Commandant, The Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service

In 1955, Marina and her children moved into Apartment No.1 at Kensington Palace in London. At the time, the former apartments of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, were split into two apartments – No.1 and No.1A. She remained a very active, and highly popular, member of the Royal Family. She is perhaps best known for her 26 years serving as President of the All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, a position previously held by her husband. In this role, she was seen each year handing out the trophies to the winners of Wimbledon. After her death, her son, The Duke of Kent, took on the role of President.

Upon her son’s marriage in 1961, Marina’s official style became HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. Having been born a Princess in her own right, the Queen gave her permission to use that style, as opposed to being styled The Dowager Duchess.

In July 1968, Princess Marina spent several days in the hospital, where it was discovered that she was suffering from an inoperable brain tumor. Sadly, her condition diminished very quickly. At 11:40 am, on August 27, 1968, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her children, and her sister Olga.

Marina’s funeral was held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The previous day, her husband’s remains were removed from the Royal Vault at St George’s Chapel and buried at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore. She was then laid to rest beside him. Ironically, she died almost 26 years to the day of her husband’s death. See Unofficial Royalty: Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the End of August (scroll down).

 

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Prince George, Duke of Kent

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Prince George, Duke of Kent – photo: Wikipedia

Prince George, Duke of Kent (born George Edward Alexander Edmund of Wales) was the fifth of six children of the future King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary, born Princess Victoria Mary of Teck. He was born on December 20, 1902, at York Cottage on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. He had five siblings:

Prince George was christened on January 26, 1903, in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle. His godparents were:

Prince George (front, right) with his siblings, 1910. Wikipedia

George’s education began privately at home, and then he attended St Peter’s Court Preparatory School in Kent. He then attended the Royal Naval College at Osborne, and later at Dartmouth, and served in the Royal Navy until 1929. He then became the first member of the British Royal Family to work as a civil servant, taking up positions in the Foreign Office and then the Home Office.

 

In August 1934, Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Prince George to his second cousin, Princess Marina of Greece (both were great-grandchildren of King Christian IX of Denmark). They married at Westminster Abbey on November 29, 1934, followed by a Greek Orthodox service in the Private Chapel at Buckingham Palace. This would be the last time a foreign princess married into the British Royal Family. The month before the wedding, Prince George was created Duke of Kent, Earl of St Andrews, and Baron Downpatrick.

The couple had three children:

 

In 1937, George was given a commission as a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In 1938, he was appointed to become the next Governor-General of Australia, beginning in November 1939. However, the appointment was postponed due to the outbreak of World War II. The Duke of Kent returned to active military service, working briefly in the Intelligence Division of the Admiralty. In 1940, he transferred to the RAF. By then he’d been elevated to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal, but voluntarily relinquished the rank and reverted to Group Captain so as not to outrank more experienced officers. He worked as a Welfare Officer, part of the Inspector General’s staff. In this role, he traveled extensively, visiting troops and facilities to help boost morale.

It was on one of these trips, that Prince George’s life would come to an end. On August 25, 1942, just six weeks after the birth of his youngest child, George boarded an RAF flying boat in Scotland, headed for Iceland. Sadly, the plane crashed near Dunbeath, Caithness in Scotland, killing all except for one person aboard. The Duke of Kent was just 39 years old. There is much speculation as to the nature of this trip. While officially it was a standard visit to troops in Iceland, there are allegations and suggestions that it was a “secret mission”. The Duke’s body was found with a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, full of 100 kroner notes. These had no value in Iceland at the time. The Duchess of Kent met several times with the lone survivor over the years, allegedly trying to find out why her husband had died. See Unofficial Royalty: Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the End of August (scroll down).

The Duke of Kent’s funeral was held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, and his remains were placed in the Royal Vault there. Following his wife’s death, almost exactly 26 years later, his remains were moved to the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England, where his beloved Marina was then buried by his side.

 

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Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Victoria was born on July 6, 1868, at Marlborough House, near Buckingham Palace, in London, England, the second daughter and the fourth of the six children of the future King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and his wife Alexandra of Denmark. Her full name was Victoria Alexandra Olga Mary and she was known as Toria in the family. At the time of her birth, she was styled Princess Victoria of Wales, as her father was Prince of Wales. When her father became king, she was then styled Her Royal Highness The Princess Victoria.

When Toria was christened on August 6, 1868, at Marlborough House, her parents’ London home, she had a large and impressive group of godparents, most of whom had a proxy standing in for them:

Toria had five siblings:

 

Toria was brought up with her elder sister Louise and her younger sister Maud. None of the sisters had inherited the good looks of their mother and as a result, the three sisters were very shy. Their mother Alexandra was extremely possessive, demanded complete devotion from her children, and insisted that they call her Motherdear. Louise and Maud escaped into marriage, leaving Toria at home as her mother’s constant companion. Toria had several suitors including Prince Adolphus of Teck, Sir Arthur Davidson, one of her father’s equerries, and Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery. Lord Rosebery was a former Prime Minister who had been widowed, and both he and Toria would have liked to have married. However, Toria’s mother actively discouraged her from marrying anyone. Instead, Toria remained a companion to her mother, Queen Alexandra, whom she lived with until the Queen died in 1925. Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna, Toria’s first cousin, described her as little more than “a glorified maid.”

 

When her mother died, Toria was 57 and was able to live her own life at last. She purchased a country home, Coppins, in Iver, Buckinghamshire, England. Toria became active in the village life of Iver and was the honorary president of the Iver Horticultural Society. When she died, she left Coppins to her nephew Prince George, Duke of Kent and it was sold by his elder son in 1972.

Toria’s last years were plagued with health issues and she suffered from neuralgia, migraines, indigestion, depression, colds, and influenza. Princess Victoria died at her home Coppins on December 3, 1935. Initially interred at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, she was buried on January 8, 1936, at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore near Windsor Castle. Her brother King George V, who was very close to his sister, wrote in his diary, “No one ever had a sister like her.” Her brother did not survive her long. He died on January 20, 1936.

Grave of Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom; Credit – www.findagrave.com

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