When The British Monarch Dies: Royal Wills and Inheritance

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

While wills are typically public records, those of members of the royal family are traditionally sealed. This goes back to the death of Queen Mary’s younger brother, Prince Francis of Teck, in October 1910. (One very notable exception is the will of Diana, Princess of Wales, which was made public after her death in 1997. You can read her will here.)

 

Born in 1870, Prince Francis was the third of four children of Francis, Duke of Teck, and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. In addition to being a career military officer, Frank – as he was known – was also known for his love of gambling and women. He never married but had a long affair with The Countess of Kilmorey (née Ellen Constance Baldock), a former mistress of King Edward VII.

When Francis died suddenly of pneumonia in 1910, he left a large collection of emeralds to The Countess of Kilmorey in his will. These emeralds, known as the Cambridge Emeralds, had a very interesting history. Years earlier, Francis’s grandmother, The Duchess of Cambridge (née Princess Augusta of Hesse-Kassel), had won a box of emeralds in a charity lottery during a visit to Frankfort. Believed to be between 30-40 cabochon emeralds, they passed to Francis’s mother in 1889, and upon her death in 1897, they passed to Francis.

 

Mary – who had become Queen several months before Francis’s death, and was due to be crowned several months later – was mortified that the jewels would be passing out of the family, and to a mistress no less! She quickly set out to get the emeralds back and ended up purchasing them from The Countess for £10,000. Queen Mary was also very aware that the details of the will, and Francis’s affair, would cause a public scandal and could potentially tarnish the monarchy, so she successfully petitioned The High Court to have her brother’s will sealed. (Queen Mary later used the emeralds in creating some of the jewelry for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. To read more about the emeralds and the jewelry that was created, check out this great article from our friends at From Her Majesty’s Jewel Vault — CLICK HERE!)

 

Even though the wills are sealed, there are several clear traditions for how some assets are passed from one generation to the next. By tradition, Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House – both of which are personal property – pass from monarch to monarch. For the most part, this has been a smooth transition. However, when King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936, the properties remained his personal property, and the new King George VI was forced to purchase them from his elder brother.

The Queen Mother wearing the Oriental Circlet and crown rubies

A similar tradition applies to some of the more important pieces of jewelry. When Queen Victoria died in 1901, she designated several items as jewels of the Crown – meaning that they pass automatically from monarch to monarch. Some of these include the Coronation necklace and earrings, the Oriental Circlet, and Queen Victoria’s ruby necklace and earrings.

We must remember that many of the monarch’s assets are technically not his or hers to give away, but are instead simply held by the monarch in trust for the nation. These include the royal palaces, the Crown Jewels, and much of the Royal Collection. These belong to the Sovereign, although not to the individual who holds the title.

As for personal property, the majority is usually left to the new monarch. A 1993 agreement with the government allows for bequests from monarch to monarch (or consort to monarch) to be free from inheritance tax. This arrangement avoids the need to sell assets in order to pay the nearly 40% inheritance tax when a monarch or consort dies. Sadly, many other royals have been forced to sell jewels and other assets in order to pay the tax bill, and historic pieces have left the family.

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.

When The British Monarch Dies: The Coronation

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

King George V and Queen Mary seated on the Chairs of Estate in front of the royal box at their coronation in 1911. It was the first time any part of the service had been photographed; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

After a period of mourning, the new monarch is usually consecrated and crowned in Westminster Abbey. Normally, the Archbishop of Canterbury officiates, although the monarch may designate any other bishop of the Church of England. A coronation is not necessary for a monarch to reign. King Edward VIII was never crowned, yet during his short reign was the undoubted king. The length of time between accession and coronation varies. Below are the dates for accessions and coronations since Queen Victoria.

  • Queen Victoria: Accession – June 20, 1837; Coronation – June 28, 1838
  • King Edward VII: Accession – June 22, 1901; Coronation – August 9, 1902 (Coronation was scheduled for June 26, 1902, but was postponed because the king had an appendectomy on June 24, 1902.)
  • King George V: Accession – May 6, 1910; Coronation – June 22, 1911
  • King Edward VIII: Accession – January 20, 1936; No coronation, but it had been scheduled for May 12, 1937
  • King George VI: Accession – December 11, 1936; Coronation – May 12, 1937 (Preparations had been underway for Edward VIII’s coronation, so the date and the preparations were passed on the George VI)
  • Queen Elizabeth II: Accession – February 6, 1952; Coronation – June 2, 1953
  • King Charles III: Accession – September 8, 2022; Coronation – May 6, 2023

The United Kingdom is the only European kingdom that still has coronations. The other kingdoms that still crown their rulers are Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Thailand, and Tonga.

Practices in other European kingdoms:

  • Belgium: The monarch’s formal installation requires only a solemn oath on the constitution in parliament symbolizing the limited power allowed to the monarch under the 1831 Constitution. Belgium has no crown or regalia.
  • Denmark: Coronation was abolished with the introduction of the Danish Constitution in 1849. The public announcement of a monarch’s accession is made from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, with the new monarch being acclaimed by her Prime Minister. The crown of Denmark is only displayed at the monarch’s funeral when it lies on top of the coffin.
  • Liechtenstein: Traditionally, the Sovereign Prince attends a mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Vaduz, followed by a choral display.
  • Luxembourg: The Grand Duke or Grand Duchess of Luxembourg is enthroned at a ceremony held in the nation’s parliament. The Grand Duke of Grand Duchess takes an oath of loyalty to the state constitution and then attends a solemn mass at the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Luxembourg has no crown or regalia.
  • Monaco: The Sovereign Prince or Sovereign Princess attends a special investiture ceremony, consisting of a festive mass in Saint Nicholas Cathedral, followed by a reception where the new Sovereign Prince or Sovereign Princess meets his people. Monaco has no crown or regalia.
  • The Netherlands: The Dutch monarch is sworn in and inaugurated in Amsterdam at a public joint session of the two houses of the States-General held at the Nieuwe Kerk. The crown, orb, sword of state, and scepter are placed on cushions surrounded by a copy of the Dutch constitution. During the ceremony, the monarch is seated on a throne opposite the crown, regalia, and constitution as he or she takes his formal oath to uphold the kingdom’s fundamental law and protect the country with everything within his or her power. After the monarch has taken the oath, all members of the States-General pay homage to the new monarch by taking an oath of loyalty to him or her.
  • Norway: The Norwegian constitution of 1814 required the Norwegian monarch to be crowned, but this requirement was repealed in 1908. Since then, the monarch has only been required to take a formal accession oath in the Council of State and then in the Storting (parliament). King Olav V, desired a religious ceremony to mark his accession to the throne in 1957, and so he instituted a ceremony of royal consecration. This consecration took place again in 1991 when King Harald V and Queen Sonja were similarly consecrated. Both consecrations were held where the coronation rite had formerly taken place, Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
  • Spain: The Spanish monarch appears at the Cortes (parliament), where he or she takes a formal oath to uphold the constitution. The crown is at the ceremony, but it is never placed on the monarch’s head.
  • Sweden: The coronation rite was last used to crown King Oscar II in 1873. Subsequent monarchs of Sweden chose not to be crowned, but there is no law preventing a coronation. The current monarch King Carl XVI Gustaf, during a meeting of the cabinet, took the then-required royal assurance (in Swedish Konungaförsäkran) to fulfill the duties associated with the office and not exceed them. The Riksdag Act of 1974 no longer requires that the monarch take the royal assurance, but says the monarch “can” take the royal assurance before the Riksdag (parliament). After King Carl XVI Gustaf took the royal assurance, he was enthroned in a simple ceremony in the throne room of the Royal Palace in Stockholm. The crown jewels were displayed on cushions to the right and left of the throne but were never given to the king. From the throne, King Carl Gustaf made an accession speech.

Coronation of King Harold II at Westminster Abbey in 1066 from the Bayeaux Tapestry; Credit – Wikipedia

The main elements of the coronation service and the earliest form of the oaths taken can be traced to the ceremony devised by Saint Dunstan for the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful, King of the English in 973 AD at Bath Abbey. For the order of service for the most recent coronation, see An Anglican Liturgical Library: Form and Order of the Service of the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

For more information about coronations, see Unofficial Royalty: British Coronations.

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.

When The British Monarch Dies: The Burial

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Westminster Abbey in London; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

The traditional burial places of English/British monarchs since the Norman Conquest in 1066 have been Westminster Abbey in London and St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. Three of the seven Norman and Angevin monarchs were buried in France in lands they held as Duke of Normandy or Count of Anjou. The tombs of several monarchs have been destroyed. The fate and the burial place of King Edward V, one of the “Little Princes in the Tower,” is unknown. King James II who lived out his life in exile after he was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, was buried in France. The first Hanoverian king, King George I, was traveling back to his homeland when he suffered a stroke, died, and was then buried in Hanover. While we associate grandiose tombs with royalty, it is interesting to note that some monarchs have no tomb or memorial, but simply a plaque on the floor, and a few monarchs have no plaque, memorial, or tomb.

 Conservation work being done in the chapel of Edward the Confessor’s shrine. Tombs of kings and queens are around the perimeter of the chapel. The tall structure in the middle is the tomb of Edward the Confessor.

In 1042, King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St. Peter’s Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church, the first Westminster Abbey. Construction of the second and present church was begun in 1245 by King Henry III who selected the site for his burial. In 1269, Henry III oversaw a grand ceremony to rebury Edward the Confessor in a magnificent new shrine, personally helping to carry the body of the saint to its new resting place. When Henry III died in 1272, he was buried in the original coffin of Edward the Confessor. Eventually, a grander tomb was built for Henry III and in 1290, his remains were moved to their current location in Westminster Abbey, in a tomb directly north of Edward the Confessor’s shrine. Nearby the shrine of Edward the Confessor, kings, their wives, and their relatives were buried over the years.

 Henry VII Chapel: In the vaults under the chapel, many royals are buried. The tomb of Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York is in the center of the photo.

In 1502, King Henry VII started the rebuilding of the Lady Chapel, devoted to the Virgin Mary, at Westminster Abbey. The old Lady Chapel was demolished in 1502, construction began in January 1503, and was completed in 1509. The beautiful chapel, known as the Henry VII Chapel, is famous for its spectacular pendant fan vault ceiling. Henry VII and his wife Elizabeth of York are buried in the chapel in a magnificent tomb. The vaults under the chapel became the burial place for many of his successors and members of the royal family. King George II was the last monarch buried there. In 1790, the last British royal was buried at Westminster Abbey, Prince enry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland, son of Frederick, Prince of Wales and a younger brother of King George III.

St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle; Photo Credit – By Aurelien Guichard from London, United Kingdom – WindsorUploaded by BaldBoris, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15203080

By the time of 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. St. George’s Chapel was built during the reign of King Edward III (reigned 1327-1377). The new Royal Vault was constructed in 1804 under what is now the Albert Memorial Chapel, which had originally been intended to serve as a chapel for the tombs of Henry VII and his successors. Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, is not buried there, but his son Prince Leopold and his grandson Prince Albert Victor (Prince Eddy) are.

 An artist’s view inside the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel

Above is a view inside the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel. Caskets were placed on the shelves along the sides. The bench in the middle was used as a temporary place for caskets waiting to be buried elsewhere. None of the Hanovers buried in the Royal Vault have a memorial except Princess Charlotte of Wales, who tragically died in childbirth at age 21 and most likely would have succeeded her father King George IV to the throne.

Memorial to Charlotte; Photo Credit – http://www.stgeorges-windsor.org/

The Royal Vault is accessible from the Choir of St. George’s Chapel where a portion of the floor can be raised for lowering coffins into the passage that led to the vault. In 1873, steps to the vault were added behind the high altar and a mechanically operated platform was installed to ease the lowering of coffins into the vault. In the photo below, the Royal Vault is open as the coffin of King George V has been lowered into the vault following his funeral.

Princess Amelia, the youngest child of George III, was the first person buried in the new Royal Vault in 1810. George III’s two youngest sons, Prince Alfred who died at age two in 1782, and Prince Octavius who died at age four in 1783, were both originally buried at Westminster Abbey.  Their remains were moved to the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on February 11, 1820, shortly after their father’s death.  Burials in the Royal Vault continued until 1927.

Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore; Photo Credit – By WyrdLight.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14615493

In 1928, the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore, adjacent to Queen Victoria’s mausoleum and near Windsor Castle, was consecrated as a cemetery for junior members of the British Royal Family. One monarch, King Edward VIII who abdicated in 1936 after ten months on the throne, was buried at the Royal Burial Ground. At the time of the consecration, eight coffins of junior royals were moved from the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel and interred at the new Royal Burial Ground. Presumably, the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel could then be used for the burial of future monarchs and their consorts. Since that time, there have been no permanent burials in the Royal Vault. Many remains interred at the Royal Burial Ground temporarily rested in the Royal Vault before transfer to Frogmore. The Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore is the final resting place of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert. A crypt below Victoria and Albert’s tomb has nine spaces that were reserved for the couple’s nine children, but none of them were buried there.

Queen Victoria’s Royal Mausoleum in Frogmore with the Royal Burial Ground in the front; Photo Credit – By Gill Hicks, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3347750

 Interior of the Royal Mausoleum, burial place of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

Four days after the death of Prince Albert in December 1861, Queen Victoria ordered a mausoleum to be built at Frogmore in Windsor Great Park where both she and Albert would be interred. Albert was temporarily interred in the Royal Vault and in March 1862, construction of the mausoleum began. In December 1862, Albert’s coffin was transferred to the Royal Mausoleum. When Queen Victoria died in January 1901, her coffin rested in the Albert Memorial Chapel for two days after the funeral, and then it was transferred to the Royal Mausoleum.

Tomb of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, Photo source: www.findagrave.com

King Edward VII who died in 1910, was temporarily interred in the Royal Vault while a tomb with recumbent effigies was completed on the south side of the high altar in St. George’s Chapel. When Edward VII’s wife Alexandra died in 1925, the king’s coffin was removed from the Royal Vault and placed with his wife’s in front of the altar in the Albert Memorial Chapel. On April 22, 1927, both coffins were placed in the tomb.

Tomb of King George V and Queen Mary; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

King George V was temporarily interred in the Royal Vault. A tomb with recumbent effigies was built at the west end of the north aisle of the nave of St. George’s Chapel. George V’s coffin was removed from the Royal Vault and interred in the tomb on April 23, 1939. His wife Queen Mary was interred in the tomb when she died in 1953.

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

King George VI died in 1952, and like his two predecessors was temporarily interred in the Royal Vault. After lengthy discussions, a memorial chapel was built on the north side of St. George’s Chapel between 1967-1969. This was the first major addition to St. George’s Chapel since 1504. In March 1969, George VI’s coffin was transferred from the Royal Vault to the new King George VI Memorial Chapel. When his wife Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother died on March 30, 2002, her coffin was interred there along with the ashes of her younger daughter Princess Margaret who had died in February 2002. King George VI’s elder daughter and successor Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022, was interred with her parents and her sister’s ashes in the King George VI Memorial Chapel. Queen Elizabeth II’s husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh died in 2021 and was originally interred in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel. At the time of the burial of his wife Queen Elizabeth II, his coffin was transferred to the King George VI Memorial Chapel.

Recommended Book
The Royal Tombs of Great Britain by Aiden Dodson

Below is some brief information about the burials of English/British monarchs since the Norman Conquest in 1066. For more information, see Unofficial Royalty: British Royal Burial Sites

House of Normandy

House of Angevin

  • King Henry II: Abbaye de Fontevraud in Anjou, France, remains destroyed by French Huguenots in 1562, effigy survived
  • King Richard I: Abbaye de Fontevraud in Anjou, France, remains destroyed by French Huguenots in 1562, effigy survived
  • King John: tomb in Worcester Cathedral

House of Plantagenet

  • King Henry III: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • King Edward I: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • King Edward II: tomb in Gloucester Cathedral
  • King Edward III: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • King Richard II: tomb in Westminster Abbey

House of Lancaster

  • King Henry IV: tomb in Canterbury Cathedral
  • King Henry V: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • Henry VI: tomb in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle

House of York

  • King Edward IV: tomb in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle
  • Edward V: unknown
  • King Richard III: buried at Greyfriars Church in Leicester which was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, remains discovered in a car park and were re-interred at Leicester Cathedral in 2015

House of Tudor

  • King Henry VII: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • King Henry VIII: buried in a vault in the Choir of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, plaque on the floor
  • King Edward VI: tomb in Westminster Abbey
  • Jane: after execution buried in the Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London
  • Mary I: shared tomb with her half-sister Elizabeth I at Westminster Abbey
  • Elizabeth I: shared tomb with her half-sister Mary I at Westminster Abbey

House of Stuart

  • James I: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor
  • Charles I: buried in a vault with Henry VIII in the Choir in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, plaque on the floor
  • Charles II: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor
  • James II: buried in the Chapel of Saint Edmund at the English Benedictines in Paris, France which was destroyed during the French Revolution, viscera rediscovered and reburied in 1824 at the Parish Church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
  • Mary II: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor
  • William III: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor
  • Anne: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor

House of Hanover

  • George I: buried at the Chapel of Leine Castle in Hanover, Germany; re-interred in the mausoleum at Herrenhausen in Hanover, Germany in 1956
  • George II: buried in the vault beneath the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey, plaque on the floor
  • George III: buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, no plaque, memorial, or tomb
  • George IV: buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, no plaque, memorial, or tomb
  • William IV: buried in the Royal Vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, no plaque, memorial, or tomb
  • Victoria: tomb in Royal Mausoleum at Frogmore, adjacent to Windsor Castle

House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha

  • Edward VII: tomb in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle

House of Windsor

  • George V: tomb in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle
  • Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor): Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore, adjacent to Windsor Castle
  • George VI: buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle
  • Elizabeth II: buried in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle

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.

When The British Monarch Dies: The State Funeral

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

The funeral procession of King Edward VII in Windsor; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

In the United Kingdom, a state funeral is usually reserved for the monarch or for a very distinguished person with the approval of the monarch and Parliament such as Sir Winston Churchill‘s funeral in 1965.  While there has not been a monarch’s funeral at Westminster Abbey in London since King George II’s funeral in 1760, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will be held at Westminster Abbey.  It is expected that most of the traditions outlined here will be followed.

The members of the British Royal Family who have had state funerals since 1901 are:

1901: Queen Victoria at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
1910: King Edward VII at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
1936: King George V at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
1952: King George VI at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle
2022: Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London

Another classification of funerals in the United Kingdom is ceremonial funerals, usually reserved for senior members of the Royal Family, generally for those who hold a high military rank, the consort of the monarch and the heir to the throne, and high-ranking public figures such as the 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1979 and Baroness Thatcher in 2013.

The members of the British Royal Family who have had ceremonial funerals since 1952 are:

Other members of the British Royal Family have private funerals such as the funeral of Princess Margaret in 2002.

State funerals of recent past monarchs have had the features below with the exception of the state funeral of Queen Victoria. Queen Victoria wanted no public lying-in-state and therefore the only public event in London was a gun-carriage procession from one train station to another. She had died at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight and her coffin was transported via boat and train to Waterloo Station in London. Then the coffin was transported by gun carriage to Paddington Station for the train journey to Windsor.

 

The coffin is brought to Westminster Hall in London: From the place of death, the coffin is transported to London, if necessary, and then brought by horse-drawn gun carriage escorted by military, officials, and mourners to Westminster Hall for the lying-in-state.

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Lying-In-State in Westminster Hall: During the lying-in-state period, which occurs before the funeral, the coffin rests on a raised platform in the middle of Westminster Hall. Each corner of the platform is guarded around the clock by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, Foot Guards, or the Household Cavalry.  Members of the public file past the coffin and pay their respects. See Unofficial Royalty: When The Monarch Dies: Lying-In-State in Westminster Hall

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The coffin is brought from Westminster Hall to Windsor or to Westminster Abbey: If the funeral service will be held at Westminster Abbey, the coffin will be transported the very short distance to Westminster Abbey. After the funeral, the coffin will be transported in the manner described below to Paddington Station for the burial in Windsor.  If the funeral will be held at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, a gun carriage carrying the coffin is hauled from Westminster Hall to Paddington Station by sailors from the Royal Navy accompanied by several military contingents, State office-holders, the Royal Household, and the deceased monarch’s personal staff and servants. The late monarch’s equerries serve as pallbearers and walk alongside the coffin which is escorted by the monarch’s bodyguards: the Gentlemen at Arms and the Yeomen of the Guard. The Royal Family (as chief mourners) follow the coffin, along with foreign and Commonwealth representatives. The journey from Westminster Hall to Paddington Station takes two hours. The coffin, mourners, and officials then travel by train to Windsor, where the procession re-forms for the short journey to Windsor Castle.

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St. George’s Chapel, Windsor; Photo Credit – By Andrewkbrook1 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28086094

Funeral service in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle or Westminster Abbey, London: The funeral service for the monarch is the same as for a commoner, the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer. See Church of England: The Outline Order for Funerals and The Funeral Service. If the funeral is at Westminster Abbey, it is probable that the coffin will be transferred to Windsor for burial as described above.

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Burial: King Edward VII, King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth II were all buried at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.  Before the burial, the Garter King of Arms pronounces the formal style of the deceased monarch. As the coffin is lowered into the vault, the Lord Chamberlain breaks his white stave of office to symbolize the end of his period of service to the late monarch. After Queen Victoria’s funeral, her coffin rested for two days in the Albert Memorial Chapel in St. George’s Chapel. Her coffin was then taken by horse-drawn gun carriage the short distance to Frogmore Mausoleum to rest beside her husband Prince Albert.

For more specific information on the funerals of recent monarchs, see:

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.

When The British Monarch Dies: Lying-in-State in Westminster Hall

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster, London from Ackermann’s Microcosm of London (1808-11); Credit – Wikipedia

On the River Thames in London sits the Palace of Westminster, commonly known as the Houses of Parliament, the meeting place of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The building we see today was built after a fire destroyed the medieval Palace of Westminster in 1834. The first royal palace was built on the site in the 11th century and was the primary residence of the Kings of England until a fire destroyed much of the palace in 1512. After that, it served as the home of Parliament. Westminster Hall, built in 1097, survived both fires.  It was saved from the flames of 1834 because of the actions of the floating fire engine on the River Thames and also because a change in the wind direction kept the flames away.

The Palace of Westminster from the River after the Fire of 1834; Credit – Wikipedia

Westminster Hall is an impressive structure even today. It was built during the reign of King William II Rufus, the son of King William I the Conqueror. At the time it was built in 1097, it was the largest hall in Europe. It measures 240 by 67 feet (73 by 20 meters) and has an area of 16,080 square feet (1,460 square meters). Originally the roof was flat, but during the reign of King Richard II, the flat roof was replaced by a spectacular hammerbeam roof called “the greatest creation of medieval timber architecture” by the royal carpenter Hugh Herland.

Westminster Hall was often used for judicial purposes and was the setting for some of the most famous state trials in British history. The trials of Sir William Wallace in 1305, Sir Thomas More in 1535, Cardinal John Fisher in 1535, Guy Fawkes in 1606, King Charles I in 1649, and the rebel Scottish lords of the 1715 uprising and 1745 uprising were held in Westminster Hall. From the 12th to the 19th century, coronation banquets honoring new monarchs were held at Westminster Hall. The last coronation banquet held there was for King George IV in 1821. His successor King William IV thought the coronation banquet expense was too great and the idea was abandoned.

King George IV’s coronation banquet in 1821; Credit – Wikipedia

It is expected that the practice of deceased monarchs and deceased consorts lying-in-state at Westminster Hall will continue. Recent royal lyings-in-state:

1910 – King Edward VII
1936 – King George V
1952 – King George VI
1953 – Queen Mary, wife of King George V
2002 – Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, wife of King George VI
2022 – Queen Elizabeth II

During the lying-in-state period, which occurs before the funeral, the coffin rests on a raised platform in the middle of Westminster Hall. Each corner of the platform is guarded around the clock by units from the Sovereign’s Bodyguard, Foot Guards or the Household Cavalry. Each unit mans the guard for a total of six hours, with each detachment standing post for twenty minutes. The four soldiers stand at each corner with heads bowed, weapons inverted and their backs turned towards the coffin. Members of the public file past the coffin and pay their respects.

 King George VI lying-in-state in 1952

 

On two occasions, the guard has been mounted by four male members of the Royal Family, unofficially called “The Vigil of the Princes.”  At the lying-in-state of King George V in 1936, his four sons King Edward VIII, The Duke of York, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent took guard around their father’s coffin. For Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s lying-in-state in 2002, her four grandsons, The Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), The Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, and Viscount Linley (now 2nd Earl of Snowdon) stood guard. In 2022, the eight grandchildren of Queen Elizabeth II: The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Sussex, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, Peter Phillips, and Zara Phillips Tindall stood guard at their grandmother’s coffin in Westminster Hall.

Queen Elizabeth II’s eight grandchildren stand vigil around her coffin

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.

Top Ten Articles of March 2017

The top ten viewed articles for March 2017 have three articles about Queen Victoria’s family which is probably due to residual interest generated by the Victoria series that recently was shown on PBS in the United States. We also saw interest in several articles about Princess Benedikte of Denmark, including her wedding article, because of the death of her husband Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg.  It’s nice to see an article about a medieval royal, John of Gaunt, a son of King Edward III in the top ten. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and her predecessors since King Henry IV are descended from John of Gaunt. In fact, most European monarchies are descended from John.  Check out the article on King Edward VIII, The Duke of Windsor which had a major revision last week.

We invite you to spend some time checking out our archive of over 1,000 articles about royalty, past, and present at Unofficial Royalty: Royal Articles Index.

  1. Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
  2. Death of Princess Charlotte of Wales in childbirth and its impact on the British succession
  3. Americans Who Married Royalty

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  4. King Edward VIII, The Duke of Windsor
  5. Victoria, Princess Royal, German Empress, Queen of Prussia
  6. Tragedy in the British Royal Family at the end of August
  7. Wedding of Princess Benedikte of Denmark and Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
  8. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
  9. Wedding of Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and Daniel Chatto
  10. Wedding of Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Mary Donaldson

April 1917: Royalty and World War I

by Susan Flantzer

  • Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia
  • Timeline: April 1, 1917 – April 30, 1917
  • A Note About German Titles
  • April 1917 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

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Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

On July 12, 1912, Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia won a bronze medal for Germany in the equestrian team jumping event at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. A little more than two years later World War I began and in April 1917, the prince lost his life in the war.

Prince Friedrich Karl participating in the 1912 Summer Olympics; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

Prince Tassilo Wilhelm Humbert Leopold Friedrich Karl of Prussia, known as Friedrich Karl, was born on April 6, 1893 at Jagdschloss Glienicke, a hunting lodge now part of the Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Birthplace of Prince Friedrich Karl, Jagdschloss Glienicke, by Ferdinand von Arnim, 1865; Credit – Wikipedia

Friedrich Karl was the second of the three sons and the third of the four children of Prince Friedrich Leopold of Prussia and Princess Louise Sophie of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg.  His father was a great-grandson of King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. His mother was the granddaughter of Princess Feodora of Leiningen,  Queen Victoria’s half-sister from the first marriage of her mother. Friedrich Karl was the nephew of the last German Emperor and Empress, Wilhelm II and Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, who was the sister of Friedrich Karl’s mother.

Friedrich Karl had three siblings:

Like all princes of the Prussian royal house, Friedrich Karl, at the age of ten, was given the rank of lieutenant à la suite in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards.  À la suite is a military term that identifies persons who are entitled to bear a regimental uniform, but who have no official position. By 1908, the prince was an official member of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards with the rank of lieutenant.

Prince Friedrich Karl participated in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden as a member of the German equestrian team. He won a bronze medal riding his horse Gibson Boy in the team jumping event. Because of the close connection between the equestrian events and the skills required in the military, only active officers represented their country riding their own service horses.

Germany’s bronze medal winning team in the team jumping event: Prince Friedrich Karl, Lieutenant Ernst Deloch, Lieutenant Sigismund Freyer, Lieutenant Wilhelm, Graf von Hohenau; Photo Credit – Wikipedia

During World War I, Prince Friedrich Karl served with the Imperial German Army, the combined land and air forces of the German Empire, as the captain (Rittmeister) of the Fliegerabteilung (Artillerie) 258, an aerial artillery spotting unit. In addition to his regular duties, the prince often flew his Albatros D.I, a German single-seater fighter aircraft, on patrols with the Jagdstaffel 2, one of the best-known German air squadrons in World War I

Prince Friedrich Karl landing his plane; Photo Credit – http://www.stahlgewitter.com

On March 21, 1917, British World War I flying ace Charles Pickthorn forced down a German Albatros D.I with a skull and crossbones insignia behind the British lines at Lagnicourt, France. Once on the ground, the German pilot attempted to run toward the German lines, but was shot in the back and severely wounded by Australian troops. The pilot turned out to be Prince Friedrich Karl.

Albatros D.I flown by Prince Friedrich Karl surrounded by a group of mostly Australians soldiers presumably the ones who had captured him; Photo Credit – Project 914 Archives

A German military report of March 22, 1917 said: “The aircraft operated by Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia has not returned from a flight over the enemy lines between Arras and Péronne.” The prince was taken into captivity and he died from his injuries on his 24th birthday, April 6, 1917, at the British military hospital in St. Etienne du Rouvray, France. The prince was given a funeral befitting his military rank of Rittmeister.  A division of 100 soldiers made up the funeral procession along with a band that played a mourning march. The prince was buried in the cemetery in St. Etienne du Rouvray. Two clergymen prayed at his grave and three volleys were fired. The British Air Corps donated two wreaths for his grave where a wooden cross with his name and dates was erected.

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Timeline: April 1, 1916 – April 30, 1917

  • April 2 – 3 – Australians attack Noreuil in France
  • April 6 – United States declares war on Germany
  • April 9 – May 17 – Second Battle of Arras in Arras, France, British attack a heavily fortified German line without obtaining any strategic breakthrough
  • April 9 – 12 – Canadians obtain a significant victory in the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Vimy, Pas-de-Calais, France, part of the first phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 9 – 14 – First Battle of the Scarpe near Arras, France, part of the first phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 10 – 11 – First Battle of Bullecourt near Arras, France, part of the first phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 15 – Battle of Lagnicourt in Lagnicourt, France, part of the Second phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 16 – May 9 – Second Battle of the Aisne between Soissons and Reims, France, ends in disaster for the French army
  • April 17 – 20 – Battle of the Hills in Champagne Province, France, a diversion to the Second Battle of the Aisne
  • April 19 – Second Battle of Gaza in Gaza, Palestine (now in the Gaza Strip), the Ottoman lines resist a British attack
  • April 22 – May 8 – Second Battle of Doiran near Lake Dojran, Kingdom of Serbia (present-day Macedonia)
  • April 23 – 24 – Second Battle of Scarpe near Arras, France, part of the second phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 28 – 29 – Battle of Arleux near Arras, France, part of the second phase of the Second Battle of Arras
  • April 29 – May 20 – Series of mutinies in the French army

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A Note About German Titles

Many German royals and nobles died in World War I. The German Empire consisted of 27 constituent states, most of them ruled by royal families. Scroll down to German Empire here to see what constituent states made up the German Empire.  The constituent states retained their own governments, but had limited sovereignty. Some had their own armies, but the military forces of the smaller ones were put under Prussian control. In wartime, armies of all the constituent states would be controlled by the Prussian Army and the combined forces were known as the Imperial German Army.  German titles may be used in Royals Who Died In Action below. Refer to Unofficial Royalty: Glossary of German Noble and Royal Titles.

24 British peers were also killed in World War I and they will be included in the list of those who died in action. In addition, more than 100 sons of peers also lost their lives, and those that can be verified will also be included.

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April 1917 – Royals/Nobles/Peers/Sons of Peers Who Died In Action

The list is in chronological order and does contain some who would be considered noble instead of royal. The links in the last bullet for each person is that person’s genealogical information from Leo’s Genealogics Website or to The Peerage website If a person has a Wikipedia page or a website page with biographical information, their name will be linked to that page.

Captain Richard Godolphin Hume Chaloner

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Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia (see above)

Photo Credit – Wikipedia

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Lieutenant The Honorable George Seymour Dawson-Damer

Photo Credit – http://www.winchestercollegeatwar.com

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Richard Bernard Boyle, 7th Earl of Shannon

Photo Credit – https://www.geni.com

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2nd Lieutenant The Honorable Charles Willoughby Murray Molesworth

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Henry Molyneux Paget Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk

Photo Credit – http://www.thepeerage.com

Sir Angus Ogilvy, Husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent

by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Sir Angus Ogilvy; Credit – Wikipedia

Sir Angus Ogilvy was the husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent, and an active member of the British Royal Family for many years. He was born The Honourable Angus James Bruce Ogilvy in London, England on September 14, 1928, the fourth child and second son of David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie, and Lady Alexandra Coke, daughter of Thomas Coke, 3rd Earl of Leicester.

Angus had five siblings:

  • Lady Victoria Ogilvy (1918 – 2004) – married Alexander Lloyd, 2nd Baron Lloyd, had issue
  • Lady Margaret Ogilvy (1920 – 2014) – married Sir Iain Tennant, had issue
  • Lady Griselda Ogilvy (1924 – 1977) – married Major Peter Balfour, had issue
  • David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie (1926 – 2023) – married Virginia Ryan, had issue
  • The Hon. James Ogilvy (1934 – 2024) – married (1) Magdalen Ducas, had issue, divorced; (2) Lady Caroline Child-Villiers, no issue

The Ogilvy family had close ties with the British Royal Family. Angus’s grandmother Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie was a lifelong friend of Queen Mary and served as one of her ladies-in-waiting for over 50 years.  His father served as a Lord-in-Waiting to King George V and then as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1937-1965. An uncle served as an equerry to the future King Edward VIII while he was Prince of Wales. His elder brother David Ogilvy, 13th Earl of Airlie served as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth II from 1984 -1997 and his sister-in-law Virginia Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II from  1973 until The Queen died in 2022.

Angus attended the Heatherdown School near Ascot, and then Eton College. He was commissioned as an officer in the Scots Guards, and in 1950 he graduated from Trinity College, Oxford, with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics. Following his education, he began working with the Drayton Group, a large group of trusts headed by financier Harold Drayton. In 1956, he became a Director of the Drayton Group and served as director for over fifty other companies. One of the Drayton Group’s organizations was the London and Rhodesia Mining and Land Company (Lonrho). Ogilvy brought in RW “Tiny” Rowland to run Lonhro, and over the next few years, Rowland expanded the organization into a large conglomerate of businesses, including newspapers and hotels.

In 1955, at a ball at Luton Hoo, Angus met Princess Alexandra of Kent and was instantly smitten. She was the daughter of the late Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Eight years later, on April 24, 1963, the couple married at Westminster Abbey in London, England. Queen Elizabeth II offered Angus an Earldom but he graciously declined. He also refused a grace-and-favor residence, instead taking the lease on Thatched House Lodge in Richmond Park, owned by the Crown Estate. After Sir Angus’ death, Princess Alexandra continued to live there and had apartments at St. James’s Palace in London.

Sir Angus and Princess Alexandra had two children:

  • James Robert Bruce Ogilvy (1964), married Julia Rawlinson, had two children
    • Flora Alexandra Ogilvy (born 1994)
    • Alexander Charles Ogilvy (born 1996)
  • Marina Victoria Alexandra Ogilvy (1966), married and divorced Paul Mowatt, had two children
    • Zenouska May Mowatt (born 1990)
    • Christian Alexander Mowatt (born 1993)

By 1973, RW “Tiny” Rowland’s management style, and accusations of concealed financial records led to several of Lonrho’s directors calling for his dismissal (which Rowland managed to avoid). After public criticism from the Prime Minister and further criticism in a report from the Department of Trade in 1976, Angus resigned his directorship of Lonrho and his other directorships with businesses in London.

Although Angus had been cleared of all wrongdoing, the damage to his reputation had been done. He increased his focus on charity work, which he would continue for the remainder of his life. Among his many charities, he served in leading roles with the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Youth Clubs UK, Arthritis Care, National Children’s Homes, and the Leeds Castle Foundation. He also served as Chairman of the Advisory Council for The Prince’s Trust. For his charity work, and continued support of the monarchy, he was created a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in 1988, and in 1997 was made a member of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.

In 2002 he was diagnosed with throat cancer and canceled all of his public engagements. Despite his failing health, he participated in The Queen’s Golden Jubilee festivities in June 2002 and accompanied his wife on an official visit to Thailand in February 2003. His final public appearances were at the Garter Service (pictured above) and Royal Ascot in June 2004. Sir Angus Ogilvy died on December 26, 2004, at the Kingston Hospital in Kingston upon Thames, London. Following a private funeral held at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, on January 5, 2005, he was buried at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor, England.

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.

Prince Alexander of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland

by Scott Mehl

Prince Alexander sitting on his father’s lap; Photo: Victor Ericsson, The Royal Court of Sweden, 2020

Prince Alexander of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland, is the first child of Prince Carl Philip and the former Sofia Hellqvist. He was born April 19, 2016, at 6:25 pm at the Danderyd Hospital in Danderyd, Sweden. He weighed 3595 grams and was 49 centimeters long. Prince Alexander is 5th in the line of succession to the Swedish throne.

photo: Erika Gerdemark, Swedish Royal Court

At a cabinet meeting held at The Royal Palace of Stockholm two days later, King Carl XVI Gustaf announced the names and titles of his newest grandson – His Royal Highness Prince Alexander Erik Hubertus Bertil of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland.

  • Alexander – a name liked by his parents
  • Erik – for his maternal grandfather, Erik Hellqvist, and a name of several Swedish kings
  • Hubertus – for his paternal grandfather, King Carl Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus)
  • Bertil – for Prince Bertil of Sweden, an uncle of the King and one of Prince Carl Philip’s godparents

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On October 7, 2019, the Swedish Royal Court announced that King Carl XVI Gustaf had decided to make changes regarding the children of his son Prince Carl Philip and his daughter Princess Madeleine. Their children would no longer be members of The Royal House but would continue to be members of The Royal Family. Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas, and Princess Adrienne would no longer enjoy the style of Royal Highness but they would retain their titles of Duke and Duchess previously granted by King Carl XVI Gustaf. They will remain in the line of succession to the Swedish throne. In the future, they will not be expected to perform any royal duties. As a result, Alexander will be styled Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland.

photo: Jonas Ekströmer / TT

Prince Alexander was christened on September 9, 2016, in the Royal Chapel at Drottningholm Palace. His godparents are:

  • Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden – his paternal aunt
  • Lina Frejd – his maternal aunt
  • Victor Magnuson – his father’s paternal cousin
  • Jan-Åke Hansson – a close friend of his father
  • Cajsa Larsson – a close friend of his mother

Prince Alexander with his parents and godparents. photo: Mattias Edwall, Swedish Royal Court

At the christening, Prince Alexander wore the christening gown first worn by his great-grandfather, Prince Gustaf Adolf (father of the current King), in 1906. Since then, all members of the Swedish Royal Family have worn the gown at their christenings, and each child’s name is embroidered on it. The young prince was also invested with the Order of the Seraphim, Sweden’s senior, and most prestigious order of chivalry.

Prince Alexander became an older brother when Prince Gabriel Carl Walther, Duke of Dalarna was born on August 31, 2017.

Prince Alexander with his parents and baby brother in September 2017; Photo: Erika Gerdemark, The Royal Court, Sweden

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Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma – source: Wikipedia

Edwina Mountbatten, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, was the wife of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a member of the extended British Royal Family. She was born Edwina Cynthia Annette Ashley on November 28, 1901, at Broadlands, her family’s home in Romsey, Hampshire. Her parents were Wilfrid Ashley, (later 1st Baron Mount Temple) and Amalia “Maudie” Cassel. Through her father, she was a great-granddaughter of Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury and a great-great-granddaughter of Henry Somerset, 6th Duke of Beaufort. Through her mother, she was the granddaughter of Sir Ernest Cassel.

Edwina had one younger sister:

After her mother’s death, and her father’s remarriage, Edwina went off to boarding school, first at The Links in Eastbourne and then Alde House in Suffolk. Not being a good student, and not enjoying life in boarding school, the problem was solved when her grandfather invited her to live with him at his London residence, Brook House. Sir Ernest Cassel was a successful financier and capitalist who had become one of the richest men in Europe. He had been a close friend and advisor of King Edward VII who had bestowed several honors on him during his reign. Upon his death, he left an estate valued at over £6 million (approx. £240 million today), a large portion of which went to Edwina.

Edwina quickly became a prominent member of London society, and through those connections, met her future husband, then Lord Louis Mountbatten, in 1920. Louis was the younger son of Louis Mountbatten, 1st Marquess of Milford Haven (formerly Prince Ludwig of Battenberg) and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. A romance quickly began, and the two were engaged in India on Valentine’s Day 1922. They married on July 18, 1922, at St. Margaret’s Church, Westminster, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary and numerous royals from other European countries. The Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VIII, served as best man. Following a honeymoon in North America, they settled at Brook House in London and went on to have two daughters:

Edwina’s grandfather had died the previous year, leaving Edwina a very wealthy woman. In addition to £2 million (£80 million today), she also inherited several properties including Brook House in London, Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket, Suffolk, and Branksome Dene (now Zetland Court) in Bournemouth, Dorset.

She later inherited two properties from her father, upon his death in 1939. These were Broadlands, and Classiebawn Castle, in County Sligo, Ireland. The family still owns Broadlands, but Classiebawn Castle was sold in 1991. It was while at Classiebawn that Edwina’s husband was assassinated by the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1979.

Edwina’s wealth allowed her to pursue a life of leisure and indulge in anything she wanted to. She often set off on travels around the world, sometimes completely out of contact with her family. However, she was also quick to lend financial support to friends and relatives and was often the primary source of income for several members of her husband’s family. It was during World War II that this selfless willingness to help others developed into a life of service. She served as President of the London Division of the British Red Cross and was named Superintendent-in-Chief of the St. John Ambulance Brigade in 1942. During her husband’s time as Supreme Allied Commander, South East Asia Command, she traveled extensively to the Allied prisoner-of-war camps and assisted in repatriating the prisoners.

In August 1946, her husband Louis Mountbatten was created Viscount Mountbatten of Burma. The following year, Louis was appointed to serve as the last Viceroy of India, charged with overseeing India’s independence from the United Kingdom. During this time, and the subsequent ten months when he served as Governor-General, Edwina worked tirelessly to ease the suffering amongst the poor and helpless in India. It was during this time that she became Countess Mountbatten upon her husband’s elevation to an Earldom. Her close relationship with Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, is often the source of speculation that the two were romantically involved. Although denied by official biographers and Edwina’s own daughters, the rumors continue to this day. It was no secret that both Edwina and her husband had numerous affairs and lovers through the years, so any close friendship that either of them had quickly became the subject of gossip and rumors.

In the years after India, Edwina continued her charity work and pursued her love of traveling around the world. While on an inspection tour for the St. John Ambulance Brigade in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu), British North Borneo, Edwina died in her sleep on February 21, 1960. Her body was flown back to Britain and, per her wishes she buried at sea off the coast of Portsmouth on February 25, 1960. In a show of friendship and respect, Prime Minister Nehru sent two Indian destroyers to accompany her body during the burial.

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.