Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Credit – By The National Churches Trust – Luke March, HRH The Duke of Gloucester, Pippa Jacob, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78033822

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester was born at Hadley Common in Hertfordshire, England on August 26, 1944.  He was the second of the two sons of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and his wife Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch,  and one of the nine grandchildren of King George V of the United Kingdom.

The prince’s christening took place at the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle on October 20, 1944. The location of the christening was not announced at the time due to security concerns because of World War II. The names given to the royal baby were Richard Alexander Walter George, three of the names after his three godfathers, and his godparents were:

Prince Richard had one elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester who was killed in an airplane accident at an airshow in 1972 (scroll down).  At that time, Prince Richard became the heir to his father’s titles.

Richard started his education at home. He then attended Wellesley House School in Broadstairs, Kent, England, and Eton College in Eton, Berkshire, England. In 1963, Richard began studying architecture at Magdalene College, Cambridge University where he received a Diploma of Architecture. He was a partner in a London architecture firm and planned to make it his career. However, upon his brother’s death in 1972, when Richard became his father’s heir, he took on increased royal duties and the responsibility for the family estate, so he resigned from his partnership.

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

While studying at Cambridge University, Richard met his future wife, the Danish-born Birgitte Eva Henriksen, who was attending the Bell School of Languages in Cambridge, England. Birgitte and Prince Richard became engaged in February 1972 and were married on July 8, 1972, at St. Andrew’s Church in Barnwell, Northamptonshire, England nearby the Gloucester family home Barnwell Manor.  Prince Richard’s father was unable to attend the wedding. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester had suffered his first stroke in 1965 and subsequent strokes required him to use a wheelchair and rendered him unable to speak for his remaining years.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester had three children, all married with their own children:

 

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

The Duke of Gloucester in his robes as the Grand Prior of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem; Credit – Wikipedia

In support of his cousin Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Gloucester carried out a significant number of public duties and official engagements in the United Kingdom and overseas, and will continue to do so for his first cousin once removed King Charles III. He is associated with over 150 charities and organizations.  Some of the charities and organizations the Duke of Gloucester is associated with include:

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.