The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

The Honorable Sir Alexander Ramsay; Credit – Wikipedia

The Honorable Alexander Ramsay (Alexander Robert Maule), the husband of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Patricia of Connaught, was born in London, England on May 29, 1881. He was the third of the five sons of John William Maule Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie and Lady Ida Bennet, daughter of Charles Bennet, 6th Earl of Tankerville.

Ramsay had a long career in the Royal Navy. He began his career in 1894 as a cadet on the cadet training ship HMS Britannia.  After serving on several ships, Ramsay became the naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years (1911-1913) as Governor-General of Canada. In 1913, Ramsay served as the gunnery officer on the battle cruiser Indefatigable in the Mediterranean.

During World War I, Ramsay took part in several important naval operations including the bombardment of the Dardanelles forts and naval operations at Gallipoli. He attained the rank of Commander in 1914 and became Flag Commander of the Second Squadron in 1916. From 1919-1922, Ramsay was the naval attaché in Paris, France. In 1928, Ramsay assumed command of the aircraft carrier HMS Furious in the Atlantic Fleet. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1933 and commanded the aircraft carriers in the Atlantic Fleet for the next five years.

Ramsay served as Commander in Chief of the East Indies Station from 1936 to 1938. Thereafter, he became Fifth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Air Services, posts he held until the outbreak of World War II. He was promoted to Admiral in 1939 and retired from the Royal Navy in 1942.

While serving as naval aide-de-camp to Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught in his early years as Governor-General of Canada, Ramsay became acquainted with his youngest child, Princess Patricia of Connaught. The couple became engaged at the fishing lodge of J. K. L. Ross, a Canadian businessman, sportsman, thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder, and philanthropist, on St. Anns Bay in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The wedding was held at Westminster Abbey in London, England on February 27, 1919. This was the first major royal event after World War I and the first royal wedding at Westminster Abbey since the 1382 wedding of King Richard II and Anne of Bohemia. The bridal party consisted of eight bridesmaids and two train-bearers:

Photo Credit – Bain News Service – Library of Congress

Upon her marriage, Princess Patricia voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of Lady Patricia Ramsay. She was not obligated to renounce her royal title but she wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband. The decision was made with the agreement of her father The Duke of Connaught and her first cousin King George V.  Lady Patricia remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and coronations.

The couple had one child:

Lady Patricia and her son; Photo Credit – Wikipedia, Bain News Service – Library of Congress

At the age of 91, Alexander Ramsay died at his home Ribsden Holt in Windlesham, Surrey, England on October 8, 1972, and was buried in the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore in Windsor, England. Fourteen months later, on January 12, 1974, Lady Patricia died at Ribsden Holt at the age of 87 and was buried alongside her husband.

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