Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Encyclopedia
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British Royal Family
. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V
and Queen Mary
. He has been Duke of Gloucester
since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession
. The Duke of Gloucester carries out royal engagements on behalf of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II
.
. His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
, the third-eldest son of George V
and Queen Mary
. His mother was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
(née Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott), a daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch.
Richard was baptised in the private chapel of Windsor Castle
on 20 October 1944 by Lord Lang of Lambeth
and his godparents were the Queen
(his paternal aunt and wife of George VI), Princess Marie Louise
(his cousin), the Countess of Athlone
(his cousin, for whom her daughter, the Lady May Abel Smith
stood proxy), the Duke of Buccleuch (his maternal uncle), the Marquess of Cambridge
(his cousin), the Lady Sybil Phipps (his maternal aunt), and General the Hon Sir Harold Alexander
(for whom his wife, the Lady Margaret Alexander
, stood proxy). Because of the war, newspapers did not identify the actual location of the christening, and said instead that it took place at "a private chapel in the country".
As a grandson of the British monarch in the male line, he was styled His Royal Highness Prince Richard of Gloucester at birth. At the time of his birth he was fifth in the line of succession to the throne, and second in line to his father's Dukedom, behind his brother, Prince William of Gloucester
, who died in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed at Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton.
When Prince Richard was four months old, he accompanied his parents to Australia, where his father was Governor-General
from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to Barnwell Manor
in 1947.
and Eton College
. In 1963, he matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
to read architecture and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June 1966. Subsequently, he incepted as MA (Cantab) in 1971.
Although he had intended to practice full time as an architect, the death of his brother, Prince William
, in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed near Wolverhampton, left Richard first in line to his father's Dukedom and increased his family obligations and royal duties. He therefore resigned his partnership and began to represent his cousin The Queen
at royal engagements.
in a ceremony at Worcester Cathedral
. In this role, the Prince officiates at degree ceremonies and major events, as well as promoting the University overseas.
The Duke carried out the first of these duties on 5 and 6 November 2008 at the Graduation Award Ceremonies.
In March 2009, Prince Richard officially opened the University of Nottingham
Jubilee Campus 'phase two' buildings. The ceremony included renaming one of the buildings after Colin Campbell
, a former Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Prince Richard is also a patron of the Severn Valley Railway
and the Pestalozzi International Village Trust
.
During 2009 The Duke of Gloucester became Patron of the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre in support of its bid to raise funds through private means and through a bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to help develop this learning experience, protect the priceless exhibits and improve visitor access to the oldest aviation heritage centre in Britain. It celebrated its 50th anniversary on 15 May 2009.
, in Northamptonshire
. Together the couple have three children:
The three Gloucester children do not carry out royal duties. As great-grandchildren of a British Sovereign, they do not possess royal titles and are styled as the children of a non-royal Duke.
, Earl of Ulster
and Baron Culloden
.
(RIBA) in 1972, and serves as a commissioner of the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage
).
for more than 32 years. He had passed the institute's advanced test
in 1965. On his appointment in 1971 it was recorded that the institute's new president was "currently [driving] an Austin 1300
". He was banned from driving for six months and fined for speeding on 23 December 2004, his fourth similar offence in three years. He resigned as president in January 2005.
in London. They have leased their private home, Barnwell Manor
, since 1994.
, died at the age of 102, the longest-living member of the British Royal Family in history.
The Duke of Gloucester is one of only five living grandchildren of King George V
and Queen Mary
. He is joined by Queen Elizabeth II
, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
, Prince Michael of Kent
, and Princess Alexandra
.
Prince Richard shares a name with another Duke of Gloucester, King Richard III of England
, and is the Patron of the Richard III Society.
Since the death of his father, Prince Richard has been the most senior agnatic descendant of Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert, making him the most senior exclusively-male-line male in the House of Windsor
and, therefore, of the entire House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
.
Grand Cross of the Order of St Olav
, 1973 KNO1kl: Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Northern Star, 1975 The Order of the Crown of Tonga, 2008
Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corp.
. The following explains the way in which his arms are differenced from those of the Queen.
Arms: Is that of the Royal Arms, differenced by a label of five points argent (white), the centre and two outer points charged with a cross gules (red), and the inner points with a lion passant guardant also of gules (red).
Crest: On the coronet of children of other sons of the Sovereign, composed of four crosses-patées alternated with four strawberry leaves, a lion statant guardant or (gold), crowned with the like coronet, and differenced with the label as in the Arms.
Supporters: Are those of the Royal Supporters, differenced with a coronet as in the crest, and label as in the Arms.
His patrilineal descent (the principle behind membership in Germanic royal houses) can be traced back through the generations—which means that if The Duke of Gloucester were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Wettin, as all his male-line ancestors have been members.
The line diverges from the British royal line at Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, and from then on follows his paternal ancestors. Prince Richard is currently the senior male-line descendant of Prince Albert.
Descent before Conrad the Great is taken from fabpedigree.com and may be inaccurate.
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
. Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
. He has been Duke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester is a British royal title , often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England, the next in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; this current creation carries with it the...
since his father's death in 1974. He is currently 20th in the line of succession
Line of succession to the British Throne
The line of succession to the British throne is the ordered sequence of those people eligible to succeed to the throne of the United Kingdom and the other 15 Commonwealth realms. By the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701, the succession is limited to the descendants of the Electress Sophia of...
. The Duke of Gloucester carries out royal engagements on behalf of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.
Early life
Prince Richard was born on 26 August 1944 at Hadley Common in HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. His father was Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was a soldier and member of the British Royal Family, the third son of George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary....
, the third-eldest son of George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
. His mother was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of George V and Queen Mary.The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry, Scotland’s largest landowner, her brothers Walter and...
(née Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott), a daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch.
Richard was baptised in the private chapel of Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
on 20 October 1944 by Lord Lang of Lambeth
Cosmo Lang
William Cosmo Gordon Lang, 1st Baron Lang of Lambeth GCVO PC was an Anglican prelate who served as Archbishop of York and Archbishop of Canterbury . His rapid elevation to Archbishop of York, within 18 years of his ordination, is unprecedented in modern Church of England history...
and his godparents were the Queen
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
(his paternal aunt and wife of George VI), Princess Marie Louise
Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein
-Titles:*1872–1891: Her Highness Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein*1891–1900: Her Highness Princess Aribert of Anhalt*1900–1917: Her Highness Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein...
(his cousin), the Countess of Athlone
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone was a member of the British Royal Family. She was the longest-lived Princess of the Blood Royal of the British Royal Family and the last surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria...
(his cousin, for whom her daughter, the Lady May Abel Smith
Lady May Abel Smith
Lady May Abel Smith born Princess May of Teck was a descendant of the British Royal Family, a great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria. From her birth, she was known as Princess May of Teck, a title in the Kingdom of Württemberg...
stood proxy), the Duke of Buccleuch (his maternal uncle), the Marquess of Cambridge
George Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge
George Francis Hugh Cambridge, 2nd Marquess of Cambridge, GCVO , known as Prince George of Teck until 1917 and as Earl of Eltham from 1917 to 1927, was a descendant of the British Royal Family. He was the elder son of the 1st Marquess of Cambridge, formerly the Duke of Teck, and his wife, the...
(his cousin), the Lady Sybil Phipps (his maternal aunt), and General the Hon Sir Harold Alexander
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was a British military commander and field marshal of Anglo-Irish descent who served with distinction in both world wars and, afterwards, as Governor General of Canada, the 17th since Canadian...
(for whom his wife, the Lady Margaret Alexander
Margaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of Tunis
Margaret Alexander, Countess Alexander of Tunis GBE, DStJ , born Lady Margaret Bingham, was a daughter of George Bingham, Lord Bingham . On 14 October 1931, she married Hon. Harold Alexander and they had four children....
, stood proxy). Because of the war, newspapers did not identify the actual location of the christening, and said instead that it took place at "a private chapel in the country".
As a grandson of the British monarch in the male line, he was styled His Royal Highness Prince Richard of Gloucester at birth. At the time of his birth he was fifth in the line of succession to the throne, and second in line to his father's Dukedom, behind his brother, Prince William of Gloucester
Prince William of Gloucester
Prince William of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George V.-Early life:...
, who died in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed at Halfpenny Green, near Wolverhampton.
When Prince Richard was four months old, he accompanied his parents to Australia, where his father was Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to Barnwell Manor
Barnwell Manor
Barnwell Manor is the historic former home of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. It is located by the village of Barnwell, near Oundle, Northamptonshire in England.-The house and estate:...
in 1947.
Career
Education
Prince Richard's early education took place at home; later, he attended school at Wellesley House in BroadstairsBroadstairs
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about south-east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St. Peter's and had a population in 2001 of about 24,000. Situated between Margate and...
and Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. In 1963, he matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
to read architecture and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in June 1966. Subsequently, he incepted as MA (Cantab) in 1971.
Early career
After earning his BA in 1966, Prince Richard joined the (then) Offices Development Group of the Ministry of Public Building and Works for a year of practical work. He returned to Cambridge in 1967, and in June 1969, he passed both parts of the exam for his Diploma in Architecture. Upon completion of his training, he went into practice as a partner in a London architectural firm.Although he had intended to practice full time as an architect, the death of his brother, Prince William
Prince William of Gloucester
Prince William of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of George V.-Early life:...
, in 1972 when the plane he was piloting crashed near Wolverhampton, left Richard first in line to his father's Dukedom and increased his family obligations and royal duties. He therefore resigned his partnership and began to represent his cousin The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
at royal engagements.
Royal duties
On 10 April 2008, Prince Richard was officially installed as the Founding Chancellor of the University of WorcesterUniversity of Worcester
The University of Worcester is a British university, based in Worcester, Worcestershire, England. It was granted university status in September 2005.-History:...
in a ceremony at Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. In this role, the Prince officiates at degree ceremonies and major events, as well as promoting the University overseas.
The Duke carried out the first of these duties on 5 and 6 November 2008 at the Graduation Award Ceremonies.
In March 2009, Prince Richard officially opened the University of Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
Jubilee Campus 'phase two' buildings. The ceremony included renaming one of the buildings after Colin Campbell
Colin Campbell (academic)
Sir Colin Campbell, DL, FRSA, an academic lawyer, was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, England and served until 2006 as Her Majesty's First Commissioner of Judicial Appointments....
, a former Vice-Chancellor of the university.
Prince Richard is also a patron of the Severn Valley Railway
Severn Valley Railway
The Severn Valley Railway is a heritage railway in Shropshire and Worcestershire, England. The line runs along the Severn Valley from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster, following the course of the River Severn for much of its route...
and the Pestalozzi International Village Trust
Pestalozzi International Village
Pestalozzi International Village is an educational charitable organisation based in East Sussex, England.-Overview:...
.
During 2009 The Duke of Gloucester became Patron of the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre in support of its bid to raise funds through private means and through a bid for Heritage Lottery Funding to help develop this learning experience, protect the priceless exhibits and improve visitor access to the oldest aviation heritage centre in Britain. It celebrated its 50th anniversary on 15 May 2009.
Marriage
On 8 July 1972, Prince Richard married the Danish Birgitte van Deurs, daughter of Asger Henriksen and Vivian van Deurs, at St Andrew's Church, BarnwellBarnwell, Northamptonshire
Barnwell is a village in the district of East Northamptonshire in England, south of the town of Oundle, north of London and south-west of Peterborough...
, in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Together the couple have three children:
- Alexander, Earl of UlsterAlexander Windsor, Earl of UlsterAlexander Patrick Gregers Richard Windsor, Earl of Ulster is the only son of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. As the eldest son and heir of the Duke of Gloucester, he is accorded the title Earl of Ulster...
(born 24 October 1974, married Claire BoothClaire Windsor, Countess of Ulster-Notes:* -External links:* *...
) - The Lady Davina LewisLady Davina LewisThe Lady Davina Lewis is the elder daughter of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and the Duchess of Gloucester, and is in the line of succession to the British Throne....
(born 19 November 1977, married Gary Lewis) - The Lady Rose Gilman (born 1 March 1980, married George Gilman)
The three Gloucester children do not carry out royal duties. As great-grandchildren of a British Sovereign, they do not possess royal titles and are styled as the children of a non-royal Duke.
Succession
Upon the death of Prince Richard's father (Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester) on 10 June 1974, the Prince succeeded to the titles Duke of GloucesterDuke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester is a British royal title , often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England, the next in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; this current creation carries with it the...
, Earl of Ulster
Earl of Ulster
The title of Earl of Ulster has been created several times in the Peerage of Ireland and Peerage of the United Kingdom. Currently, the title is a subsidiary title of the Duke of Gloucester, and is used as a courtesy title by the Duke's son, Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster...
and Baron Culloden
Baron Culloden
The title of Baron Culloden has been created twice, both times for members of the British Royal Family. Its use continued the tradition of awarding members of the Royal Family titles from each of the three Kingdoms that made up the United Kingdom: England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.The first...
.
Interests
The Duke is particularly interested in architecture and conservation; he became a corporate member of the Royal Institute of British ArchitectsRoyal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
(RIBA) in 1972, and serves as a commissioner of the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
).
Presidencies
A keen motorist, Prince Richard was president of the Institute of Advanced MotoristsInstitute of Advanced Motorists
The Institute of Advanced Motorists is a charity based in the United Kingdom and serving nine countries, whose objective is to improve car driving and motorcycle riding standards, and so enhance road safety, through the proper use of a system of car and motorcycle control based on Roadcraft...
for more than 32 years. He had passed the institute's advanced test
Advanced Driving Test
The advanced driving test is a special exam for motorists who can drive to a skill level substantially above average, and candidates who passed are called advanced drivers...
in 1965. On his appointment in 1971 it was recorded that the institute's new president was "currently [driving] an Austin 1300
BMC ADO16
ADO16 is the codename for the development of what became the Morris 1100, a small family car built by the British Motor Corporation and, later, British Leyland...
". He was banned from driving for six months and fined for speeding on 23 December 2004, his fourth similar offence in three years. He resigned as president in January 2005.
Residencies
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's official residence is at Kensington PalaceKensington Palace
Kensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century and is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Duke and...
in London. They have leased their private home, Barnwell Manor
Barnwell Manor
Barnwell Manor is the historic former home of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. It is located by the village of Barnwell, near Oundle, Northamptonshire in England.-The house and estate:...
, since 1994.
Family connections
On 29 October 2004, the Duke's mother, Princess Alice, Duchess of GloucesterPrincess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester was a member of the British Royal Family, the wife and then widow of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of George V and Queen Mary.The daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch & Queensberry, Scotland’s largest landowner, her brothers Walter and...
, died at the age of 102, the longest-living member of the British Royal Family in history.
The Duke of Gloucester is one of only five living grandchildren of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and Queen Mary
Mary of Teck
Mary of Teck was the queen consort of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, as the wife of King-Emperor George V....
. He is joined by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
Prince Edward, Duke of Kent
The Duke of Kent graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 29 July 1955 as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Greys, the beginning of a military career that would last over 20 years. He was promoted to captain on 29 July 1961. The Duke of Kent saw service in Hong Kong from 1962–63...
, Prince Michael of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent
Prince Michael of Kent is a grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, making him a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. He is also the first cousin once removed of Prince Phillip. Prince Michael occasionally carries out royal duties representing the Queen at some functions in Commonwealth realms outside...
, and Princess Alexandra
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy is the youngest granddaughter of King George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck. She is the widow of Sir Angus Ogilvy...
.
Prince Richard shares a name with another Duke of Gloucester, King Richard III of England
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
, and is the Patron of the Richard III Society.
Since the death of his father, Prince Richard has been the most senior agnatic descendant of Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
and Prince Albert, making him the most senior exclusively-male-line male in the House of Windsor
House of Windsor
The House of Windsor is the royal house of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V by royal proclamation on the 17 July 1917, when he changed the name of his family from the German Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the English Windsor, due to the anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom...
and, therefore, of the entire House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
.
Titles and styles
- 26 August 1944 – 10 June 1974: His Royal Highness Prince Richard of Gloucester
- 10 June 1974 onwards: His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester
Commonwealth realms honours
- KG: Knight of the Most Noble Order of the GarterOrder of the GarterThe Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, 1997 - GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, 1974 - Grand Prior of the Order of St. JohnVenerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, 1975 - Service Medal of the Order of St JohnService Medal of the Order of St JohnThe Service Medal of the Order of St John is an award given to those that have provided a requisite number or years service to the Venerable Order of St John...
with 3 Bars - Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation MedalQueen Elizabeth II Coronation MedalThe Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...
, 1953 - Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal, 1977
- Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002SSI: Star of the Solomon IslandsStar of the Solomon IslandsThe Star of the Solomon Islands, established in 1981 is the highest honour of the Solomon Islands. Recipients are allowed to use the post nominal "SSI".-Recipients:Notable recipients include:* Helen Clark, ONZ* John Howard, AC...
, 2008
Foreign honours
The Order of the Aztec EagleOrder of the Aztec Eagle
The Order of the Aztec Eagle is a Mexican order and is the highest decoration awarded to foreigners in the country.It was created by decree on December 29, 1933 by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as a reward to services given to Mexico or humankind by foreigners...
Grand Cross of the Order of St Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav
The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is a Norwegian order of chivalry that was instituted by King Oscar I of Norway and Sweden on August 21, 1847, as a distinctly Norwegian order. It is named after King Olav II, known for posterity as St. Olav. Nobility was abolished in Norway in 1821...
, 1973 KNO1kl: Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Northern Star, 1975 The Order of the Crown of Tonga, 2008
Honorary military appointments
British
- Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Anglian RegimentRoyal Anglian RegimentThe Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on 1 September 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the...
- Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Medical CorpsRoyal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
- Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Logistic CorpsRoyal Logistic CorpsThe Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
- Royal Colonel, of the 6th (V) Battalion, The RiflesThe RiflesThe Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
- The Royal Honorary Colonel, of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)Royal Monmouthshire Royal EngineersThe Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers is the most senior regiment in the British Territorial Army, having given continuous loyal service to the crown since 1539. It is part of the reserve forces, and is the only remaining Militia unit in the British Army...
- Honorary Air CommodoreAir CommodoreAir commodore is an air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, of RAF OdihamRAF OdihamRAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3... - 16 June 2001, Honorary Air Commodore, of 501 (County of Gloucester) SquadronNo. 501 Squadron RAFNo 501 Squadron was the fourteenth of the twenty-one flying units in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, the volunteer reserve part of the British Royal Air Force. The squadron won seven battle honours, flying Hurricane, Spitfire and Tempest fighter aircraft during World War II, and was one of the most...
, Royal Auxiliary Air ForceRoyal Auxiliary Air ForceThe Royal Auxiliary Air Force , originally the Auxiliary Air Force , is the voluntary active duty reserve element of the Royal Air Force, providing a primary reinforcement capability for the regular service... - 1 September 1996, Honorary Air MarshalAir MarshalAir marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
, Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Commonwealth realms
Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Australian Army Education CorpsRoyal Australian Army Education Corps
The Royal Australian Army Educational Corps is a specialist corps within the Australian Army. Formed in 1949, the corps had its genesis in other services that existed within the Australian forces during World War I and World War II...
Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corp.
Arms
As a descendant of George V, the Duke of Gloucester's arms are based on the Royal ArmsRoyal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
. The following explains the way in which his arms are differenced from those of the Queen.
Arms: Is that of the Royal Arms, differenced by a label of five points argent (white), the centre and two outer points charged with a cross gules (red), and the inner points with a lion passant guardant also of gules (red).
Crest: On the coronet of children of other sons of the Sovereign, composed of four crosses-patées alternated with four strawberry leaves, a lion statant guardant or (gold), crowned with the like coronet, and differenced with the label as in the Arms.
Supporters: Are those of the Royal Supporters, differenced with a coronet as in the crest, and label as in the Arms.
Ancestry
Patrilineal descent
Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.His patrilineal descent (the principle behind membership in Germanic royal houses) can be traced back through the generations—which means that if The Duke of Gloucester were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Wettin, as all his male-line ancestors have been members.
The line diverges from the British royal line at Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, and from then on follows his paternal ancestors. Prince Richard is currently the senior male-line descendant of Prince Albert.
Descent before Conrad the Great is taken from fabpedigree.com and may be inaccurate.
House of Wettin
- Burkhard I, Duke of Thuringia, d. 870
- Burchard, Duke of ThuringiaBurchard, Duke of ThuringiaBurchard was the Duke of Thuringia from shortly after 892 until his death. He replaced Poppo as duke shortly after his appointment in 892, but the reasons for Poppo's leaving office are unknown. Burchard may have been a Swabian.In 908 he led a large army in battle against the Magyars...
, 836–908 - (possibly) Burkhard III of Grabfeldgau, 866–913
- Dedi I, Count in the Hessegau, 896–957
- (probably) Dietrich I, Count of Wettin, d. 976
- (possibly) Dedi II, Count in the Hessegau, 946–1009
- Dietrich II of Wettin, 991–1034
- Thimo I, Count of Wettin, d. 1099
- Thimo II the Brave, Count of Wettin, d. 1118
- Conrad, Margrave of MeissenConrad, Margrave of MeissenConrad the Great was the Margrave of Meissen from 1123 until his retirement in 1156. He was the son of Thimo, Count of Brehna, of the House of Wettin and Ida, daughter of Otto of Nordheim. He was also Count of Wettin, Brehna, and Camburg from before 1116.In 1123, he became Count of Eilenburg...
, 1098–1157 - Otto II, Margrave of MeissenOtto II, Margrave of MeissenOtto II was the Margrave of Meissen from 1157 until his death in 1190. His father was Conrad the Great and his son was Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen. He is a direct patrilineal ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, King Albert II of Belgium and Simeon II of Bulgaria....
, 1125–1190 - Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen, 1162–1221
- Henry III, Margrave of MeissenHenry III, Margrave of MeissenHenry III, called Henry the Illustrious from the House of Wettin was Margrave of Meissen and last Margrave of Lusatia from 1221 until his death; from 1242 also Landgrave of Thuringia.-Life:Born probably at the Albrechtsburg residence in Meissen, Henry was the youngest son of Margrave Theodoric I...
, c. 1215–1288 - Albert II, Margrave of MeissenAlbert II, Margrave of MeissenAlbert II, the Degenerate was a Margrave of Meissen, Landgrave of Thuringia and Count Palatine of Saxony...
, 1240–1314 - Frederick I, Margrave of MeissenFrederick I, Margrave of MeissenFrederick I, called the Brave or the Bitten was margrave of Meissen and landgrave of Thuringia.-Life:...
, 1257–1323 - Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen, 1310–1349
- Frederick III, Landgrave of ThuringiaFrederick III, Landgrave of ThuringiaFrederick III, the Strict , Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of Meissen, was the son of Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen and Mathilde of Bavaria....
, 1332–1381 - Frederick I, Elector of SaxonyFrederick I, Elector of SaxonyFrederick IV of Meissen and Elector of Saxony was Margrave of Meissen and Elector of Saxony from 1381 until his death. He is not to be confused with his cousin Frederick IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, the son of Balthasar, Landgrave of Thuringia...
, 1370–1428 - Frederick II, Elector of SaxonyFrederick II, Elector of SaxonyFrederick II was Elector of Saxony and was Landgrave of Thuringia .-Biography:...
, 1412–1464 - Ernest, Elector of SaxonyErnest, Elector of SaxonyErnst, Elector of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1464 to 1486.-Biography:Ernst was founder of the Ernestine line of Saxon princes, ancestor of George I of Great Britain, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, as well as his wife and cousin Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, and their...
, 1441–1486 - John, Elector of SaxonyJohn, Elector of SaxonyJohn of Saxony , known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532...
, 1468–1532 - John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony, 1503–1554
- Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 1530–1573
- John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 1570–1605
- Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-GothaErnest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha-Family and children:In Altenburg on 24 October 1636, Ernst married his cousin Elisabeth Sophie of Saxe-Altenburg. As a result of this marriage Saxe-Gotha and Saxe-Altenburg were unified, when the last duke of the line died childless in 1672. Ernst and Elisabeth Sophie had eighteen children:#...
, 1601–1675 - John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1658–1729
- Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1697–1764
- Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1724–1800
- Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1750–1806
- Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 1784–1844
- Albert, Prince Consort, 1819–1861
- Edward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII of the United KingdomEdward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
, 1841–1910 - George V of the United KingdomGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, 1865–1936 - The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 1900–1974
- Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, 1944 onwards