Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

Prince Richard
1989 portrait by Allan Warren
Duke of Gloucester
Predecessor	Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Heir apparent	Alexander, Earl of Ulster
Spouse	Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester
Issue
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster The Lady Davina Lewis The Lady Rose Gilman
Full name
Richard Alexander Walter George[1]
House	House of Windsor
Father	Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester
Mother	Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Born	26 August 1944 (1944-08-26) (age 66) Hadley Common, Hertfordshire

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester (Richard Alexander Walter George; born 26 August 1944) is a member of the British Royal Family. Although Prince Richard is the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary, he is the most senior agnatic descendant of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, which makes him the most senior exclusively-male-line male in the House of Windsor and, therefore, of the entire House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He has been Duke of Gloucester since his father's death in 1974. The Duke is currently 19th in the line of succession. The Duke of Gloucester carries out royal engagements on behalf of his cousin, Queen Elizabeth II.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Education 2.2 Early career 2.3 Royal duties 3 Marriage 4 Additional information 4.1 Succession 4.2 Interests 4.3 Presidencies 4.4 Residencies 4.5 Family connections 5 Titles, styles, honours, and arms 5.1 Titles and styles 5.2 Honours 5.2.1 Commonwealth realms honours 5.2.2 Foreign honours 5.2.3 Honorary military appointments 5.2.3.1 British 5.2.3.2 Commonwealth realms 5.3 Arms 6 Ancestry 6.1 Patrilineal descent 6.1.1 House of Wettin 7 See also 8 External links 9 References

Early life

Prince Richard was born on 26 August 1944 at Hadley Common^[2] in Hertfordshire. 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: Queen Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother), Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (for whom her daughter, Lady May Abel Smith stood proxy), The Duke of Buccleuch, The Marquess of Cambridge, Princess Marie Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, Lady Sybil Phipps and Sir Harold Alexander (for whom his wife, Lady 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".^[3]

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.

When he was four months old, Prince Richard accompanied his parents to Australia, where his father was Governor-General from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to Barnwell Manor in 1947.

Career

Education

Prince Richard's early education took place at home; later, he attended school at Wellesley House in Broadstairs 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.

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 of Gloucester 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.

Royal duties

On Thursday, 10 April 2008, Prince Richard was officially installed as the Founding Chancellor of the University of Worcester in a ceremony at Worcester Cathedral. In this role, the Prince officiates at degree ceremonies and major events, as well as promotes the University overseas.

The Duke carried out the first of these duties on the 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 that runs from Kidderminster in Worcestershire.

During 2009 The Duke of Gloucester became Patron of the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre^[4] in support of its bid to raise funds though 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, Barnwell, in Northamptonshire. Together the couple have three children:

The Royal Family of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms
HM The Queen HRH The Duke of Edinburgh HRH The Prince of Wales HRH The Duchess of Cornwall HRH Prince William of Wales HRH Prince Harry of Wales HRH The Duke of York HRH Princess Beatrice of York HRH Princess Eugenie of York HRH The Earl of Wessex HRH The Countess of Wessex Viscount Severn Lady Louise Windsor HRH The Princess Royal HRH The Duke of Gloucester HRH The Duchess of Gloucester HRH The Duke of Kent HRH The Duchess of Kent HRH Prince Michael of Kent HRH Princess Michael of Kent HRH Princess Alexandra

• Alexander, Earl of Ulster (born 24 October 1974, married Claire Booth)
• The Lady Davina Lewis (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.

Additional information

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 Gloucester, Earl of Ulster and Baron Culloden.

Interests

The Duke is particularly interested in architecture and conservation; he became a corporate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1972, and serves as a commissioner of the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage).

Presidencies

A keen motorist, Prince Richard was president of the Institute of Advanced Motorists 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".^[5] 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.^[6]

Residencies

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester's official residence is at Kensington Palace in London. They have leased their private home, Barnwell Manor, since 1994.

Family connections

On 29 October 2004, the Duke's mother, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, 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 six 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, Princess Alexandra, and George Lascelles, 7th Earl of Harewood.

Prince Richard shares a name with another Duke of Gloucester, King Richard III of England, and is the Patron of the Richard III Society.^[7]

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.

Titles, styles, honours, and arms

Styles of Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester
Reference style	His Royal Highness
Spoken style	Your Royal Highness
Alternative style	Sir

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

Honours

Commonwealth realms honours

• KG: Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, 1997
• GCVO: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 1974
• Grand Prior of the Order of St. John, 1975
• Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation Medal, 1953
• Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee Medal, 1977
• Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee Medal, 2002
• SSI: Star of the Solomon Islands, 2008 ^[8]

Foreign honours

• The Order of the Aztec Eagle
• Grand Cross of the Order of St Olav, 1973
• The Royal 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 Regiment
• Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Medical Corps
• Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Logistic Corps
• Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment
• Royal Colonel, of the 6th (V) Battalion, The Rifles
• The Royal Honorary Colonel, of the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)
• Honorary Air Commodore, of RAF Odiham
• 16 June 2001, Honorary Air Commodore, of 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force^[9]
• 1 September 1996, Honorary Air Marshal, Royal Air Force^[10]

Commonwealth realms

• Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Australian Army Education Corps ^[11]
• 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 Arms. 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 a coronet 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.^[12]

A banner of the coat of arm's is used as the Duke's personal standard, which along with his coat of arms was granted in 1962.^[13]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester

16. Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha               8. Edward VII of the United Kingdom                       17. Victoria of the United Kingdom               4. George V of the United Kingdom                             18. Christian IX of Denmark               9. Princess Alexandra of Denmark                       19. Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel               2. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester                                   20. Duke Alexander of Württemberg               10. Francis, Duke of Teck                       21. Countess Claudine Rhédey von Kis-Rhéde               5. Princess Mary of Teck                             22. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge               11. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge                       23. Princess Augusta of Hesse-Cassel               1. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester                                         24. Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch               12. William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch                       25. Charlotte Anne Thynne               6. John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch                             26. James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Abercorn               13. Louisa Jane Hamilton                       27. Louisa Jane Russell               3. Alice Montagu Douglas Scott                                   28. Orlando Bridgeman, 3rd Earl of Bradford               14. George Bridgeman, 4th Earl of Bradford                       29. Selina Louisa Forester               7. Margaret Bridgeman                             30. Richard Lumley, 9th Earl of Scarbrough               15. Ida Frances Annabella Lumley                       31. Frederica Mary Adeliza Drummond

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.

Descent before Conrad the Great is taken from fabpedigree.com^[14] and may be inaccurate.

House of Wettin

1. Burkhard I, Duke of Thuringia, d. 870
2. Burchard, Duke of Thuringia, 836–908
3. (possibly) Burkhard III of Grabfeldgau, 866–913
4. Dedi I, Count in the Hessegau, 896–957
5. (probably) Dietrich I, Count of Wettin, d. 976
6. (possibly) Dedi II, Count in the Hessegau, 946–1009
7. Dietrich II of Wettin, 991–1034
8. Thimo I, Count of Wettin, d. 1099
9. Thimo II the Brave, Count of Wettin, d. 1118
10. Conrad, Margrave of Meissen, 1098–1157
11. Otto II, Margrave of Meissen, 1125–1190
12. Dietrich I, Margrave of Meissen, 1162–1221
13. Henry III, Margrave of Meissen, c. 1215–1288
14. Albert II, Margrave of Meissen, 1240–1314
15. Frederick I, Margrave of Meissen, 1257–1323
16. Frederick II, Margrave of Meissen, 1310–1349
17. Frederick III, Landgrave of Thuringia, 1332–1381
18. Frederick I, Elector of Saxony, 1370–1428
19. Frederick II, Elector of Saxony, 1412–1464
20. Ernest, Elector of Saxony, 1441–1486
21. John, Elector of Saxony, 1468–1532
22. John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony, 1503–1554
23. Johann Wilhelm, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 1530–1573
24. John II, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, 1570–1605
25. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha, 1601–1675
26. John Ernest IV, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1658–1729
27. Francis Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1697–1764
28. Ernest Frederick, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1724–1800
29. Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, 1750–1806
30. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, 1784–1844
31. Albert, Prince Consort, 1819–1861
32. Edward VII of the United Kingdom, 1841–1910
33. George V of the United Kingdom, 1865–1936
34. The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, 1900–1974
35. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, 1944 onwards

See also

• British prince

External links

• Official biography

References

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester House of Windsor Cadet branch of the House of Wettin Born: 26 August 1944
Preceded by Arthur Chatto	Line of succession to the British Throne 19th position	Succeeded by Earl of Ulster
Preceded by Prince Alexander Ernst of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha	Line of succession to the throne of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha 10th position
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester	Duke of Gloucester 5th creation, 2nd Duke 10 June 1974 – present	Incumbent Heir Apparent: Earl of Ulster
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Viscount Linley	Gentlemen HRH The Duke of Gloucester	Succeeded by The Duke of Kent

Order of Precedence in the United Kingdom (Gentlemen) England and Wales The Sovereign • HRH The Duke of Edinburgh • HRH The Prince of Wales • HRH The Duke of York • HRH The Earl of Wessex • HRH Prince William of Wales • HRH Prince Henry of Wales • Viscount Severn • HRH The Duke of Gloucester • HRH The Duke of Kent • HRH Prince Michael of Kent • The Most Rev and Rt Hon Rowan Williams • The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP • The Most Rev and Rt Hon John Sentamu • The Rt Hon David Cameron MP • The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP • The Rt Hon John Bercow MP • The Rt Hon The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers QC PC • The Rt Hon The Lord Judge QC PC • The Rt Hon Sir George Young, Bt MP • The Most Hon The Marquess of Cholmondeley KCVO • His Grace The Duke of Norfolk DL • His Grace The Duke of Abercorn KG • The Rt Hon The Earl Peel GCVO PC DL • The Rt Hon The Baron Vestey DL Scotland The Sovereign • HRH The Duke of Edinburgh • HRH The Duke of Rothesay • HRH The Duke of York • HRH The Earl of Wessex • HRH Prince William of Wales • HRH Prince Henry of Wales • Viscount Severn • Mr Peter Phillips • Viscount Linley • HRH The Duke of Gloucester • HRH The Duke of Kent • HRH Prince Michael of Kent • The Rt Hon The Earl of Harewood • The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP • The Rt Rev William Hewitt • The Rt Hon David Cameron MP • The Rt Hon John Bercow MP • The Rt Hon The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers QC PC • The Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP • Alex Fergusson MSP • The Rt Hon Danny Alexander MP • The Rt Hon The Earl of Erroll • His Grace The Duke of Argyll Northern Ireland The Sovereign • HRH The Duke of Edinburgh • HRH The Prince of Wales • HRH The Duke of York • HRH The Earl of Wessex • HRH Prince William of Wales • HRH Prince Henry of Wales • Viscount Severn • Mr Peter Phillips • Viscount Linley • HRH The Duke of Gloucester • HRH The Duke of Kent • HRH Prince Michael of Kent • The Rt Hon The Earl of Harewood • His Eminence Cardinal Seán Brady • The Most Rev Alan Harper, OBE  • The Most Rev Diarmuid Martin • The Most Rev John Niell • The Rt Rev Stafford Carson • The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP • The Rt Hon David Cameron MP • The Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP • The Rt Hon John Bercow MP • The Rt Hon The Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers QC PC • The Rt Hon Sir George Young, Bt MP • The Most Hon The Marquess of Cholmondeley KCVO • His Grace The Duke of Norfolk DL • The Rt Hon The Earl of Dalhousie not including short-term appointments, visiting dignitaries and most peers

British princes 1st generation George II 2nd generation Frederick, Prince of Wales · Prince George William · William, Duke of Cumberland 3rd generation George III · Edward, Duke of York · William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh · Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn · Prince Frederick 4th generation George IV · Frederick, Duke of York and Albany · William IV · Edward, Duke of Kent · Ernest Augustus I of Hanover · Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex · Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge · The Prince Octavius · The Prince Alfred · William, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh 5th generation Albert, Prince Consort1  · George V of Hanover · George, Duke of Cambridge 6th generation Edward VII · Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn · Leopold, Duke of Albany · Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover 7th generation Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence and Avondale · George V · John of Wales · Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · George William of Hanover · Arthur of Connaught · Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · Christian of Hanover · Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick 8th generation Edward VIII · George VI · Henry, Duke of Gloucester · George, Duke of Kent · The Prince John · John Leopold, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · Hubertus of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha · Ernest Augustus IV, Prince of Hanover · Alastair, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn · George of Hanover 9th generation Philip, Duke of Edinburgh2  · William of Gloucester · Richard, Duke of Gloucester · Edward, Duke of Kent · Michael of Kent 10th generation Charles, Prince of Wales · Andrew, Duke of York · Edward, Earl of Wessex 11th generation William of Wales · Henry of Wales · James, Viscount Severn ^1 not a British prince by birth, but created Prince Consort. ^2 not a British prince by birth, but created a Prince of the United Kingdom.

Dukes of Gloucester HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Thomas of Woodstock (1385-1397) · Humphrey (1414-1447) · Richard III (1461-1483) · Henry Stuart (1659-1660) · Prince William Henry (1764-1805) · Prince William Frederick (1805-1834) · Prince Henry (1928-1974)

Dukes of the peerages of the British Isles* Royal dukes Edinburgh • Cornwall & Rothesay • York • Gloucester • Kent Others Norfolk • Somerset • Richmond, Lennox & Gordon • Grafton • Beaufort • St Albans • Bedford • Devonshire • Marlborough • Rutland • Hamilton & Brandon • Buccleuch & Queensberry • Argyll • Atholl • Montrose • Roxburghe • Manchester • Northumberland • Leinster • Wellington • Sutherland • Abercorn • Westminster • Fife * Current dukes, listed by precedence, from highest to lowest

Persondata
Name	Gloucester, Richard
Alternative names	Windsor, Richard Alexander Walter George
Short description	Grandson of George V
Date of birth	26 August 1944
Place of birth	Barnwell Manor, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
Date of death
Place of death