Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (1883-1981)


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She is one of my favorites. I treasure my copy of her autobiography. I would not say she was either left or right wing, because to say that would be to give her more political overtone than either character or story deserved. She was CONSERVATIVE but, contrary to common fallacious notions, that does not necessarily mean right wing. Having read her own words with a fine tooth comb, I don't see any evidence of antisemitic feeling. And even if that is true, to excuse it with "being a woman of her time" is one of the most ignorant things I've ever read. That is the stupidest excuse people commonly give: "It's ok because he/she was a person of his/her time!" Nonsense! Wrong is not excused because it is common for the day! If you do wrong, you do wrong, and I don't care if it is common for the day. So stop saying those stupid things which you have heard others say! Think for yourself!
 
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and Princess Anne at the Royal Film Premiere of ‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’ at the Warner Theatre in 1969. Princess Alice was the President of the National Children Adoption Association.

Princess Alice was wearing the Diamond Palmette Tiara. Princess Anne was wearing the Halo Scroll Tiara

https://royalwatcherblog.com/2019/11/05/royal-film-premiere-of-the-madwoman-of-chaillot-1969/

Credit to the Royal Watcher Blog for the pictures.
 
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Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone and Princess Anne at the Royal Film Premiere of ‘The Madwoman of Chaillot’ at the Warner Theatre in 1969. Princess Alice was the President of the National Children Adoption Association.

Princess Alice was wearing the Diamond Palmette Tiara. Princess Anne was wearing the Halo Scroll Tiara

https://royalwatcherblog.com/2019/11/05/royal-film-premiere-of-the-madwoman-of-chaillot-1969/

Credit to the Royal Watcher Blog for the pictures.


Who owns the Diamond Palmette Tiara now? Is it still in the family ?


I find it interesting that Princess Alice's husband was Governor General of South Africa and also of Canada (in different periods of time of course). I miss the time when GGs were British peers or British royals rather than newscasters or astronauts, but since I am not a citizen of a Commonwealth realm, it is not up to me to say that.
 
Who owns the Diamond Palmette Tiara now? Is it still in the family ?


I find it interesting that Princess Alice's husband was Governor General of South Africa and also of Canada (in different periods of time of course). I miss the time when GGs were British peers or British royals rather than newscasters or astronauts, but since I am not a citizen of a Commonwealth realm, it is not up to me to say that.

According to the Royal Watcher and Katie Callahan & Co., the Diamond Palmette Tiara was actioned off at Christie’s in 1984, for $33,696. The buyer was undisclosed and the present location is not known. The tiara was inherited by Princess Alice only surviving child, Lady May Abel Smith, but later actioned it. :sad: :ermm:
https://royalwatcherblog.com/2018/02/25/princess-alices-diamond-palmette-tiara/
https://www.katiecallahanandco.com/2019/02/princess-alices-diamond-palmette-tiara/

Speaking of Governor Generals, Prince Henry, (1st) Duke of Gloucester was the Governor General of Australia (30 January 1945 – 11 March 1947). Apparently, the office was initially offered to Prince George, (1st) Duke of Kent, before he tragically passed away from an aeroplane crash in Scotland.

I think the Governor office does run within the family, Colonel Richard Abel Smith (only son of Lady May Abel Smith and hence grandson of Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone) married Marcia Kendrew, who was the daughter of Major General Sir Douglas Kendrew (Governor of Western Australia, 25 October 1963 – 6 January 1974)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_May_Abel_Smith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Abel_Smith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Kendrew

Ian Liddell-Grainger (Conservative MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset) is Princess Alice's great-grandson.
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone --> Lady May Abel Smith --> Anne Liddell-Grainger (née Abel Smith) --> Ian Liddell-Grainger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Liddell-Grainger
 
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Just came across the list of Chancellors of the University of the West Indies and apparently their very first Chancellor was HRH princess Alice, countess of Athlone from 1948 until 1971.

Edit: The queen apparently was the 'visitor' until 2019. The role of the visitor is to solve any disputes that remain after the regular processes are exhausted. Her role has been taken over by a retired justice.
 
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Princess Alice was a good woman and she deserved more accolades than she got.
 
Iam very fortunate to have a couple of historical royal photo books of princess Alice of Athlone as a baby, young woman, married life, family connections with different European
royals, children and abroad representing Great Britain in different functions with her husband.
 
The Earl and Countess of Athlone left for Saudi Arabia in 1938.
 
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