Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Miss Birgitte van Deurs 1972

[Scott]

Are there any photos of Richard and Birgitte of Gloucester's wedding?

Many many thanks

scott

[pdas1201]

Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs - 1972

Excerpt from the book "Two centuries of Royal Weddings" by Christopher Warwick.

"The couple were engaged in the spring of 1972, followed by their wedding on 8 July that same year.

There were no plans for a lavish society wedding on this occasion chiefly because Prince Richard wanted to be married quiety. The wedding was solemnized in the village church of St Andrew, no more than two hundred yards from his house at Barnwell Manor, and his decision delighted the local people. The church was decorated with pink and white roses and sweet peas-though in moderation because the best man, Prince William of Gloucester, suffered from Hay fever.

The Queen Mother together with the Prince of Wales and Princess Margaret flew into Barnwell by royal helicopter to lunch with the bridegroom's mother, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; a little later the bride, who was also at the house with her parents and two half-sisters, went to her room to dress for the wedding.

The bride's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell, as the one worn by her future mother-in-law in 1935. He designed a long dress of white Swiss organdie with a high neck and long sleeves on which was embossed a floral motif. The bride's white tulle veil, not quite floor-length, was edged, like Princess Margaret's in 1960, with white organdie piping and it was secured by the simplest band of creamy stephanotis, a favorite bridal flower. Princess Alice herself made her daughter-in-law's bridal bouquet and, modelled on a traditional Danish wedding sheaf, it was composed of white and cream summer flowers bound with satin ribbon.

Shortly before four o'clock the royal party arrived at the church, Prince Michael of Kent escorted Princess Alice, Countess of Althone; Prince of Wales with the Queen Mother followed by Princess Margaret and the groom's mother.

There were no bridesmaids or pages at this wedding and so the next arrival, shielded by a huge umbrella, was the bride herself. The press was barred from entering the church since this was designated a private wedding in the strictest sense. The Dean of Windsor married the couple--the bride did not promise to 'obey' the groom. After the wedding, the couple made their way to Barnwell Manor for the wedding reception. This too, was an informal affair with a buffet instead of the usual formal royal wedding breakfast. It was at this point that the ailing Duke of Gloucester joined the party."

[pdas1201]

The Gloucester Wedding 1972 (pt 2)

Taken from the book "Two Centuries of Royal Weddings" by Christopher Warwick.

[Scott]

Thank you so much for these photos. I have never seen any of them. I really appreciate you finding them.

regards
scott

[CasiraghiTrio]

Wedding of HRH Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs (Corbis)
8 July 1972
St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire
It is interesting to see how much more lowkey was their wedding compared to the grand affair the Kents had.
Who were the bridesmaids and pages?

[Catherine Helvin]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Wedding of HRH Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs (Corbis)
8 July 1972
St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire
It is interesting to see how much more lowkey was their wedding compared to the grand affair the Kents had.
Who were the bridesmaids and pages?

As has been said in an earlier post, there weren't any bridesmaids or pages.

From what I've seen, the bride had a bit of a train on her dress and the wedding took place on a wet day.

[IloveCP]

Don't like the high neckline of the dress.It looks like a turtleneck!

[Lindy]

Originally Posted by pdas1201

Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs - 1972

Excerpt from the book "Two centuries of Royal Weddings" by Christopher Warwick.

"The couple were engaged in the spring of 1972, followed by their wedding on 8 July that same year. There were no plans for a lavish society wedding on this occasion chiefly because Prince Richard wanted to be married quiety. The wedding was solemnized in the village church of St Andrew, no more than two hundred yards from his house at Barnwell Manor, and his decision delighted the local people. The church was decorated with pink and white roses and sweet peas-though in moderation because the best man, Prince William of Gloucester, suffered from Hay fever.

The Queen Mother together with the Prince of Wales and Princess Margaret flew into Barnwell by royal helicopter to lunch with the bridegroom's mother, Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester; a little later the bride, who was also at the house with her parents and two half-sisters, went to her room to dress for the wedding. "

From everything I've read, Birgitte is the only biological child of both her father, Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen (1903-1984) and her mother, Vivian Vibeke Jeanne Fritze van Deurs (1914-?) After Birgitte's parents divorced, her mother remarried Carl Christian Marx-Nielsen (1897-1976) in 1951. Birgitte has one step-brother named Christian Marx-Nielsen born in 1946 to her step-father and his first wife, Gerta. Who are the two half-sisters that this book refers to?

[NGalitzine]

Originally Posted by Lindy

From everything I've read, Birgitte is the only biological child of both her father, Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen (1903-1984) and her mother, Vivian Vibeke Jeanne Fritze van Deurs (1914-?) After Birgitte's parents divorced, her mother remarried Carl Christian Marx-Nielsen (1897-1976) in 1951. Birgitte has one step-brother named Christian Marx-Nielsen born in 1946 to her step-father and his first wife, Gerta. Who are the two half-sisters that this book refers to?

In the bridal photographs in the same book they are named as Miss Susan van Deurs Henrikson and Mrs Allette Just Christiansen.

[cepe]

Originally Posted by pdas1201

Prince Richard of Gloucester and Birgitte van Deurs - 1972

Excerpt from the book "Two centuries of Royal Weddings" by Christopher Warwick.

"The couple were engaged in the spring of 1972, followed by their wedding on 8 July that same year.

There were no plans for a lavish society wedding on this occasion chiefly because Prince Richard wanted to be married quiety. The wedding was solemnized in the village church of St Andrew, no more than two hundred yards from his house at Barnwell Manor, and his decision delighted the local people. The church was decorated with pink and white roses and sweet peas-though in moderation because the best man, Prince William of Gloucester, suffered from Hay fever.

What is so moving about this is that 6 weeks later Prince William of Gloucester died. You can see him in the 2nd picture. So sad and life-changing for this young couple.