On This Day: British Royal Family


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What a long life the Princess had and to put it in context

'Princess Alice lived through six reigns and attended four coronations. She rode in the carriage procession for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and in the Silver Jubilee procession of Queen Elizabeth in 1977'

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/01/04/...ndon-home-a-grandchild-of-queen-victoria.html

Yes as I mentioned in my post she was not only the last grandchild of queen Victoria but to this day holds the record of longest living member of the British royal family by blood. The queen has another three years to match her.

Before Alice the record was held by her husband’s aunt Princess Augusta of Cambridge. Elizabeth had surpassed Augusta by over a hundred days now.

Of course the top spots for longest British royals are held by Duchess of Gloucester, the queen mum and Philip but they all married in.
 
:previous:

Apologies to Countessmeout for double/repeated post and not reading your brilliant post and information before I submitted it!!!

Silly me! :lol: ?

I remembered reading about Princess Augusta of Cambridge in The Quest for Queen Mary written by James Pope-Hennessy and edited by Hugo Vickers. She was known to be close to Queen Mary, when growing up.

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone was also mentioned in the book, as she was Queen Mary's sister-in-law. She was absolutely remarkable and I was really fascinated. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone was also closed to The (1st) Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Both Princess Alice lived long.
 
Wasn't her beautiful Diamond Palmette tiara sold off in the 80's?
 
Wasn't her beautiful Diamond Palmette tiara sold off in the 80's?

Yes, sadly the beautiful tiara was auctioned off in 1984 by her daughter May.

https://www.katiecallahanandco.com/...almette tiara,$33,696 to an undisclosed buyer.

It sold at Christy's for over 33,000.


:previous:

Apologies to Countessmeout for double/repeated post and not reading your brilliant post and information before I submitted it!!!

Silly me! :lol: ?

I remembered reading about Princess Augusta of Cambridge in The Quest for Queen Mary written by James Pope-Hennessy and edited by Hugo Vickers. She was known to be close to Queen Mary, when growing up.

Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone was also mentioned in the book, as she was Queen Mary's sister-in-law. She was absolutely remarkable and I was really fascinated. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone was also closed to The (1st) Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. Both Princess Alice lived long.


A photo of the two Alices together.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/1a/27/4a/1a274a0d4529d3494cecaaea54ca56a2.jpg


Definitely a fascinating lady. The history that she saw during her life time. And the people she met. While her and her husband were Governor-general of Canada, they mingled with a mix of royals and politicians of all forms during WWII.


A photo of her at the innaugeration of her first cousin once removed Queen Juliana (her mother and Queen Wilhemina's mother Emma were sisters)

 
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On this day, January 6, 1367 ~ Birth of King Richard II of England, son of Edward the Black Prince
 
On this day, January 6, 1367 ~ Birth of King Richard II of England, son of Edward the Black Prince

At the time of his birth in Bordeaux he was the younger son of Edward, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent.
 
On this day, January 6, 1999 ~ Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones' Engagement photocall

 
January 7, 1355 birth of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65413577/prince_thomas-woodstock-plantagenet#view-photo=42330429

He was born in Woodstock palace, where his name comes from. He was the son of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. He was the youngest of 13 children (8 of whom reached adulthood). He was the 8th son, fifth who reached adulthood. His siblings included the Black Prince and John of Gaunt.

He was knight in 1377 at the age of 22 and created Earl of Buckingham. He would be made Duke of Aumale and of Gloucester in 1385.

In 1379 he went to Brittany to support John, Duke of Brittany. John was his former brother in law, married to his sister Mary. At the time he was married to Joan of Holland who was the stepdaughter of his brother Edward (Joan's mother was Edward's wife Joan of Kent). He returned in 1380 when John made peace with Charles VI of France, and his men ravaged with dyssentry, Thomas headed back to England.

Thomas's father had died in 1377 and had been succeeded by his grandson, Thomas' nephew Richard II. Edward had died in 1376 and his own eldest son had died in 1370, leaving Richard heir to his grandfather. Thomas though was a member of a group known as the Lords appellant.They sought to limit the power of Richard II.

They were successful in leading a rebellion in 1388. Richard though was slowly able to rebuild his power, aided greatly by the return of his Uncle, John of Gaunt who had been in Spain. In 1397 Richard was able to seize full control back and had the three top leaders of the lords arrested, which included Thomas. Thomas was imprisoned in Calais waiting for trial for treason.

He was murdered while imprisoned September 9, 1397. The men were led by the Duke of Norfolk on orders of Richard II. It caused a great deal of out cry in England and led to greater loss of popularity for Richard in England. Richard himself would die imprisoned in 1400, after being over thrown by his cousin Henry Bollingbroke (son of John).

He was buried originally in the tomb of St Edmund and St Thomas in Westminster abbey. 2 years later he was moved to the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor where his wife was buried next to him.


https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/thomas-of-woodstock-duke-of-gloucester


Thomas had been married to Eleanor de Bohun in 1376. Eleanor was the daughter of Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford. Her father only had daughters, two of whom made it to adulthood. She was co-heiress with her sister Mary. Mary married Thomas' nephew, Henry Bolingbroke (future Henry IV ) and was mother of Henry V of England. Thomas was Earl of Essex through his father in law (Hereford and Northampton were eventually held by Henry IV).

The couple had five children but only one made it past 18 (their only son died at 18).

-Humphrey: succeeded his father as Earl of Buckingham but not Duke of Gloucester as the title was attained when his father was arrested. He died 2 years thought after his father. He had been taken into the household of Richard II when his father was killed, and Richard had taken him and Henry Monmouth to Ireland where he left them. When Richard was deposed, Henry sent for the return of his wife's nephew but Humphrey was ill and didn't survive the return.

-Anne: became soul heir to the family estates on the death of her brother, after one sister died and another became a nun. She was married three times. Her first husband Thomas Stafford, 3rd Earl of Stafford died after 2 years of marriage with no children. Her second husband was Thomas' younger brother Edmund who would succeed as 5th earl of Stafford (when another brother William who was 4th died). She had two children with Edmund who reached adulthood. Her third marriage was to William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu with whom she had a further 5 children.

-Joan: was married to Gilbert Talbot, 5th Lord Talbot (betrothed at 8). She seems to have died in childbirth in 1400.

-Isabel: became a nun.

-Philippa: died young.


Eleanor became a nun at Barking Abbey after the death of her husband. She died October 3, 1399 months after the death of her son.
 
On this day, January 7, 1239 ~ Wedding of Eleanor of England, daughter of King John of England and Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl Leicester at Kings Chapel, Palace of Westminster
 
January 7th,1536 – Death of Catherine of Aragon

Catherine died at Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire aged 50.Catherine’s funeral took place on January 29th at Peterborough Abbey (now a cathedral) and was accorded the funeral of a Princess Dowager and not that of a queen.
The funeral Mass was presided over by the Bishops of Lincoln, Ely, and Rochester and the chief mourner was her niece in law ,Lady Eleanor Brandon the daughter of Catherine's ally and sister in law Mary Tudor ,Queen Dowager of France and Duchess of Suffolk. Catherine was buried at the lowest step of the high altar .Her burial was ransacked by Cromwell's troops in 1643 who reeked havoc on the cathedral but in the 19th century it was repaired and a new tomb was erected in her memory.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Aragon

369px-Catalina_de_Arag%C3%B3n%2C_por_un_artista_an%C3%B3nimo.jpg
 
On this day, January 8, 1864 ~ Birth of Albert Victor of Wales, son of King Edward VII
 
11th of January 1372 -Death of Eleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel


Eleanor was the daughter of of Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.Her father was a great grandson of of King Henry III of England and was related to the French and Navarrese royal houses from his mother Blanche de Artois. Eleanor married Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel on the 5th of April 1345.
Eleanor died at Arundel and was buried firstly at Lewes Priory but following its dissolution the tomb was moved to Chichester Cathedral.




https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_of_Lancaster

Eleanor%2C_Countess_of_Arundel.jpg
 
January 12, 1974 death of Princess Patricia of Connaught.

I have always felt a special connection to her. Both my grandfathers officially served in her brigade in WWII (my paternal grandfather did in reality, my maternal only in name. After boot camp he was transferred to Black devil training).


She was born March 17, 1886 in London at Buckingham palace. Her father was Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn. Her father was the third son and 7th of 9 children of Victoria and Albert. Her mother was Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia. She was the second daughter and youngest of three children of her parents. The eldest was her sister Margaret who would marry the future Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden (she died before her husband came to the throne). Her brother Arthur married the Duchess of Fife.

Though called Patricia (or Patsy by her family) her full name was Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth. Patricia was chosen to honor that she was born on St Patrick's day. The other three were for her godmothers: Queen Victoria, Princess Helena (her paternal Aunt) and Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (her maternal Aunt). Her godfathers were Ernest II of Saxe-Coburg Gotha (her grandfather's brother), the future Wilhelm II (her first cousin), and Prince Albert of Prussia (mother's first cousin once removed).


in 1893 she was a bridesmaid at the wedding of the future George V and Queen Mary.

Her childhood was full of travel. She spent two years living in India when her father was stationed there with the army. In 1911 her father was appointed Govenor General of Canada and she moved with her parents here. Patricia was very popular during her time in Canada.

She appeared on the one dollar Dominion of Canada bank note in 1917.

https://writeroyalty.com/a-popular-princess-on-a-banknote/

In 1918 Andrew Hamilton Gault raised the last private regiment in the British army and named it the Princess Patricia Light Infantry Brigade. She served as colonel in chief of her name sake, and designed their badge and colors. They would later perform at her wedding. She remained active as their colonel until the day she died. In 1974 she was succeeded in the position by Countess Mountbatten of Burma, her goddaughter and namesake.

Patricia was considered one of the most beautiful and elligible princesses of her time. She was considered as a bride for many royal men. Instead Patricia chose Alexander Ramsay. Not a royal, Alexander did come from the aristocracy, the 3rd son of the Earl of Dalhousie. Alexander was an aide-de-camp of her father.


The couple were married February 27, 1919 at Westminster abbey.



Her bridesmaids and page boys included:
-Princess Ingrid of Sweden: daughter of her sister Margaret (future Queen Ingrid of Denmark)
-Earl of MacDuff: her nephew, son of her brother Arthur
-Lady Ida and Jean Ramsay: nieces by marriage, daughter of Alexander's eldest brother Arthur, 14th Earl of Dalhousie
-Simon Ramsay: youngest son of Arthur Ramsay (he would eventually succeed his eldest brother as the 16th earl)
-Princess Mary: daughter of George V
-Princess Maude: daughter of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife
-Lady Mary and Helen Cabridge, and Lady May Cambridge: the first two daughters of the Marquess of Cambridge, the third daughter of his brother the Earl of Althone)


By royal warrant Patricia was allowed to relinquish her royal titles on marriage. The royal warrant of 1919 named her Lady Victoria Patricia Ramsay and gave her precedence above the Marchionesses of the UK. It took effect on her marriage so she entered the church a princess, and left the daughter of a duke.

The couple took up eventual residence at Ribsden Holt, which had been a home of Princess Louise, Duchess of Fife at one time.



Though she relinquished her title she remained in succession and an active member of the family. She attended funerals and other events. She would walk in the procession with other royal princesses of the blood and in the carriages.

She was a gifted artist who was inspired by the works of Gauguin and Van Gough.


Her husband who was made a Knight Grand Cross of the RVO in 1938 (made knight commander in 1932) died in 1972 at their home of Ribsden Holt. Patricia died 15 months later at home as well, 8 weeks short of her 88th birthday. At the time she was the second last grandchild of Victoria, only out lived by Princess Alice, Countess of Althone. She was buried like her husband at the Frogmore burial ground.

The couple had one son together.

-Alexander Ramsay of Mar-Alexander inherited the Mar estates from his Aunt Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife (she was married to Patricia's brother Arthur). He married Flora Fraser, the daughter of Alexander Fraser, Lord Saltoun. His wife succeeded her father and is the current Lady Saltoun. The couple had three daughters, their oldest Katherine is heir to her mother's estate. Alexander died in 2000 at his estate. His wife is still seen at the odd royal event. She was at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and was listed among the family.

 
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It was sad there there was only Lady and Patricia and Princess Alice left by the early 70's of the surviving grandchildren of queen Victoria and Alice lived the longest.
 
On this day, 13th January 2017: Death of Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon. He was a British filmmaker and photographer who married Princess Margaret (1960-1978).
 
On this day, January 13, 1883 ~ Birth of Prince Arthur of Connaught, son of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia
 
On this day, January 15, 1478 ~ Wedding of Richard, Duke of York, son of King Edward IV of England, and Lady Anne Mowbray at St. Stephen's Chapel of the Palace of Westminster
 
Lady Anne was just 5 years old but was a Peeress in her own right ,the Prince also was just 5 years old. Anne died a few years later and in 1483 the Prince along with his older brother vanished and were presumed murdered in the Tower of London.

The_Marriage_Of_Richard_Of_Shrewsbury%2C_Duke_Of_York%2C_To_Lady_Anne_Mowbray.jpg
 
On this day, January 16, 1957 ~ Demise of Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone, spouse of Princess Alice of Albany

The Earl of Athlone met President Roosevelt.
 
The Earldom of Athlone is now another extinct title in the the Peerage of Ireland.
The title was first created as a Barony and was given to the Dutch Baron van Reede, Lord of Ginkel a Williamite general who commanded the successful second siege of Athlone in County Westmeath in June 1691 during the Jacobite /Williamite Wars.

The town of Athlone was held by a French and Jacobite army and was the gateway to the province of Connacht .The furious Williamite bombardment of Athlone was the heaviest bombardment of any town or city in the UK or Ireland up until that time. Soon afterwards the French and Jacobites withdrew from Athlone which had mostly been reduced to rubble.

640px-Siege_of_Athlone_1691.jpg
 
On this day, January 18, 1486 ~ Wedding of King Henry VII of England and Princess Elizabeth of York, daughter of King Edward IV of England
 
January 20, 1936 death of George V of the UK.



Having taken to his bed on the 15th at Sandringham he would not leave it again. He had been suffering from chronic bronchitis for the past 10 years and had often retreated to the sea side for better climates to help.

The night before his funeral his four remaining sons stood guard in the Vigil of the Princes (the same thing would happen next for the death of the Queen Mum when her four grandsons would perform the same).

His funeral was January 28.





January 20, 1896 death of Prince Henry of Battenberg.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Henry_of_Battenberg#/media/File:Prince_Henry_of_Battenberg.jpg

Henry was born in Milan October 5, 1858. His father was Prince Alexander of Hesse and by the Rhine. His mother was Countess Julia von Hauke. Because of his father's morgantic marriage Henry and his siblings were not in line of succession for the Hessian throne. He was a count at the time of his birth, but he was elevated to the rank of HSH Prince Henry when his mother was created Princess of Battenberg in December of that year.

Henry was one of five children, the 3rd son and 4th child. His brother Louis was the first Marques of Milford Haven (grandfather of Prince Philip).


Henry served in the Prussian army and later in the Bulgarian army where his brother Alexander was Prince for a time.


Henry met his future bride Beatrice through his brother Louis. Louis had gone to the UK to court Beatrice but Victoria had dissuaded her daughter from it. Louis instead had ended up engaged to Beatrice's niece Victoria. It was at the wedding of Louis and Victoria that Beatrice and Henry would fall in love. Victoria didn't wish to see her beloved daughter marry and didn't speak to her for seven months. It took help from her brother Edward and sister Vicky to get her to give permission. She agreed on the condition that Henry give up his German commissions and they would remain close to her.

Henry married Beatrice at Saint Mildred's church near Osborne July 23, 1885. Henry was 26 and Beatrice was 27. He was made a Knight of the Garter and elevated to the rank of HRH by his mother in law, to be equal to Beatrice.


The couple would remain with her mother as Beatrice continued as her mother's assistant. Henry would be made Governor of the Isle of Wight and eventually a member of the Privy counsel in 1894.


In 1895 he convinced his mother in law to allow him to go to Africa and fight in the Ashanti war. Unfortunately he contracted malaria, and he would die on board the HMS Blonde off the coast of Sierra Leone. His body was brought hom on board the HMS Blenheim which had been in the Canary Islands.


Henry was buried February 5, 1896. His funeral was held at the same church he was married in. He was buried in what became known as the Battenberg chapel, where his wife and his eldest son would later be buried. He was only 37 years old. His wife would outlive him by 48 years, dying in 1944.

St. Mildred's Church, Whippingham, Isle of Wight - The Battenberg Chapel


Henry and Beatrice had four children:

-Alexander: was made Marquis of Carisbrooke. He married Lady Irene Dennison a daughter of the Earl of Londesborough. They had one daughter Lady Iris Mountbatten. Like his father he was in the military but he eventually became a business man.

-Victoria Eugenie: married Alfonso XIII of Spain. They had seven children together. She is the paternal grandmother of Juan Carlos.

-Leopold: suffered from hemophilia. He died following a hip operation at the age of 32 unmarried. Unlike his older brother, he was buried at Frogmore instead of with their parents.

-Maurice: died at age 23 while fighting in WWI. He died in Belgium. Like Leopold he had never married, and he was also buried at Frogmore.

His wife would outlive 2 of their four children.
 
On this day, January 20, 1382 ~ Wedding of King Richard II of England and Anne of Bohemia at Westminster Abbey
 
January 22, 1831 birth of Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, spouse of Princess Helena of the UK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princ...wig-Holstein#/media/File:1831Christian-05.jpg

Frederick Christian Charles Augustus was born in Augustenburg Palace in Denmark. His father was Christian, Duke of Augustenborg. His mother was Countess Louise Sophie Danneskiold-Samsøe. His paternal grandmother was Princess Louise Auguste of Denmark, daughter of Christian VII. His paternal Aunt was Caroline Amalie, second wife of Christian VIII. Louise was descended from Christian V of Denmark through his natural son Christian (with his mistress Sophie Amalie Moth).

Christian was the 6th of 7 children of his parents (though two siblings had died before he was born). His father was succeeded in his title by his brother Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (5th child but eldest son to reach adulthood, the eldest brother died as a toddler). His brother was the father of German Empress Augusta Viktoria among others.

He served for a short time in the First War of Schleswig. He would later study at the University of Bonn where he became friends with eventual Emperor Frederick III (at the time CP of Prussia).

In 1865 he met Princess Helena while he was on a visit to Coburg. He was 34 and Helena was 19. Victoria agreed to the marriage on the condition that the couple would reside in Great Britain.


They were married July 5,1866 in the private chapel at Windsor.

Jewel History: Marriage of the Princess Helena (1866) | The Court Jeweller

https://royal-magazin.de/england/helena-princess-christian/helena-princess-marriage.htm


Before their wedding Christian was granted the style Royal Highness by his soon to be mother in law. Helena was given away by her mother and the Prince of Wales. The wedding was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Christian had Prince Edward of Saxe-Weimar (a maternal nephew of Queen Adelaide of GB) and Prince Frederic of Schleswig-Holstein.


The couple first lived in Frogmore house and later Cumberland Lodge, both on the grounds of Windsor Great Park.

Christian received a number of military ranks in the British army, and was honorary colonel of the 1st Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Berkshire Regiment. He would never though actually hold a staff position or have any major field command in the British military. He was High steward of Windsor and ranger of Windsor Great Park. Though a minor royal he did officiate a number of events, often accompanying his wife.

Christian died at Schomberg House in London November 1, 1917. He was 86 years old. He was buried at the Royal burial ground at Frogmore. Helena died 6 years later in 1923.


The couple had five children (and a miscarriage). He outlived two of them (one who died in infancy).

-Christian Victor: He served in the army. He died in 1900 after catching Malaria in South Africa while serving in the Second Boer War. He was buried in Pretoria but there is a monument for him at Frogmore. Prince Francis of Teck (younger brother of Queen Mary) was present when he died.

-Albert: He would succeed as Duke of Duke of Schleswig-Holstein with the death of his cousin Ernst Gunther, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (he was the son of Christian's older brother Frederick). Like his older brother he never married and had no legal children to succeed him. He did have a daughter Valerie. He only recognized her close to his death. She claimed her paternity in order for her second marriage as at the time Jews could not marry Arryans (her foster parents were Jewish). Albert's sisters helped her claim her paternity legally, and she married Prince Engelbert-Charles, 10th Duke of Arenberg. Albert was succeeded in his Duchy by Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. Friedrich was a distant cousin but he was also married to Albert's cousin Karoline Mathilde (sister of his predecessor Ernst Gunther).

-Helena Victoria: she never married but spent her life volunteering with a number of charities including the YMCA.

-Marie Louise: She married Prince Aribert of Anhalt. The wedding was never consumated and later annulled. The suggestion is her husband was gay.

-Harold: youngest (other then a stillborn son). He died at eight days old.


Despite having four children reach adulthood, Christian and Helena only had 1 grandchild, Albert's natural daughter. Their line died there as Valerie had no children from either marriage.
 
On this day, January 23, 1045 ~ Wedding of Edward the Confessor, King of England and Edith of Wessex
 
On this day, January 25, 1858 ~ Wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal and the future Frederick III, German Emperor at the Chapel Royal of St. James Palace
 
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