Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1900-1974) and Princess Alice (1901-2004)


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Did Prince Henry's appointment as Governor General of Australia confirm the Crown's importance as the center of Empire unity?
 
Quote from the PM at the time:

Australians will be deeply appreciative of his Majesty's action in appointing a member of the Royal Family to be Governor-General of Australia. All in the country will look forward with affectionate and loyal interest to the arrival again in Australia of His Royal Highness.8


And from a newspaper at the time:

'In acceding to the Curtin Government's request that the Duke might be appointed to Canberra, his Majesty at once gives immense gratification to the peoples of Australia and reaffirms the supreme importance of the Crown as the centre and symbol of Empire unity.'

Not popular all around. There were those who thought that they needed to have an Australian in the position. The second lat GG before him was Australian born. Henry would be replaced by an Ausie though he wasnt the last British born GG of Australia.


It was actually meant to be George who was GG of Australia, but he died in his crash before he was sent. Henry was sent in his stead.


It wasnt unheard of course for senior royals to be named. In Canada we had Arthur, Duke of Connaught. We also had his brother in law the Marquis of Lorne and his wife Prince Louise (my province is named for her).
 
I don't know why Princess Benedikte attended the memorial for Princess Alice. It's possible that she had come to represent the Danish Royal Family. Or maybe she had a personal relationship to her? Alice wasn't Benediktes godmother but Elizabeth the Queenmother was, as you can see here as well:

Benedikte von Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

On the same site you can find Princess Alice and information about her godchildren, sadly the link doesn't work if I post it.
I think Princess Alice knew Princess Benedikt and Queen Anne-Marie and King Constantine back then lived in London and are still close to the BRF
 
Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott's debut in society was at a ball for King George V and Queen Mary's daughter Princess Mary.
 
His First ceremony Prince Henry presented war honours in Birmingham.
 
The peak of glamour for the BRF, Princess Alice and Princess Marina were the definition of REGAL.
 
HRH The Duke ofGloucester arrives at Portsmouth on board the HMAS Australia.
(The king and Queen are there to welcome him home)
 
Like his older brother Prince Albert (King George VI), Prince Henry had knock knees.
 
Prince Henry at Eton College in 1916.
Prince_Henry%2C_Duke_of_Gloucester_circa_1916.jpg
 
Prince Henry may have wondered how long he had to sweep leaves.
I did see that maybe in his expression. Possibly several grownups standing next to the photographer that he's looking at. All families pose children but it's more involved here.
A few years later in some video clips you can see his eldest son looking about kinda wondering why everyone is looking at him. Back in the early years of the twentieth century there was still a promotion campaign of the family to counter the 'foreign' or 'distant' image that was still around.
 
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:previous: An excellent observation!
It is not meant unkindly, I think some elder Windsors may baulk at hearing that but with also the later German war with the weird Kaiser they had to go full steam ahead on cute PR when they could. Prince Henry and Prince John who died sadly where the most telegenic of the bunch but all round George and Mary had an attractive family for media work.
 
During World War I began most of George and Mary's children were teens or young adults. I think that once teens the children started living separately from their parents -naval and boarding schools, John living primarily at Sandringham.

Going back to the mid to late 1800s, the British royals showed great interests in the new-ish technology of photography, with some like Alexandra of Denmark became amateur photographers. Going back to Victoria and Albert, the the strategy was to use imagery of the overall royal family including the children, whether painting or photos for public relations.

I thought all of the George V children were fairly photogenic, not just their looks but probably the staging as well, and if there was a standout it was Edward / David, they were certainly better looking than the Edward VII children. Also I think as mass communications including photos became more present, the royal family took advantage of the phenomenon to make them visible.
 
Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester in Scotland during WWII inspecting Regiments and equipment

The Duke and Duchess attend the wedding of Major Michael Hawkins and Virginia Heath at St. Mark's Church, Darling Point, Sydney,Australia in 1946.
(The groom was aide de camp to the Duke who was then the Governor-General of Australia)
 
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