Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

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Birgitte
Duchess of Gloucester (more)
Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester 2015.jpg
Birgitte in 2015
BornBirgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen
(1946-06-20) 20 June 1946 (age 78)
Odense, Denmark
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1972)​
Issue
House Windsor (by marriage)
FatherAsger Henriksen
MotherVivian van Deurs

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (born Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen; 20 June 1946) is a Danish-born member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson of King George V.

Contents

Early life and education

Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen was born in Odense, Denmark, the younger daughter of Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his wife, Vivian van Deurs. She was educated in Odense and at finishing schools in Lausanne and Cambridge. [1] She took her mother's ancestral name van Deurs on 15 January 1966, after her parents' separation. [2] [3] After completing a three-year course in Commercial and Economic Studies in Copenhagen, she moved back to the United Kingdom in 1971 to work as a secretary at the Royal Danish Embassy in London. [1]

Marriage and family

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.jpg
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

Van Deurs Henriksen first met Prince Richard of Gloucester, the younger son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, in the late 1960s in Cambridge, where he attended university. In February 1972, their engagement was announced. [1] They married on 8 July 1972 at St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. [1] The bride's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was constructed of Swiss organdie, with a high collar, a simple skirt, long sleeves and a small train. Instead of wearing a tiara, she wore stephanotis flowers on her hair which secured the veil. [4] Upon marriage, she assumed the style Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester.

Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard's elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester, was killed in a flying accident. Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir apparent to the dukedom and upon his father's death in 1974, the couple became the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. [1]

The couple have three children: Alexander (born 1974), Davina (born 1977), and Rose (born 1980). They were born at St Mary's Hospital, London. [1] The Duke and Duchess officially reside at Kensington Palace. [5]

Activities

The Duchess in Brisbane, 1979 The Duchess of Gloucester, Brisbane, March 1979.jpg
The Duchess in Brisbane, 1979

The Duchess of Gloucester has accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first visit was in 1973, when they represented the Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway. [6] Other joint visits have included Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Tunisia and the United States. [6] Birgitte has also travelled overseas in support of her own patronages and military units, including a visit to Iraq in December 2008. [6]

She and her husband represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the state funeral of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga on 19 September 2006. [7] They also represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the coronation of King George Tupou V of Tonga on 1 August 2008 in Nukuʻalofa. [8]

The Duke and Duchess riding in the Scottish State Coach with Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence following the coronation on 6 May 2023 Coronation of Charles III and Camilla - Coronation Procession (68).jpg
The Duke and Duchess riding in the Scottish State Coach with Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence following the coronation on 6 May 2023

Birgitte is sponsor of two Royal Navy ships: HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown. She is also the royal patron of the Bermuda Regiment. She is patron of SeeAbility, a charity for people with learning disabilities and sight loss; The Lullaby Trust, a baby charity aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health; and Music in Hospitals & Care. [9] She regularly attends functions at schools of which she is president or patron: St Paul's Cathedral School; the Friends of St Paul's Cathedral; [10] the Cathedral Music Trust; [11] St John's School, Leatherhead; [12] Bridewell Royal Hospital (King Edward's School, Witley); the Royal Alexandra and Albert School; [13] the Children's Society; [14] Parkinson's UK; [15] Hope for Youth Northern Ireland; [16] Scottish Opera; [17] Lawn Tennis Association; [18] the Royal School of Needlework; [19] Turn2us; [20] Missing People; [21] and Princess Helena College. After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Birgitte became president of the Royal Academy of Music. [22] She is also the patron of Prostate Cancer UK, [23] and in March 2006, she opened the Prostate Centre. [24]

Honours and arms

CountryDateAppointmentRibbonPost-nominal

letters

Other
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom1973 Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II UK Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II ribbon.svg [25]
1975 Dame of Justice of the Order of St John Order of St John (UK) ribbon -vector.svg GCStJ [26]
Service Medal of the Order of St John Service Medal of the Order of St John Ribbon.svg [27]
1977 Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal UK Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg [27]
1978 Solomon Islands Independence Medal Solomon islands indendence medal.png [27]
1989 Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Royal Victorian Order UK ribbon.png GCVO [25]
2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal UK Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg [27]
2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal QEII Diamond Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg [25]
2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal UK Queen EII Platinum Jubilee Medal ribbon.svg [28] [ failed verification ]
2023 King Charles III Coronation Medal UK King Charles III Coronation Medal BAR.svg [29] [ original research? ]
2024 Royal Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter Order of the Garter UK ribbon.svg LG [30]
2024 Royal Family Order of King Charles III Royal Family Order of King Charles III ribbon bar.svg [31]
Flag of Tonga.svg Tonga1 August 2008Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga TON Order of the Crown of Tonga ribbon.svg [32]
Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico3 March 2015Sash of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle MEX Orden del Aguila Azteca 2011 Collar BAR.svg [33]

Honorary military appointments

Australia
Bermuda
Canada
New Zealand
United Kingdom

Non-national titles and honours

Arms

Coat of arms of the Duchess of Gloucester
Coat of Arms of Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (Order of the Garter).svg
Notes
The coat of arms of the Duchess of Gloucester, depicting her husband's armorial bearings surmounted by an escutcheon of pretence granted to her by Royal Warrant. [40]
Adopted
18 July 1973
Coronet
Coronet of a grandchild of the sovereign.
Escutcheon
The Duke of Gloucester's arms and in the centre an escutcheon of pretence Azure a lapwing proper, on a chief Or two pairs of ostrich feathers in saltire Sable [40]
Supporters
The Royal Supporters differenced with the like coronet and label.
Orders
The Garter circlet;
motto: Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame be to him who thinks evil of it).
Banner
Garter Banner of Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.svg Banner of her arms as Royal Lady Companion of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel
Previous versions
Coat of Arms of Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester.svg
The Duchess of Gloucester's previous arms featuring the circlet of the Royal Victorian Order (1989−2024)

Issue

NameBirthMarriageIssue
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster 24 October 197422 June 2002Claire BoothXan Windsor, Lord Culloden
Lady Cosima Windsor
Lady Davina Windsor 19 November 197731 July 2004
Divorced 2018		Gary LewisSenna Lewis
Tāne Lewis
Lady Rose Gilman 1 March 198019 July 2008George GilmanLyla Gilman
Rufus Gilman

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References

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  2. ↑ Name change is mentioned in parish register of Th. Kingo, Odense (Regional Archive, Odense)- proper citation needed
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  10. ↑ "A Royal Celebration of St Paul's Friends and Benefactors". St Paul's Cathedral. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "HRH The Duchess of Gloucester becomes Royal Patron for Cathedral Music Trust". Cathedral Music Trust. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
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  40. 1 2 Boutell, Charles; Brooke-Little, John Philip (1978). Boutell's Heraldry (8th (revised) ed.). Frederick Warne. p. 226. ISBN   9780723220961.
Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Ladies
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester		Succeeded by
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