Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

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Birgitte
Duchess of Gloucester
Spouse Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Issue
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster
Lady Davina Lewis
Lady Rose Gilman
Full name
Birgitte Eva[1]
Detail
Titles and styles
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester
HRH Princess Richard of Gloucester
Frøken Birgitte van Deurs
Frøken Birgitte Henriksen
Royal house House of Windsor
Father Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen
Mother Vivian van Deurs
Born 20 June 1946 (1946-06-20) (age 62)
Odense, Denmark

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (Birgitte Eva(bree-gee-tae); formerly van Deurs; born Henriksen, 20 June 1946) is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandchild of George V.

The Duchess of Gloucester, with her husband, undertakes royal duties on behalf of the Duke's cousin, Elizabeth II.

Contents

Early life

Birgitte was born Birgitte (beer-gee-tae) Eva Henriksen, in Odense, Denmark, the younger daughter of Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his wife, Vivian van Deurs. She took her mother's last name, van Deurs, when her parents separated.

Birgitte moved to Cambridge, England and also worked at the Danish embassy in London.

Marriage

In February 1972, Birgitte became engaged to Prince Richard of Gloucester, the second eldest son of The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The marriage took place on 8 July 1972 at St. Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. At that date she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester.

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

Together the couple have three children:

Their children do not carry out any royal duties.

Official role

The Duchess of Gloucester is patron of a large number of organisations, many of which have medical, educational or welfare connections. She has also accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first such visit was in 1973, when The Duke and Duchess represented The Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway.

The Duchess is sponsor of two Royal Navy Ships: HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown. The Duchess is the patron of the St Paul's Cathedral School and regularly attends school functions.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

British Royal Family

HM The Queen
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh
v • d • e
Styles of
The Duchess of Gloucester
Reference style Her Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style Ma'am

Titles and styles

Honours

Honorary military appointments

British

Commonwealth Realms

External links

References

  1. ^ As a titled royal, Birgitte holds no surname, but, when one is used, it is Windsor
  2. ^ Name change is mentioned in parish register of Th. Kingo, Odense (Regional Archive, Odense)
Order of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Lady Louise Windsor		 Ladies
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester		 Succeeded by
The Duchess of Kent
v • d • e
Order of Precedence in England and Wales (Ladies)*
not including short-term appointments and visiting dignitaries
Persondata
NAME Gloucester, Birgitte
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Windsor, Birgitte Eva; Deurs, Birgitte Eva van; Henriksen, Brigitte Eva
SHORT DESCRIPTION Wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester
DATE OF BIRTH 20 June 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH