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

[pdas1201]

February 2, 2005: Memorial Service for Princess Alice was held at St. Clement Danes Church in London. Princess Alice died on October 29, at the age of 102, and her funeral was held last November.

 

[pdas1201]

more pics..

 

[Elspeth]

What on earth is Lady Davina wearing? She looks as though her legs are gift-wrapped.

 

[sara1981]

like Princess Margaret have it! what about HM Queen Mother have?

Sara Boyce

 

[morgaine]

Some wonderful Pics of Alice of Gloucester, who was a down to earth Royal and fulfilled many royal duties throughout her entire Life.


1. 1948 - Alice with her Family
2. 1953 - Alice on duty
3. Alice official portait

 

[BeatrixFan]

Princess Alice Speaking

If you go to www.bbc.co.uk and choose any video link, put 'Princess Alice' into the search box and you'll get a link that reads 'Queen's Aunt Princess Alice Dies'. There's a clip of her speaking about William's death - It's left me in tears. She just seemed so lost and broken.

 

[Paula**]

thank you very much

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3967215.stm

The video link is here.

 

[btsnyder]

Does anyone know how Princess Alice came to be known as "Princess Alice"? I know that it was decided when her son, Prince Richard, became Duke of Gloucester - presumably to not have any confusion between herself and her daughter-in-law, but I always assumed that in Britain, princesses can only be born, not "made"....

 

[Elspeth]

Apparently the Queen can "make" them!

 

[Margrethe II]

Apparently the Queen can "make" them!

Or in Princess Alice's case, a King?

"MII"

 

[Elspeth]

She wasn't made into Princess Alice until the Duke died, which was well into the present Queen's reign. Although a King certainly could make princesses!

 

[BeatrixFan]

A Tribute to Princess Alice

As we go into the New Year, I think we should remember those we've lost.
Here is a special tribute to Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester.

Obituary from the BBC

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, was at the centre of the Royal Family for most of her adult life, but remained one of its least known members.

The Queen's aunt and Queen Mother's sister-in-law, this mild-mannered maverick cracked the courtly mould by wearing trousers, tending the sick and crossing the world as a young woman.

Like the Queen Mother, the Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott was born into the wealth and privilege of a Scottish land-owning family. But, as the third daughter of the Duke of Buccleuch, she broke free whenever opportunity arose, once dressing as a man to travel across India's North-West Frontier.
Soon, she escaped to the freedom of Kenya. Throughout the early 1930s, as a self-described "pre-Beatnik", Lady Alice went on safari and, as part of Kenya's famously louche Happy Valley Set, spent her days horse-riding and painting.

For a while she was reluctant to come back to England but, by the age of 34, she was ready to settle down and "make use of her life".
She found a way to do this with her brother's friend, Prince Henry of Gloucester. He was the younger brother of King George VI and, just months before the abdication of Edward VIII, they were married in the chapel at Buckingham Palace.

As the Duchess of Gloucester, Alice continued to travel. The air chief commandant of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, she spent the war visiting WAAF units across the country.

She toured the Commonwealth and, as peacetime approached, she and the Duke arrived in Australia, where he was to be the new Governor-General.
The princess suffered personally. In 1965, the jetset couple were involved in a serious car crash, after which the Duke suffered a number of strokes. He died in 1974.

And in 1972, the elder of their two sons, Prince William, was killed when his plane crashed in an air race. His brother Richard inherited his father's title.
The newly titled Princess Alice settled with her son at the family home of Barnwell, and developed the now famously beautiful garden on this Northamptonshire estate.

She moved with her family to Kensington Palace in 1995 but, despite finding herself back in London, the Dowager Duchess took on no more public engagements, and she officially retired at the age of 98.

Despite her seclusion, Princess Alice continued to be admired, both within her family circle and by royal observers abroad. Her charity officials continued to visit her, too.

She was recognised as a spirited individual whose independence and thirst for adventure set her apart from her courtly peers, but who channelled those energies into her royal working life and helped give the Royal Family a friendly face.

Pictures from 'The Royal Family 1988'

With Princess Alice of Athlone









http://imageshack.us

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http://imageshack.us

 

[Warren]

HRH Princess Alice, formerly Duchess of Gloucester

Two pics: Princess Alice with her sons, Prince William and Prince Richard;
Princess Alice in later life, bejewelled.
Pics courtesy Corbis.

 

[Jose]

Princess Alice in photo and dog. I am she 80th birthday. http://www.ngs.org.uk/graphics/Alice.jpg

 

[Velasco]

more pics..

Who is the guy smiliing in those pics?

Surely its inappropriate to give such wide smiles for the camera at a funeral I understand no crying, stiff upper lip, keeping one's emotions to oneself [in public], blah blah blah, but smiling seems a bit much imho.

 

[Warren]

Just "the guy"? He's the Duke of Gloucester. Other people pictured smiling as they arrived at or left Princess Alice's Memorial Service include the Duchess of Gloucester, Lady Rose Windsor, Lady Davina Windsor, the Earl of Ulster and Princess Benedikte of Denmark.

 

[Russophile]

Wasn't George rumored to have had an affair with Beryl Markham? Or am I getting him confused with another royal??

 

[Dierna23]

I think you mixed it up a bit. Beryl Markham did have an affair with the Duke of Windsor AND Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester.

Maybe more information can be found in this article:

From Duke of Clarence to Margaret, the blackmailers' royal victims | Mail Online

 

[Mermaid1962]

The memorial service was five months after Princess Alice's death, by which time the family was no longer in deep grief. Memorial Services, in my experience, are usually some time after the person's death and lighter in atmosphere than funerals, which take place within a few days of the death. People are generally very serious at those.

Who is the guy smiliing in those pics?

Surely its inappropriate to give such wide smiles for the camera at a funeral I understand no crying, stiff upper lip, keeping one's emotions to oneself [in public], blah blah blah, but smiling seems a bit much imho.

 

[Zonk]

Princess Alice was/is one of my favorite British Royals.

A couple of quick questions....any particular reason why Princess Benedikte of Denmark was at the memorial? I think I read somewhere that she (Princess Alice) was a godmother to a foreign royal? Is this true?

And can some give me some details on what happened when Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was the governor general of Australia. I gather that it was not a good experience based on another thread.

 

[Dierna23]

Princess Alice was/is one of my favorite British Royals.

A couple of quick questions....any particular reason why Princess Benedikte of Denmark was at the memorial? I think I read somewhere that she (Princess Alice) was a godmother to a foreign royal? Is this true?

And can some give me some details on what happened when Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester was the governor general of Australia. I gather that it was not a good experience based on another thread.

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.

 

[Lady Meg]

I agree, she seems like a wonderful person. Lady Alice was born, in Montagu House, Whitehall, London, on Christmas Day 1901 as the third daughter of John Montagu Douglas Scott, Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry, and his wife, the former Lady Margaret Bridgeman. She is therefore a descendant, in an unbroken male (though illegitimate) line, of King Charles II. On 10 June 1974, Prince Henry died and was succeeded as Duke of Gloucester by their second son. The Duke's widow requested permission from her niece, The Queen, to use the title and style HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester instead of HRH The Dowager Duchess of Gloucester. And of course Elizabeth granted this.
Titles and styles

• 25 December 1901 – 5 November 1935: The Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott
• 6 November 1935 – 10 June 1974: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester
• 10 June 1974 – 29 October 2004: Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester

At the time of her death, Princess Alice's full style was Her Royal Highness Princess Alice Christabel, Duchess of Gloucester, Countess of Ulster and Baroness Culloden, Dame Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India, Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Dame Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

I love these pictures of her

 

[OlderThanILook]

I think the wedding photo is the most beautiful picture I've seen of Princess Alice. Did her gown have long sleeves? It's difficult to tell in the photo.

I just read her autobiography, and I admire her grace and dignity.

In one of her obituaries, the writer implied that Alice's marriage to Prince Henry may have been at least partly arranged. In her autobiography, she states that she'd known him since she was quite young and that she'd always had an intuition that they'd marry. Now i just read that Prince Henry and the Duke of Windsor were blackmailed by Beryl Markham's husband! No wonder Princess Alice didn't like Beryl.

 

[Connie Cutmantle]

Yes Alice's wedding gown did have sleeves here is a rather small picture that shows a sleeve!

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/photos/princessalice_cp_6579952.jpg

With regards to a possibly arranged marriage! It may have been helped along!

Knowing just how independent Alice had been during the twenties and early thirties I tend to think she kept her own council though! It was probable that the RF were all too aware of just how difficult Harry could be and there is no doubt that Alice was a perfect foil for the troublesome Harry!

I just can not imagine Alice ever being cajoled into a marriage unless she herself wished it!

 

[Zonk]

I don't believe it was an arranged marriage.

In her memoirs, she casually mentions Henry and her meetings with him. She spent some time with Africa. And then when visiting Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone the two are thrown together quite a lot.

When she finally get engaged, she mentions that she always knew they would get together and thats why she spent some time in Africa (I think it was like a year) before she settled down.

I also read Born Royal (which is just okay) but I get the feeling that Prince Henry definitely had his eye on Alice and it wasn't because it was arranged. They seem to like the same type of country life.A couple of Edward VIII bios actually speak rather rudely of the Gloucesters, because they were considered boring by the jet set crew.

If Edward VIII hadn't abdicated, and George VI didn't become King, I think Henry would have just had an army life with occassional royal duties. He appears to always had an interest in the Hussars. Edward's leaving affected the Gloucesters as well, as if something happened to George, Henry would have to serve as Regent for Elizabeth.

 

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

The Gloucesters, in the long run, had the more interesting & productive lives than the 'jet set'...
Personally, after one or two parties & seeing and dissing with the usual drunks & druggies, I would be bored stiff!!!

At least the Gloucesters raised a family and had 'solid friends' and a happy life; the Windsors had none of that.
And, Henry & Alice lived among people and died surrounded by loved ones.
Poor Wallis had dogs, a vulture lawyer and really nobody at the end; luckily David had Wallis.

BTW, I drink seldom & very little and have never smoked or done drugs; so I'd be a boring 'jet set' disaster!!!

Larry

 

[Connie Cutmantle]

Just carrying on from Larry's points.....I read in James Lee-Milnes' diaries that apparently the Queen actually cried at the internment of Wallis' coffin at Frogmore!

As to Jet setting - Harry and Alice had jobs to do....David and Wallis did not! I guess having a vacuous life must have been a prison in itself!

It is interesting that Alice appears to have been an exemplar of the perfect aristocratic 'Celia Johnson' type! One never hears or detects a whiff of the indulgences that Cookie imbibed in! Fascinating to compare these two women!

 

[Zonk]

There is definitely nothing wrong with NOT being in the jet set life.

I think you both have described the Windsor lot perfectly.

Both David and Wallis looked down at Albert and Elizabeth as well as the Gloucesters because they werent sophisticated. But its their loss. Both Gloucester while terribly not exciting (I have been searching high and low for information on their courtship and marriage). They had each other, their sons and their family and that is something that neither Windsor had.

 

[simmchen]

Mountwindsor you are absoloutely correct. The Queen kept a respectable distance from the Gloucester family as they were the chief mourners but still granted her presence on the steps as an acknowlegment of the contribution that Princess Alice had given to the Royal Family. It was a great tribute to the late Princess. I also thought that the Queen's message on her wreath, signing it "Lilibet", was so sweet as it acknowleged that Princess Alice was a loving aunt and fully fledged working member of the family when the Queen was still a child. The Duchess must have called her Lilibet as a child and this clearly continued all her life. Indeed the then Princess Elizabeth was a flower girl at the then 35 year old Duchess of Gloucesters' wedding in 1935 so the Queen would have seen her as a working royal long before she reached maturity herself. It's kind of like if Princess Beatrice was the current heir to the throne and Sophie died wheen Beatrice was Queen and almost eighty. No one would find in odd that Beatrice would see Sophie as an "adult" who must be respected and this must also be the way Queen Elizabeth viewed Princess Alice. It's the younger generation respecting he older. Wonderful manners and very moving.

I know that this is an old thread but the explaination makes a lot of sense now that you'v explained it.. thank you