As the Duke of Gloucester celebrates his 80th birthday, let’s take a look at his life.
Prince Richard of Gloucester was born on 26 August 1944 as the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and the Duchess of Gloucester, born Lady Alice Christabel Montagu Douglas Scott. His father was the third son of King George V of the United Kingdom. Prince Richard was not expected to succeed to the Dukedom as he had an elder brother named Prince William.
At the time of his birth, the New York Times reported, “A son was born today to the Duchess of Gloucester, and both mother and infant Prince were reported in satisfactory condition. The young Prince is fifth in direct succession to the throne, immediately after his brother, Prince William of Gloucester, who is 3, and before the 8-year-old Duke of Kent. The new Prince is the ninth grandchild of the Queen Mother.”1 He was baptised on 20 October 1944. He joined his parents in Australia for two years, during which time his father served as governor-general from 1945 to 1947. The family returned to the United Kingdom and settled at Barnwell Manor, where he spent the better part of his childhood.
He was tutored at home for his early education and later attended Wellesley House School and Eton College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Magdalene College, Cambridge. He read architecture and obtained a Master of Arts in 1971. He became an architect with Hunt Thompson Associates.
On 8 July 1972, Richard married Birgitte van Deurs, who had been born in Denmark. Just two months later, tragedy struck when Prince William was killed in a plane crash during the Goodyear International Air Trophy. The New York Times reported, “The Prince’s plane crashed on take-off from Halfpenny Green Airfield near Wolverhampton, 110 miles northwest of here. His co-pilot, the only other person aboard the aircraft, also was killed. Witnesses said the plane, a single-engine Piper Cherokee Arrow, banked sharply at the end of the runway to avoid a house, ploughed through treetops, crashed into a grassy bank and exploded.”2
When Prince Richard’s father died two years later, Richard became the new Duke of Gloucester. Four months later, Richard became a father when Birgitte gave birth to their son, Alexander. Two daughters, Lady Davina (born 1977) and Lady Rose (born 1980), followed.
Richard gave up being an architect and took up royal duties. He kept up his interest in architecture as president of the Society of Architect Artists and commissioner of the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England. He was also patron of the construction charity Construction Youth Trust. These are just a few of his many patronages.
In 2015, Prince Richard represented The Queen during the reburial of King Richard III, who had been Duke of Gloucester before his accession.
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