Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester
HRH Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (born June 20, 1946 in Odense , Denmark ) is a member of the British royal family . Her husband Richard, Duke of Gloucester and Prince of Great Britain and Ireland, is a grandson of King George V.
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Birgitte Eva Henriksen was born in Odense as the daughter of a lawyer. When her parents separated, she took her mother's maiden name, Van Deurs . Among other things, she worked at the Danish Embassy in London .
In February 1972, she became engaged to Richard, the second son of HRH Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Alice, Duchess of Gloucester . The marriage took place on July 8, 1972 .
Six weeks after the wedding, her husband's older brother, William of Gloucester , crashed his plane and died at the crash site. As a result, her husband inherited the Duke of Gloucester title when his father died in 1974. As his wife, she has since held the courtesy title of Duchess of Gloucester .
The couple has three children:
- Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster (born October 24, 1974) ⚭ Claire Booth
- Lady Davina Lewis (born November 19, 1977) ⚭ Gary Lewis
- Lady Rose Gilman (born March 1, 1980) ⚭ George Gilman
None of the children have any official duties. The couple live in Kensington Palace in London .
Official duties
The Duchess is the patron of many British organizations. Her interests and main areas of activity are particularly in the areas of medicine , education and working with the disadvantaged.
She is Honorary Colonel of the Bermuda Regiment and the 7th Battalion of the Rifles Regiment and patroness of two ships in the Royal Navy .
Names / Titulatures
- Frøken Birgitte Henriksen (June 20, 1946 - January 15, 1966)
- Frøken Birgitte van Deurs (January 15, 1966 - June 8, 1972)
- Her Royal Highness The Princess Richard of Gloucester (June 8, 1972 - June 10, 1974)
- Her Royal Highness Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (since June 10, 1974)
Orders and decorations
| year | Country | Orders / decorations | class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 |
 United Kingdom
|
Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | GCVO |
| 2009 |
United Kingdom
|
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saint John | GCStJ |
| 1974 |
United Kingdom
|
Lady of Grace of the Order of Saint John | DStJ |
| 1973 |
United Kingdom
|
Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II | member |
| 2002 |
United Kingdom
|
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal | medal |
| 2012 |
United Kingdom
|
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | medal |
Web links
- The Duchess of Gloucester on the official website of the British monarchy (English)
- Birgitte Eva van Deurs on thepeerage.com
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Gloucester, Birgitte Duchess of; Henriksen, Birgitte Eva (maiden name); Deurs, Birgitte Eva van |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | British nobles, members of the British Royalty |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 20, 1946 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Odense , Denmark |