Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (10 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
| name = Alexandra | | name = Alexandra | ||
| title = Duchess of Albany | | title = Duchess of Albany | ||
| image = | | image = AlexNW.jpg | ||
| image_size = Medium | | image_size = Medium | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
| reign1 = 15 March 1996 - 22 April 1999 | | reign1 = 15 March 1996 - 22 April 1999 | ||
| reign-type1 = Tenure | | reign-type1 = Tenure | ||
| coronation1 = [[Charles | | coronation1 = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]]<br/>[[Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Thomas]] | ||
| cor-type1 = Monarch | | cor-type1 = Monarch | ||
| predecessor1 = {{wp|Dame Catherine Tizard|Catherine Tizard}} | | predecessor1 = {{wp|Dame Catherine Tizard|Catherine Tizard}} | ||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
| reign2 = 1 April 2000 - 6 February 2006 | | reign2 = 1 April 2000 - 6 February 2006 | ||
| reign-type2 = In office | | reign-type2 = In office | ||
| coronation2 = [[ | | coronation2 = [[Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|Thomas]] | ||
| cor-type2 = Head | | cor-type2 = Head | ||
| predecessor2 = {{wp|Emeka Anyaoku}} | | predecessor2 = {{wp|Emeka Anyaoku}} | ||
| Line 62: | Line 62: | ||
| suc-type3 = | | suc-type3 = | ||
| birth_name = | | birth_name = | ||
| birth_date = {{birth date and age| | | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|9|14|df=yes}} | ||
| birth_place = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}} | | birth_place = {{wp|Buckingham Palace}}, {{wp|London}} | ||
| death_date = | | death_date = | ||
| Line 70: | Line 70: | ||
| burial_place = | | burial_place = | ||
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Thomas, Duke of Albany|Thomas Lancaster]]|2 January 1999}} | | spouse = {{marriage|[[Thomas, Duke of Albany|Thomas Lancaster]]|2 January 1999}} | ||
| issue = {{plainlist|* [[ | | issue = {{plainlist|* [[Henry Lancaster]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Lauren Lancaster]] | ||
* [[ | * [[Alexandra Lancaster]]}} | ||
| issue-link = #Issue | | issue-link = #Issue | ||
| full name = Alexandra Natalie Lauren William Louise | | full name = Alexandra Natalie Lauren William Louise | ||
| house = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}} | | house = {{wp|House of Hanover|Hanover}} | ||
| father = [[Charles | | father = [[Charles the Great|Charles III]] | ||
| mother = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} | | mother = {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} | ||
| Line 92: | Line 92: | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany''' (Alexandra Natalie Lauren William Louise; born 14 September | '''Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany''' (Alexandra Natalie Lauren William Louise; born 14 September 1970) is a former {{wp|Royal Navy}} officer and diplomat, and a member of the {{wp|British royal family}}. From 1996 to 1999, she was also the {{wp|Governor-General of New-Zealand}}, and later the {{wp|Commonwealth Secretary-General|Secretary-General}} of the {{wp|Commonwealth of Nations}} from 2000 to 2006, a post which was once held by its inaugural holder, that being her grand-uncle, [[Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale]]. Following in the footsteps of her predecessor, [[Alice, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn|Princess Alice]], she became the second female member of the royal family to hold the position of {{wp|First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff}}, which she held from the year 2006 to 2009. | ||
In January 1999, she married former {{wp|Royal Navy}} {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}} [[Thomas, Duke of Albany|Thomas Lancaster]], whom she had met while actively serving as a naval officer herself. The couple's marriage produced three children: [[Prince Henry of Albany|Henry]], [[Princess Lauren of Albany|Lauren]], and [[Princess Alexandra of Albany|Alexandra]]. | In January 1999, she married former {{wp|Royal Navy}} {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}} [[Thomas, Duke of Albany|Thomas Lancaster]], whom she had met while actively serving as a naval officer herself. The couple's marriage produced three children: [[Prince Henry of Albany|Henry]], [[Princess Lauren of Albany|Lauren]], and [[Princess Alexandra of Albany|Alexandra]]. | ||
Thanks to a major reform undertaken by her [[Charles | Thanks to a major reform undertaken by her [[Charles the Great|father]], Alexandra consequently became the first {{wp|British}}, {{wp|Dutch}}, and {{wp|Luxembourgish}} princess in history allowed to have a ducal title of her own, as opposed to the traditional convention in which female members of the royal family could only hold a ducal title by virtue of marriage to their husbands. Evidently, on February 2006, she was made ''Duchess of Albany'' by her brother, [[Thomas of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands|King Thomas]], not long after she was made {{wp|First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff|First Sea Lord}} of the {{wp|Royal Navy}}. Prior to this, she had initially rejected being made a duchess herself following her marriage to her husband in 1999, so as to allow her to be truly made a duchess in her own right. In addition to this, she was also given the right to pass down her own ducal title to her eldest child and heir, whom is expected to succeed her as the new ''Duke of Albany'' upon her passing in the future. However, such an idea has been negated after the duchess emphasised that no children of hers would ever be given a royal title for themselves. | ||
==Early Life== | ==Early Life== | ||
Alexandra was born on September 14th | Alexandra was born on September 14th 1970 as the second daughter and youngest child of [[Charles the Great|Charles III]] and former {{wp|American}} actress turned queen consort {{wp|Lauren Bacall}}. Along with her sister, [[Catherine, Princess Royal|Catherine]], the {{wp|Princess Royal|''Princess Royal''}}, she and the former were the only females aside from their two older brothers. Her given name, ''Alexandra'', while initially thought to had been derived from her grand-aunt, [[Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Uppland]] (whom was also the previous {{wp|Princess Royal|''Princess Royal''}} prior to her sister), it was later said to had instead came from the name of the {{wp|Australian}} city of {{wp|Alexandria, New South Wales|Alexandria}}, located in the state of {{wp|New South Wales}}, which her {{wp|Lauren Bacall|mother}} had visited around a month prior to her birth. Then, due to the supposedly fond memories of the city held by {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} herself, Alexandra, whom was to be her youngest daughter and children, was subsequently named in honour of the city, albeit with a slight alteration to the name itself, hence her given name. | ||
While it had been customary for newborn royal children to be assigned to a {{wp|governess}}, the princess however, following in the footsteps of her elder siblings were brought up personally by their parents, with {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} having reportedly spent most of her time with Alexandra herself, whom was said to had been particularly doted on by her mother due to the difficulties surrounding her birth, likely caused by her mother's age at the time, during which the former was already forty-six years old. | While it had been customary for newborn royal children to be assigned to a {{wp|governess}}, the princess however, following in the footsteps of her elder siblings were brought up personally by their parents, with {{wp|Lauren Bacall|Queen Lauren}} having reportedly spent most of her time with Alexandra herself, whom was said to had been particularly doted on by her mother due to the difficulties surrounding her birth, likely caused by her mother's age at the time, during which the former was already forty-six years old. | ||
| Line 110: | Line 110: | ||
==Personal Information== | ==Personal Information== | ||
Following in the footsteps of her [[Charles | Following in the footsteps of her [[Charles the Great|father]], Alexandra pursued a much liberal-oriented lifestyle, then highlighted by her marriage to {{wp|Royal Navy}} {{wp|Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain}} [[Thomas Lancaster]] in 1996. | ||
A dedicated enthusiast and a firm supporter of the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, Alexandra is greatly known for her remarkable service in the armed forces, almost mirroring that of her third great-aunt [[Alice, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn|Alice]]. | A dedicated enthusiast and a firm supporter of the {{wp|Royal Navy}}, Alexandra is greatly known for her remarkable service in the armed forces, almost mirroring that of her third great-aunt [[Alice, Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn|Alice]]. | ||
==Titles & Honours== | ==Titles & Honours== | ||
*'''14 September | *'''14 September 1970 - 2 January 2003''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Princess Alexandra | ||
*'''2 January 2003 - Present''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Duchess of Albany | *'''2 January 2003 - Present''' ''Her Royal Highness'' The Duchess of Albany | ||
| Line 138: | Line 138: | ||
| boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc; | | boxstyle_4 = background-color: #bfc; | ||
| 1 = 1. '''Princess Alexandra of the United Kingdom''' | | 1 = 1. '''Princess Alexandra of the United Kingdom''' | ||
| 2 = 2. [[Charles III of the United Kingdom]] | | 2 = 2. [[Charles the Great|Charles III and I of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]] | ||
| 3 = 3. {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} | | 3 = 3. {{wp|Lauren Bacall}} | ||
| 4 = 4. [[ | | 4 = 4. [[Frederick of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]] | ||
| 5 = 5. {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia}} | | 5 = 5. {{wp|Princess Victoria Louise of Prussia}} | ||
| 6 = 6. {{wp|William Perske}} | | 6 = 6. {{wp|William Perske}} | ||
| 7 = 7. {{wp|Natalie Bacall}} | | 7 = 7. {{wp|Natalie Bacall}} | ||
| 8 = 8. [[ | | 8 = 8. [[William VII and IV of the United Kingdom and of the Netherlands]] | ||
| 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Sophia of Prussia}} | | 9 = 9. {{wp|Princess Sophia of Prussia}} | ||
| 10 = 10. {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor}} | | 10 = 10. {{wp|Wilhelm II, German Emperor}} | ||
Latest revision as of 18:37, 20 November 2022
| Alexandra | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duchess of Albany | |||||
 | |||||
| First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff | |||||
| Tenure | 6 February 2006 - 11 July 2009 | ||||
| Preceded by | Alan West | ||||
| Succeeded by | Jonathon Band | ||||
| Governor-General of New Zealand | |||||
| Tenure | 15 March 1996 - 22 April 1999 | ||||
| Monarch | Charles III Thomas | ||||
| Preceded by | Catherine Tizard | ||||
| Succeeded by | Silvia Cartwright | ||||
| Prime Minister | |||||
| 4th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations | |||||
| In office | 1 April 2000 - 6 February 2006 | ||||
| Head | Thomas | ||||
| Preceded by | Emeka Anyaoku | ||||
| Succeeded by | Don McKinnon | ||||
| Chair | |||||
| Born | 14 September 1970 Buckingham Palace, London | ||||
| Spouse | Thomas Lancaster (m. 1999) | ||||
| Issue Detail | |||||
| |||||
| House | Hanover | ||||
| Father | Charles III | ||||
| Mother | Lauren Bacall | ||||
| Religion | Protestant | ||||
| Military service | |||||
| Branch/service | |||||
| Years of service | 1998-2010 (active service) | ||||
| Rank | Admiral of the Fleet | ||||
| Commands | HMS Manchester (2000-2003) HMS Governor (2003-2006) First Sea Lord (2006-2009 | ||||
| Battles/wars | Kosovo War Sierra Leone Civil War Iraq War | ||||
Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany (Alexandra Natalie Lauren William Louise; born 14 September 1970) is a former Royal Navy officer and diplomat, and a member of the British royal family. From 1996 to 1999, she was also the Governor-General of New-Zealand, and later the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations from 2000 to 2006, a post which was once held by its inaugural holder, that being her grand-uncle, Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale. Following in the footsteps of her predecessor, Princess Alice, she became the second female member of the royal family to hold the position of First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, which she held from the year 2006 to 2009.
In January 1999, she married former Royal Navy Captain Thomas Lancaster, whom she had met while actively serving as a naval officer herself. The couple's marriage produced three children: Henry, Lauren, and Alexandra.
Thanks to a major reform undertaken by her father, Alexandra consequently became the first British, Dutch, and Luxembourgish princess in history allowed to have a ducal title of her own, as opposed to the traditional convention in which female members of the royal family could only hold a ducal title by virtue of marriage to their husbands. Evidently, on February 2006, she was made Duchess of Albany by her brother, King Thomas, not long after she was made First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy. Prior to this, she had initially rejected being made a duchess herself following her marriage to her husband in 1999, so as to allow her to be truly made a duchess in her own right. In addition to this, she was also given the right to pass down her own ducal title to her eldest child and heir, whom is expected to succeed her as the new Duke of Albany upon her passing in the future. However, such an idea has been negated after the duchess emphasised that no children of hers would ever be given a royal title for themselves.
Early Life
Alexandra was born on September 14th 1970 as the second daughter and youngest child of Charles III and former American actress turned queen consort Lauren Bacall. Along with her sister, Catherine, the Princess Royal, she and the former were the only females aside from their two older brothers. Her given name, Alexandra, while initially thought to had been derived from her grand-aunt, Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Uppland (whom was also the previous Princess Royal prior to her sister), it was later said to had instead came from the name of the Australian city of Alexandria, located in the state of New South Wales, which her mother had visited around a month prior to her birth. Then, due to the supposedly fond memories of the city held by Queen Lauren herself, Alexandra, whom was to be her youngest daughter and children, was subsequently named in honour of the city, albeit with a slight alteration to the name itself, hence her given name.
While it had been customary for newborn royal children to be assigned to a governess, the princess however, following in the footsteps of her elder siblings were brought up personally by their parents, with Queen Lauren having reportedly spent most of her time with Alexandra herself, whom was said to had been particularly doted on by her mother due to the difficulties surrounding her birth, likely caused by her mother's age at the time, during which the former was already forty-six years old.
Upon reaching the age of eleven, Alexandra was enrolled into the Brentford School for Girls, where she exhibited a considerable degree of success in her respective subject. At the same time, the princess took up horse riding under the guidance of a private instructor.
Adulthood
Upon graduating secondary school, much to the surprise of her parents and peers, Alexandra showed great enthusiasm in a naval-based military career. While it had not been a common occurrence, her enlistment into the Royal Navy was made possible by the Princess Alice Act 1946, which established the precedence for women to enlist in combat roles, in regards to the previously established setting that had limited women mostly to support roles such as medics.
Personal Information
Following in the footsteps of her father, Alexandra pursued a much liberal-oriented lifestyle, then highlighted by her marriage to Royal Navy Captain Thomas Lancaster in 1996.
A dedicated enthusiast and a firm supporter of the Royal Navy, Alexandra is greatly known for her remarkable service in the armed forces, almost mirroring that of her third great-aunt Alice.
Titles & Honours
- 14 September 1970 - 2 January 2003 Her Royal Highness The Princess Alexandra
- 2 January 2003 - Present Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Albany
Honours
Military Appointments
United Kingdom
22 June 1997 - 10 June 1998: Officer Cadet, Royal Navy
10 June 1998 - 5 November 2000: Midshipman, HMS Vigilant
5 November 2000 - 12 March 2003: Lieutenant, HMS Manchester
12 March 2003 - 6 February 2006: Lieutenant Commander, HMS Governor
6 February 2006 - 11 July 2009: First Sea Lord, Royal Navy
11 July 2009 - 30 March 2016: Admiral of the Fleet, Royal Navy
30 March 2016 - Present: Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom, Royal Navy
22 June 2016 - Present: Captain General Royal Marines
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Albany |
|---|