Princess Josephine, Mrs Alexander

Full name
	Josephine Astrid Charles Frederick Gustaf

Princess Josephine
Princess Josephine
British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia
In office	1955 - 1956
Preceded by	Sir Clinton Pelham
Succeeded by	Diplomatic relations severed due to Suez Crisis
Monarch	Charles III
In office	1963 - 1979
Preceded by	Diplomatic relations severed due to Suez Crisis
Succeeded by	Sir James Craig
Monarch	Charles III
Born	Josephine Astrid Charles Frederick Gustaf; 20 February 1930; Drottningholm Palace, Sweden
Died	20 November 2005 (aged 75); Drottningholm Palace, Sweden
Burial	23 November 2005; Westminster Abbey, London
Spouse	Philip Alexander; (m. 1959; died 2001)
Issue; Detail	Philip Thomas Alexander; Mary Eleanor Alexander; Charlotte Elizabeth Alexander; Alexandra Williams Alexander;
Full name
Full name
	Josephine Astrid Charles Frederick Gustaf
House	Hanover
Father	Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale
Mother	Astrid of Sweden
Religion	Protestant

Princess Josephine, Mrs Alexander (Josephine Astrid Charles Frederick Gustaf; 20 February 1930 - 20 November 2005) was a British princess, diplomat, and humanitarian. Alongside her sister Charlotte and older brother Charles, Josephine is well known and internationally acclaimed for her line of work in the field of international relations and humanitarianism, a tradition inherited from their parents, whom were also respected diplomats and humanitarian themselves. From 1955 to 1979, she served twice as the British ambassador to Saudi Arabia to which she was considerably credited with her success, particularly in restoring British-Saudi relations in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis.

In 1959, she married British equestrian Philip Alexander and had four children in total, consisting of one son and three daughters, namely Philip, Mary, Charlotte and Alexandra.

Early Life

Josephine was born on February 20, 1930 as the second child and eldest daughter of Prince Frederick, Duke of Clarence and Avondale and Princess Astrid of Sweden in Drottningholm Palace, Sweden, the primary residence of her parents since their marriage in 1925. Despite being a British princess by her father's descent, Josephine, like her siblings were brought up as Swedes in a fairly modern household, with their upbringing generally mirroring much of her mother's own instead. Following her baptism ceremony, she was given the name Josephine Astrid Charles Frederick Gustaf, with her middle names honouring that of her own mother and father, and subsequently that of her paternal grandfather and great uncle, King Gustaf V of Sweden.

At the age of five, Josephine, under the strict tutelage of her mother began undertaking cooking lessons at home where on several occasions, she was instructed to cook a specific food which would later be judged by the latter for its taste. At the same time, she then undertook private swimming lessons through a hired instructor, and at the age of eight, began undertaking horseback riding lessons with her mother, whom she would often trot with on their respective horses around the palace gardens on the morning and evening hours.

Personal Information

Titles & Honours

20 February 1930 - 8 August 1959 Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine of Clarence and Avondale
8 August 1959 - 20 November 2005 Her Royal Highness Princess Josephine, Mrs Alexander