Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone
Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone VA ( born Princess Alice Mary Victoria Augusta Pauline of Albany ) (* February 25, 1883 in Windsor Castle, Windsor, † January 3, 1981 in Kensington Palace, London ) was a member of the British royal family. She was the longest surviving grandchild of Queen Victoria.
Life
Alice was born on February 25, 1883 at Windsor Castle, the oldest child of Leopold George, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria, and his wife Helene of Waldeck- Pyrmont. She had only one brother, Charles, who later became Duke of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha. As a grandchild of a British monarch in the male line, she was a princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and performed the title " Her Royal Highness " ( " Her Royal Highness "). Her godparents were next to her grandmother Queen Victoria, the German Empress Augusta and King William III. the Netherlands.
On February 10, 1904 married Alice Prince Alexander of Teck ( 1874-1957 ), the brother of the future Queen Mary, wife of Alice's cousin, the future King George V. From her father she inherited the genetic disorder hemophilia, however, the disease characteristics contributed only recessive. As Konduktorin this disease they inherited it to her son. The couple had three children:
- Lady May Cambridge (1906-1994),
- Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon (1907-1928),
- Maurice of Teck (* / † 1910).
At the request of King George V all members of the British royal family lost their German title of nobility in 1917. This was also true for the husband of Alice, to whom the King the title of Earl of Athlone gave. Since that time, she was known as Her Royal Highness Alice, Countess of Athlone.
Alice took out diverse representation of tasks for each king. She went in 1924 with her husband to South Africa where this office until 1931 as Governor General of the Union of South Africa. From 1940 to 1946, when her husband was Governor General of Canada, the couple lived in Ottawa. In particular, during the Second World War took Princess Alice several honorary offices in connection with the assignment of female assistants in the armed forces.
1950 Alice was the first Chancellor of the newly established University of the West Indies.
Alexander, 1st Earl of Athlone, died in 1957 in London. Princess Alice lived until her death in 1981 at the age of 97 years and 312 days at Kensington Palace. So far, no descendant of a British monarch has become older than her. At the time of her death she was the last living bearer of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert. She was buried in the Royal Burial Ground of Frogmore (Windsor ).
Titles, orders and Coat of Arms
Title and styling
Order
- GCVO: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order,
- GBE: Dame Grand Cross of the British Empire,
- VA: Lady of the Order of Victoria and Albert,
- Royal Family North King Edward VII,
- Royal Family of King George V. north,
- Royal Family of King George VI north. ,
- Royal Family Queen Elizabeth II North
Coat of arms
As a granddaughter of Queen Victoria in the male line Princess Alice was entitled to use the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. As is common in women, it was not as a shield but as a hash ( "Ladies Shield " ) is configured. By 1917, she led the coat of arms of Saxony as a means shield.
Trivia
- Princess Alice was one of the godmothers of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.
- She died last grandchild of Queen Victoria almost 115 years after the first grandchild Prince Sigismund of Prussia ( 1864-1866 ) had died.
- Alice's youngest son, Prince Maurice died in 1910 during a visit to Alice's brother, Duke Carl Eduard of Saxe- Coburg and Gotha, Gotha at the age of just six months. The great-grandson of Queen Victoria's found his last resting place in the burial island of the pond in Gotha Castle Park.