# Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester (born Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen; 20 June 1946) is a Danish-born member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson of King George V.

## Early life and education

Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen was born in Odense, Denmark, the younger daughter of Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his wife, Vivian van Deurs. She was educated in Odense and at finishing schools in Lausanne and Cambridge. She took her mother's ancestral name van Deurs on 15 January 1966, after her parents' separation. After completing a three-year course in Commercial and Economic Studies in Copenhagen, she moved back to the United Kingdom in 1971 to work as a secretary at the Royal Danish Embassy in London.

## Marriage and family

Van Deurs Henriksen first met Prince Richard of Gloucester, the younger son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, in the late 1960s in Cambridge, where he attended university. In February 1972, their engagement was announced. They married on 8 July 1972 at St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. The bride's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell. It was constructed of Swiss organdie, with a high collar, a simple skirt, long sleeves and a small train. Instead of wearing a tiara, she wore stephanotis flowers on her hair which secured the veil. Upon marriage, she assumed the style Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester.
Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard's elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester, was killed in a flying accident. Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir apparent to the dukedom and upon his father's death in 1974, the couple became the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The couple have three children: Alexander (born 1974), Davina (born 1977), and Rose (born 1980). They were born at St Mary's Hospital, London. The Duke and Duchess officially reside at Kensington Palace.

## Activities

The Duchess of Gloucester has accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first visit was in 1973, when they represented the Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway. Other joint visits have included Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Tunisia and the United States. Birgitte has also travelled overseas in support of her own patronages and military units, including a visit to Iraq in December 2008.
She and her husband represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the state funeral of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV of Tonga on 19 September 2006. They also represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the coronation of King George Tupou V of Tonga on 1 August 2008 in Nukuʻalofa.
Birgitte is sponsor of two Royal Navy ships: HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown. She is also the royal patron of the Bermuda Regiment. She is patron of SeeAbility, a charity for people with learning disabilities and sight loss; The Lullaby Trust, a baby charity aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health; and Music in Hospitals & Care. She regularly attends functions at schools of which she is president or patron: St Paul's Cathedral School; the Friends of St Paul's Cathedral; the Cathedral Music Trust; St John's School, Leatherhead; Bridewell Royal Hospital (King Edward's School, Witley); the Royal Alexandra and Albert School; the Children's Society; Parkinson's UK; Hope for Youth Northern Ireland; Scottish Opera; Lawn Tennis Association; the Royal School of Needlework; Turn2us; Missing People; and Princess Helena College. After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Birgitte became president of the Royal Academy of Music. She is also the patron of Prostate Cancer UK, and in March 2006, she opened the Prostate Centre.

## Honours and arms

| Country | Date | Appointment | Post-nominal letters |
| United Kingdom | 1973 | Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Elizabeth II | |
| United Kingdom | 1975 | Dame of Justice of the Order of St John | DStJ |
| United Kingdom | 1975 | Recipient of the Service Medal of the Order of St John | |
| United Kingdom | 1977 | Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 1978 | Recipient of the Solomon Islands Independence Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 1989 | Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order | GCVO |
| United Kingdom | 2002 | Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 2012 | Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 2022 | Recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 2023 | Recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal | |
| United Kingdom | 2024 | Royal Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter | LG |
| United Kingdom | 2024 | Recipient of the Royal Family Order of Charles III | |
| Tonga | 1 August 2008 | Grand Cross with Collar of the Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga | |
| Mexico | 3 March 2015 | Sash of the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle | |

### Honorary military appointments
#### Australia

* Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Australian Army Educational Corps

#### Bermuda

* Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Bermuda Regiment

#### Canada

* Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Canadian Dental Corps (January 2006 – present)

#### New Zealand

* Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal New Zealand Army Educational Corps

#### United Kingdom

* Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Dental Corps (until 2024 when the corps was amalgamated)
* Colonel-in-Chief, of the Adjutant General's Corps (2023–present; Deputy Colonel-in-Chief 1992–2023)
* Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Medical Service (2024–present)
* Royal Colonel, of the 7th (V) Battalion The Rifles
* Lady Sponsor, of HMS Gloucester
* Lady Sponsor, of HMS Sandown

### Non-national titles and honours

* 2005: Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Fan Makers

### Arms

Coat of arms of the Duchess of Gloucester :
* NotesThe coat of arms of the Duchess of Gloucester, depicting her husband's armorial bearings surmounted by an escutcheon of pretence granted to her by Royal Warrant.
* Adopted18 July 1973
* CoronetCoronet of a grandchild of the sovereign.
* EscutcheonThe Duke of Gloucester's arms and in the centre an escutcheon of pretence Azure a lapwing proper, on a chief Or two pairs of ostrich feathers in saltire Sable
* SupportersThe Royal Supporters differenced with the like coronet and label.
* OrdersThe Garter circlet; motto: Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame be to him who thinks evil of it).
* Banner Banner of her arms as Royal Lady Companion of the Garter depicted at St George's Chapel
* Previous versions The Duchess of Gloucester's previous arms featuring the circlet of the Royal Victorian Order (1989−2024)

## Issue

| Name | Birth | Marriage | Marriage | Issue |
| Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster | 24 October 1974 | 22 June 2002 | Claire Booth | Xan Windsor, Lord Culloden Lady Cosima Windsor |
| Lady Davina Windsor | 19 November 1977 | 31 July 2004 Divorced 2018 | Gary Lewis | Senna Lewis Tāne Lewis |
| Lady Rose Gilman | 1 March 1980 | 19 July 2008 | George Gilman | Lyla Gilman Rufus Gilman |