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Birgitte
Duchess of Gloucester
Spouse	The Duke of Gloucester
Issue
Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster Lady Davina Lewis Lady Rose Windsor
Full name
Birgitte Eva Windsor
Detail Titles
HRH The Duchess of Gloucester HRH Princess Richard of Gloucester Frøken Birgitte van Deurs Frøken Birgitte Henriksen
Royal house	House of Windsor
Father	Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen
Mother	Vivian van Deurs
Born	20 June 1946

The Duchess of Gloucester (Birgitte Eva Windsor; formerly van Deurs; born Henriksen, 20 June 1946), is a member of the British Royal Family, the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandchild of George V.

The Duchess of Gloucester, with her husband, undertakes royal duties on behalf of the Duke's cousin, Elizabeth II.

Contents 1 Early life 2 Marriage 3 Official role 4 Titles, styles, honours and arms 4.1 Titles 4.2 Honours 4.2.1 Honorary military appointments 5 External link 6 References

Birgitte was born Birgitte Eva Henriksen, she took her mother's maiden name, van Deurs, when her parents separated, in Odense, Denmark. She is the younger daughter of the late Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his former wife, the late Mrs. Vivian van Deurs.

Birgitte moved to Cambridge, England and also worked at the Danish Embassy in London.

In February 1972, Birgitte became engaged to Prince Richard of Gloucester, the second eldest son of The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and The Duchess of Gloucester. The marriage took place on 8 July 1972 at St. Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire. At that date she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester.

Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard's elder brother, Prince William, was killed in a flying accident. Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir to the Dukedom and upon his father's death in 1974, the couple became Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Together the couple have three children:

• Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, born 24 October 1974
• The Lady Davina Lewis, born 19 November 1977
• The Lady Rose Windsor, born 1 March 1980

None of their children carry out any Royal Duties.

The Duchess of Gloucester is patron of a large number of organisations, many of which have medical, educational or welfare connections. She has also accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first such visit was in 1973, when The Duke and Duchess represented The Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway.

The Duchess is also sponsor of two Royal Navy Ships: HMS Gloucester and HMS Sandown.

Styles of The Duchess of Gloucester Reference style Her Royal Highness Spoken style Your Royal Highness Alternative style Ma'am

• 20 June 1946-15 January 1966^[1]: Frøken Birgitte Henriksen
• 15 January 1966-8 June 1972: Frøken Birgitte van Deurs
• 8 June 1972-10 June 1974: Her Royal Highness Princess Richard of Gloucester
• 10 June 1974-: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester

• GCVO: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, 23 June 1989
• DStJ: Dame of the Order of St. John
  • GCStJ: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. John
• Queen Elizabeth II Royal Family Order

British

• Colonel-in-Chief, of the Royal Army Dental Corps
• Deputy Colonel-in-Chief, of the Adjutant General's Corps
• Royal Colonel, of the 7th (V) Battalion The Rifles

Commonwealth

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

Foreign

• Colonel-in-Chief, of the Bermuda Regiment

• Royal.gov.uk - The Duchess of Gloucester

1. ^ Name change is mentioned in parish register of Th. Kingo, Odense (Regional Archive, Odense)

Order of precedence in the United Kingdom
Preceded by Lady Louise Windsor	United Kingdom order of precedence Ladies	Succeeded by The Duchess of Kent