Prince Arthur of Connaught
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Template:House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha His Royal Highness Prince Arthur of Connaught (Arthur Frederick Patrick Albert) (13 January 1883 - 12 September 1938) was a member of the British Royal Family, a grandson of Queen Victoria. Prince Arthur held the title of a British prince with the style His Royal Highness. He also served as Governor-General of the Union of South Africa from 20 November 1920 to 3 December 1923.
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Early Life
Prince Arthur was born on January 13, 1883 at Windsor Castle. His father was His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His mother was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Connaught (nee Princess Louise Marguerite of Prussia.)
Prince Arthur was the first royal Prince to be educated at Eton College.
Army
After attending finishing school, Prince Arthur went to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. He received his commission as a second lieutenant in the 7th (the Queen's Own) Hussars. During the Boer War, he saw active duty with the 7th Hussars and spent several months stationed at Krugersdorp. In 1907, he was promoted to the rank of captain in the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys). He became the honorary Colonel-in-Chief of this regiment in 1920.
During World War I, Prince Arthur served as aide-de-camp to Generals Sir John French and Sir Douglas Haig, the successive commanders of the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1919 and became a colonel in the reserves in 1922. In October 1922, Prince Arthur was promoted to the honorary rank of major general and became an aide-de-camp to his first cousin, King George V.
Since George V's children were too young to undertake public duties until after World War I, Prince Arthur attended a variety of ceremonial duties at home and abroad.
Marriage
On 12 October 1913, Prince Arthur married Her Highness Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife (7 May 1891 - 26 February 1959), the elder daugther of Arthur's cousin, Her Royal Highness Prince Louise, the Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of Edward VII and Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife. The wedding took place at the Chapel Royal of St. James's Palace in London. Princess Alexandra held the title of Duchess of Fife in her own right.
After their marriage, Arthur and Alexandra were styled, Their Royal Highnesses, Prince and Princess Arthur of Connaught. Together they had one child His Highness Prince Alastair of Connaught, later styled Earl McDuff and Duke of Connaught, (9 August 1914 - 26 April 1942).
Later Life
In 1920, Prince Arthur succeeded Viscount Buxton as governor-general and commander-in-chief in South Africa. The Earl of Athlone succeeded him in these posts in 1923. Upon returning to Britain, Prince Arthur became involved in a number of charitable organizations, including serving as chairman of the board of directors of Middlesex Hospital. Like his father, the Duke of Connaught, he was active in the Freemasons, becoming Provincial Grand Master for Berkshire in 1924.
Prince Arthur of Connaught died of stomach cancer at age 55. One of his last public appearances was at the coronation of King George VI in May 1937. His father, the Duke of Connaught, survived him by four years. Prince Arthur's only son, who used the courtesy title Earl of MacDuff after 1917, succeeded his paternal grandfather as 2nd Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and Earl of Sussex in 1942.
Titles and Honours
Title
His Royal Highness Prince Arthur of Connaught
Honours
| Preceded by: The Viscount Buxton | Governor-General of South Africa 1920–1923 | Succeeded by: The Earl of Athlone |