Princess Alice of Albany
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Missing image Aliceofalbany.PNG Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone |
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Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone (25 February 1883 - 3 January 1981), was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She has the distinction of being the longest living grandchild of Queen Victoria, and the third longest living member of the Royal Family. At birth Alice held the style and title of Her Royal Highness Princess Alice of Albany and later, by marriage, Countess of Athlone. She also held the titles of Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha from birth until 1917.
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Early life
Princess Alice was born on February 25, 1883 at Windsor Castle. Her father was His Royal Highness The Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, the youngest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Her mother was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Albany (nee Princess Helena of Waldeck).
Marriage
In 1904, Princess Alice of Albany married His Serene Highness Prince Alexander of Teck, the brother of Queen Mary. Upon marriage Princess Alice was styled HRH Princess Alexander of Teck.
Prince and Princess Alexander of Teck had three children:
- Lady May Cambridge, born Her Serene Highness Princess May of Teck;
- Rupert Alexander George Cambridge, Viscount Trematon, born His Serene Highness Prince Rupert of Teck; and
- His Serene Highness Prince Maurice of Teck.
Lady May Cambridge died in 1994; Viscount Trematon in a car crash in 1928; and Prince Maurice in 1910.
1917
When the British royal family dropped all Germanic titles in June 1917, Prince Alexander of Teck became the Earl of Athlone, relinquishing the title "Prince of Teck" in the Kingdom of Württemberg and the style Serene Highness, and adopting the surname Cambridge. As such, the two surviving children lost their Württemberg princely titles. Princess Alice, however, was a princess of Great Britain and Ireland and a Royal Highness in her own right, as a male-line granddaughter of Queen Victoria. From June 1917 until her death, she was styled Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.
Later life
The Earl died in 1957 at Kensington Palace in London. Princess Alice lived on there until 1981 when she herself passed away. She died at age 97 years and 312 days, making her the longest-lived member of the British Royal Family until Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother broke the record in 1997. Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone remains the longest-lived British princess of the blood royal and the oldest surviving granddaughter of Queen Victoria.
In her lifetime, Princess Alice carried out many royal duties. She attended the coronations of four monarchs: Edward VII, George V, George VI, and Elizabeth II. She was also the Colonel in Chief of two British army units and one Rhodesian army unit.
Her funeral took place in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle attended by all members of the Royal Family. She is buried alongside her husband in Frogmore at Windsor.
Titles from birth to death
- Her Royal Highness Princess Alice of Albany
- Her Royal Highness Princess Alexander of Teck
- Her Royal Highness Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone