Princess Patricia of Connaught
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Template:House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Her Royal Highness Princess Patricia of Connaught (17 March 1886-12 January 1974) was a member of the British Royal Family, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was the first of the Royal Family out of two to formally relinquish her title of a British princess and the style of Her Royal Highness. The second is Katharine Worsley, wife of HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.
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Early Life
Patricia was born on March 17, 1886 at Buckingham Palace, London. Her father was His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Her mother was Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Connaught (nee Princess Louise Marguerite of Prussia). She had two elder siblings, TRH Prince Arthur of Connaught and Princess Margaret of Connaught, later Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden. She was christened Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth. She was named Victoria after Queen Victoria; Patricia, after St. Patrick, the saint of her birthday, and Helena, in honor of her father's sister. Informally, she was known as Patsy.
Canada
Princess Patricia travelled extensively in her early years. Her father was posted to India with the army, and the young Princess spent two years living there. In 1911, her father, Duke of Connaught was appointed Governor General of Canada. Princess Patricia accompanied her parents in their role, and she became very popular in the country.
She was named Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on 22 February 1918 and held that appointment until her death. The regiment was named after her. Princess Patricia personally designed its badge and colours for the regiment to take overseas to France. As the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, she played an active role in the regiment until her death. She was succeeded in 1974 by her cousin and goddaughter the Rt. Hon. Lady Patricia Brabourne, who became the Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Marriage
The question of Patricia's marriage became a very hot topic of conversation in Edwardian times. She was matched with various foreign princes, including the future Kings of Portugal and Spain; and Grand Duke Michael of Russia, a brother of Tsar Nicholas II.
However, in the end, her choice of husband was not of the royal blood, but a commoner. She married a naval officer, Commander (later Admiral) Sir Alexander Ramsay (29 May 1881-8 October 1972), one of her father's aides de camp, and third son of the Earl of Dalhousie. She was married at Westminster Abbey on 27 February 1919. On the her wedding day, Princess Patricia of Connaught voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of "Lady Patricia Ramsay" with precedence immediately before the Marchionesses of England. She was not obligated to renounce her royal title. Rather, she sensitively wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband.
Later Life
Despite her loss of royal title, she remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II in 1937 and 1953, respectively.
Lady Patricia was an accomplished artist, specialized in watercolors. The subjects of her works were based on her travel to tropical countries. Her style was influenced by Gauguin and Van Gogh because she studied under A.S. Hartrick who had known the artists. She died at Ribsden Holt, Windlesham, Surrey before her 88th birthday and a year and a half after her husband. Lady Patricia Ramsay and Admiral Alexander Ramsay are buried at Frogmore Royal Burial Ground.
Children
Her only child, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar (21 December1919-20 December2000), served in World War II, where he lost a leg in action in North Africa. He lived at Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire with his wife Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun (18 October 1930-), the only daughter of Alexander Fraser, 20th Lord Saltoun.
Titles and Honours
Titles from birth to death
- Her Royal Highness Princess Patricia of Connaught
- Lady Patricia Ramsay
Honours
Patirica held the honours of a Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India (CI), a member of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (ODM) and a Dame of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
Sources
- Marlene A. Eilers, Queen Victoria's Descendants, (New York: Atlantic International Publishing, 1987).
- Allison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London: Palmico, 1996).
- "Obituary: Lady Patricia Ramsay, Granddaughter of Queen Victoria," The Times, 14 January 1974, p. 14.