Duke of Gloucester: who is Prince Richard, how is he related to the Queen, funeral procession role explained

Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96, on Thursday, 8 September at her Scottish home in Balmoral.

Subsequently, the UK entered a period of national mourning and a bank holiday was announced for her funeral on Monday, 19 September.

The death of Queen Elizabeth has sparked a change of titles for many members of the Royal family including Charles who has become the new King.

However, Prince Richard will keep the title Duke of Gloucester which he assumed from his father in 1974.

So who is the Duke of Gloucester, and what is his role at The Queen’s funeral?

Who is Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester?

Richard Alexander Walter George was born in Northampton on 26 August, 1944.

He is the second son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester - and the youngest grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary.

He married Birgitte van Deurs Henriksen, now Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, in July 1972.

He studied at Eton and Cambridge, before becoming an architect

However, upon the tragic death of his brother, William, a flying accident in August 1972 - he became heir to his fathers titles and began taking on Royal duties.

Prince Richard inherited his father’s dukedom of Gloucester in 1974 - after Prince Henry died of multiple strokes, at age 74.

He has since been a full-time working member of the Royal Family, and is associated with over 150 charities and organisations.

Some of which include the Construction Youth Trust, where he frequently visits their projects and gave his name to their long standing Duke of Gloucester Young Achievers Scheme Awards.

He also attends national and international events in support of his role as vice president of Uk based charity Lepra.

The Duke of Gloucester, accompanied by the Duchess, represented Queen Elizabeth II at the Solomon Islands independence celebrations on 7 July 1978.

On 10 April 2008, the Duke of Gloucester was officially installed as Chancellor of the University of Worcester at a ceremony in Worcester Cathedral.

He carried out his first duties of this role in November that year, at a Graduation Award Ceremony.

In July 2011, the Duke of Gloucester visited the Isle of Man to meet with the representatives of Manx National Heritage and the Council of Cancer Charities.

Later that year, he opened the new Law School Building at the University of Hertfordshire.

On 19 March 2013, the Duke of Gloucester represented Queen Elizabeth II at the Vatican in Rome for the inauguration of Pope Francis.

On 11 March 2015, the Duke of Gloucester visited the Royal School Dungannon in Northern Ireland to celebrate their 400th anniversary. He presented a commemorative plaque and raised an anniversary flag on the grounds.

That same month, he represented Queen Elizabeth II at the ceremonies marking the reburial and commemorations of Richard III in Leicester Cathedral.

In March 2018, the Duke travelled to Malawi to attend the Commonwealth Day celebrations, and visited projects related to health services, wildlife, and climate change.

What is the Duke of Gloucester’s relation to Queen Elizabeth II?

Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester is The Queen’s first cousin.

Queen Elizabeth’s father, former King George VI, had five siblings; Edward, Mary, Henry, George and John.

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester - who died in 1974 - is the father of Prince Richard.

Prince Richard then became the Duke of Gloucester on 10 June 1974, following the death of his father.

George, Duke of Kent’s three children; Edward, Alexandra and Michael also the Queen’s cousins

What role did the Duke of Gloucester play in The Queen’s funeral procession?

This week, Richard, Duke of Gloucester walked behind the Queen’s coffin in the state cortege from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall.

He joined the late Queen’s children, grandsons and nephew, and was the only one of her cousins to do so.

Who is his Prince Richard’s wife Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester?

Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen was born on 20 June 1946 in Odense, Denmark.

She went to school in her home town of Odense, before attending finishing schools in both Lausanne, French and Cambridge, England.

She later completed a three-year Commercial and Economic Studies degree in Copenhagen.

She moved to the UK in 1971, to work as a secretary for the Royal Danish Embassy in London.

She had previously met Prince Richard in the late 1960’s whilst in Cambridge, however they didn’t announce their engagement until 1972.

The pair got married on 8 July that same year at St Andrew’s Church in Barnwell, Northamptonshire.

Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard’s elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester, was killed in a flying accident so Richard unexpectedly became heir to his fathers titles.

Birgitte became Duchess of Gloucester in 1974, following the death of Richards’ father, Henry.

They now have three children; Lady Rose Gilman, 42, Lady Davina Windsor, 44, and Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, 47.