Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Princess Alexandra
The Hon. Lady Ogilvy (more)
Alexandra in 2010
Born	Princess Alexandra of Kent (1936-12-25) 25 December 1936 (age 88) Belgravia, London, England
Spouse	Sir Angus Ogilvy ​ ​ (m. 1963; died 2004)​
Issue	James Ogilvy Marina Ogilvy
Full name Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel
House	Windsor
Father	Prince George, Duke of Kent
Mother	Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark
Signature
Education	Heathfield School, Ascot

Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (born 25 December 1936) is a member of the British royal family. She is the only daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. This means she is a granddaughter of George V and a first cousin of Elizabeth II. Her mother was also a cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who was Elizabeth II's husband. This makes Princess Alexandra a second cousin and a first cousin once removed to Charles III.

Princess Alexandra married Sir Angus Ogilvy in 1963. He passed away in 2004. When she was born, she was sixth in line to the British throne. As of 2025, she is 57th in line.

Early Life of Princess Alexandra

Alexandra aged 11 by Hay Wrightson

Princess Alexandra was born on Christmas Day, 25 December 1936, in London. Her parents were Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. Her father was the fourth son of King George V and Queen Mary. Her mother was a daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark.

Alexandra was named after her great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra. She was also named after her grandmother, Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia, and her aunts. She received the name Christabel because she was born on Christmas Day.

As a granddaughter of the British monarch, she was called Her Royal Highness. When she was born, she was sixth in line to the throne. This was just two weeks after her uncle, King Edward VIII, gave up his throne.

Princess Alexandra was baptised on 9 February 1937. Her godparents included King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

She spent most of her childhood at her family's home, Coppins, in Buckinghamshire. During World War II, she lived with her grandmother, Queen Mary. Her father died in an aeroplane crash in 1942 while serving in the Royal Air Force. Princess Alexandra was the first British princess to attend a boarding school, Heathfield School. She also studied in Paris and trained at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Marriage and Family Life

Princess Alexandra of Kent visiting the Netherlands in 1961

On 24 April 1963, Princess Alexandra married The Hon. Angus James Bruce Ogilvy. The wedding took place at Westminster Abbey. It was a big event, watched by an estimated 200 million people around the world on television.

Angus Ogilvy gave Alexandra an engagement ring with a cabochon sapphire and diamonds. The bride wore a beautiful wedding gown made of Valenciennes lace. Her brother, the Duke of Kent, walked her down the aisle.

Angus Ogilvy chose not to accept a title from the Queen when they married. Because of this, their children do not have royal titles.

Angus Ogilvy was knighted in 1988, becoming Sir Angus Ogilvy. Princess Alexandra then became known as The Hon. Lady Ogilvy.

Princess Alexandra and Sir Angus Ogilvy had two children and four grandchildren:

• James Robert Bruce Ogilvy (born 29 February 1964). He married Julia Caroline Rawlinson in 1988. They have two children:
  • Flora Alexandra Vesterberg (born 15 December 1994). She married Timothy Vesterberg in 2020.
  • Alexander Charles Ogilvy (born 12 November 1996).
• Marina Victoria Alexandra Ogilvy (born 31 July 1966). She married Paul Julian Mowatt in 1990. They later divorced in 1997. They have two children:
  • Zenouska May Mowatt (born 26 May 1990).
  • Christian Alexander Mowatt (born 4 June 1993).

Royal Duties and Activities

Princess Alexandra on her tour of Australia in 1959

Princess Alexandra in Ossett in 1977

Since the late 1950s, Princess Alexandra has carried out many official duties for the Queen. She often attends about 120 events each year. In 2012, she did 110 engagements. Even in 2022, she is still a working member of the royal family, attending many ceremonial and charity events.

In 1959, she toured Australia and attended the Queensland Centenary Celebrations. A song called "The Alexandra Waltz" was even composed for her visit. In 1961, Princess Alexandra visited Hong Kong. She returned to Australia in 1967. The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane is named after her.

Princess Alexandra represented the Queen when Nigeria became independent in 1960. She also opened Nigeria's first Parliament. Her other overseas tours included visits to Canada, Italy, Oman, Hungary, and Japan.

She opened the new Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, in 1965. This hospital was named in her honour.

Princess Alexandra was the first chancellor of Lancaster University from 1964 to 2004. She was also the first chancellor of the University of Mauritius. She is an honorary member of several medical colleges. She is also the president of Alexandra Rose Day, a charity named after her great-grandmother, Queen Alexandra. She was also president of WWF-UK until 2011.

Princess Alexandra lives at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond, London. This is a Crown property that her husband bought a long-term lease for after their wedding. She also has an apartment at St James's Palace in London.

The Princess is a patron of many charities. These include the Blackie Foundation Trust, which supports research in homoeopathy, and the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals. She is also a patron of the English National Opera, the London Philharmonic Choir, and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. She supports the Florence Nightingale Foundation and St Christopher's Hospice. Since 1954, she has been the patron of the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital in Brighton. She has also been a patron of the Alzheimer's Society since 1990.

In May 2023, Princess Alexandra attended the coronation of King Charles III. She was seen with other members of the royal family on the Buckingham Palace balcony. In February 2024, she used a wheelchair at a service for Constantine II of Greece.

Titles, Styles, Honours and Arms

Titles and Styles

• 25 December 1936 – 24 April 1963: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra of Kent
• 24 April 1963 – 31 December 1988: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Mrs Ogilvy
• 31 December 1988 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Honours

• 12 May 1937: King George VI Coronation Medal
• 1951: Royal Family Order of King George VI
• 1952: Royal Family Order of Queen Elizabeth II
• 2 June 1953: Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
• 25 December 1960: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)
• 16 June 2003: Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (KG)
• Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) with 4 Clasps
• 1967: Order of the Dogwood

Foreign Honours

• 1962: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown (Japan)
• 18 November 1982: Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown (Netherlands)
• : Grand Cross of the Order of Chula Chom Klao (Thailand)

Places Named After Her

• The Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm School.
• The Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire.
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex.
• The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Australia.
• The Princess Alexandra Gardens at Leeds Castle.

Honorary Military Roles

Princess Alexandra holds several honorary military appointments in the UK and Canada. These roles are mostly ceremonial.

Canada

• 1960–2010: Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
• 1977: Colonel-in-Chief, The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)

United Kingdom

• 1955: Patron, Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
• 1975: Royal Honorary Colonel, of The Royal Yeomanry
• 1966: Patron and Air Chief Commandant, of Princess Mary's Royal Air Force Nursing Service

Hong Kong

• 1969–1997: Commandant General, Royal Hong Kong Police Force

Arms

Arms of Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy

Notes As a descendant of George V, Princess Alexandra's arms are based on the Royal Arms. Adopted 1961 Coronet Coronet of a Grandchild of the Sovereign Crest On the coronet of children of other sons of the Sovereign, composed of four crosses-pattées alternated with four strawberry leaves a lion statant guardant or, crowned with the like coronet and differenced with a label as in the Arms. Escutcheon The Royal Arms differenced with a five-point label. The first and fifth points have a red heart, the second and fourth points have a blue anchor, and the third point has a red cross. Supporters The Royal Supporters with the same coronet and label. Orders The Order of the Garter circlet. HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE (Shame be to him who thinks evil of it) Banner The Royal Standard of the United Kingdom with a label for difference as in her arms. (in Scotland) Symbolism The arms are similar to the Royal Arms of the United Kingdom. The first and fourth parts show the arms of England, the second part shows Scotland, and the third part shows Ireland.

Issue

See also

In Spanish: Alejandra de Kent para niños