H.R.H. PRINCESS ALEXANDRA

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27226, 18 December 1953, Page 2

H.R.H. PRINCESS ALEXANDRA

17th Birthday Next Week FEW APPEARANCES AT PUBLIC FUNCTIONS On Christmas Day Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra will celebrate her seventeenth birthday. She was born in 1936, the second child of the Duke and Duchess of Kent. Her last name commemorates her birthday; she was christened Alexandra Helen Elizabeth Olga Christabel. The christening took place at Buckingham Palace. Like all members of, the Royal Family, the little Princess wore the family robe of Brussels lace and cream satin, and was baptised with Jordan water from the gold and silver Lily Font made for the christening of Princess Victoria, Queen Victoria’s eldest child. Princess Alexandra was five years old when her father was killed in a flying accident during the war. She was brought up by her mother at “Coppins,” her home in the Buckinghamshire village of Iver, and was sent later to boarding school at Heathfield a girls’ school at Ascot. She did well at English, history, and French, and developed a love of music and art — she is a devotee of ballet today. She left school last Christmas, but has continued to have lessons privately at home, her tutor being Lady Margaret D’Arcy, daughter of the Earl of Kinnoull. She is at present in Paris, where she is the guest of the Count of Paris. She is studying French and music.

The Duchess of Kent, has seen to it that her children’s upbringing has been as simple as possible, and the young Princess’s public appearances have- been few. An important one was in November. 1947. when, not yet 11 years old. she was one of her cousin Princess Elizabeth’s eight bridesmaids.

During the Princess’s last year at school she began to accompany her mother on various public occasions. The first was in April. 1952. when she appeared with the Duchess on the platform of the Central Hall. Westminster. at the annual general meeting of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution: the Duchess, who is the Institution’s President, was presenting the bravery awards. In June, 1952, on Alexandra Rose Day, she accompanied her mother on a tour of the London depots organising the sale of roses. Last summer she officiated by herself when she presented prizes at the secondary school at Iver. and made a short speech wishing the schoolgirls good luck and happy holidays. Travels Abroad Princess Alexandra has travelled abroad on several occasions and has spent holidays with friends in Belgium and France. During the last year she has accompanied the Duchess of Kent to Greece, on visits to her grandmother. Princess Nicholas of Greece, and to Munich to stay with her aunt, Countess Elizabeth of Toerri ng-Jettenbach. She is fond of outdoor recreations (although she never cared for games at school), likes swimming and gardening and, above all, riding. She shares the love of her cousin the Queen for horses. The favourite book of each when a small child was the class’c “Black Beauty.”

Princess Alexandra has won cups at various gymkhanas, and when eight years old rode a grey pony. Kittv. a 1 the Royal Horse Show in the Home u’ark at Windsor. In the same year she won a prize in the small ponies’ class at the Corns of Military Police Show at Aidershot. Since then sh? has ridden in horse shows at Tver and Windsor and. on her pony Trustful, has competed in the children’s class at the International Horse Show.

The Princess is tall and slim, and strikingly like her beautiful mother. She was as tall as the Duchess when shp was 14. and is now an inch or two taller. She takes a great interest in rlothes and tries to mode] herself on the Duchess.

Princess Alexandra became, in August. 1952. patron of the British Junior Red Cross. She is also patron of the Canadian Junior Red Cross.