Princess Royal Dies
(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)
LEEDS, March 28.
The Princess Royal, 67-year-old aunt of the Queen, died today after collapsing in the grounds of her home at Harewood House, near Leeds.
She was walking with her son, the Earl of Harewood, and her three grandchildren when she complained suddenly of dizziness, and lost consciousness. She was returned to the house by car, but was found to be dead on the arrival of a doctor. An announcement made tonight by her son said she had “died peacefully from a coronary thrombosis.” The news of the death was immediately given to the Queen at Windsor Castle, and to her brothers, the Duke of Windsor and the Duke of Gloucester. The Princess Royal visited
the Duke of Windsor only 10 days ago at the London Clinic, where he has had three eye operations.
The Princess Royal, only daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, was born on April 25, 1897. That was the year of Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee and the Queen asked that the child be named “Diamond.” Instead, her parents named her Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary. She was only 17 when the First World War broke out, but from that moment she began work helping to provide comforts for the troops. Through her efforts, men on active service at Christinas, 1914, each received a specially designed Christmas box of cigarettes and tobacco. On the lid was a portrait of the Princess.
Scarcely a day went by throughout the war years without her visiting the wounded in hospitals, soldiers’ clubs and charitable societies. Visit to Balmoral
She met her husband, then Viscount Lascelles and later the 6th Earl of Harewood, during a visit he paid to Balmoral Castle in 1921. They were married at Westminster Abbey on February 28, 1922. They made their first country home at Goldsborough Hall, Knaresborough, Yorkshire. Her husband underwent a serious internal operation in 1945 and died on May 24,1947, about three months after the couple had celebrated their silver wedding anniversary. Tqward the end of 1955, the Princess undertook a month’s tour of Canada, visiting all the principal centres. In 1956, she attended two thanksgiving services in Guernsey to commemorate the liberation of the island from the German occupation 11 years previously. She continued her active interest in Army welfare and in November that year was given the honorary rank of General, the only woman holder of the rank in the Army. Honorary Colonel
The Princess Royal was also honorary Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Corps of Signals and the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals. She was chancellor Leeds University.
The title of Princess Royal, which was conferred on her on January 1, 1932, has been borne by the eldest daughter
of British Kings for 200 years. Princess Anne will probably inherit the title. There will be a week’s court mourning for the Princess, ending at midnight next Saturday, the Lord Chamberlain announced tonight. It is believed the funeral will take place privately at Harewood.
Princess Royal Dies
Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30712, 30 March 1965, Page 2
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.
Log in