On 24 April 1963, she married The Hon. Angus James Bruce Ogilvy (1928–2004), second son of David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie, and Lady Alexandra Coke, at Westminster Abbey.[6][9] Ogilvy presented Alexandra with an engagement ring made of a cabochonsapphire set in gold and surrounded by diamonds on both sides.[10] The wedding ceremony was attended by the royal family[11] and was broadcast worldwide on television, watched by an estimated 200 million people.[9]
The bride wore a wedding gown of Valenciennes lace, with matching veil and train, designed by John Cavanagh.[12][13] She made her way with her brother, the Duke of Kent, from Kensington Palace to the church.[11] The bridesmaids included Princess Anne and Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, and the best man was Peregrine Fairfax.[11] The Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, conducted the service.[11] Angus Ogilvy declined the Queen's offer to be created an earl upon marriage,[9] so their children carry no titles.
Angus Ogilvy was knighted in 1988 (when Princess Alexandra assumed the style of The Hon. Lady Ogilvy), later being sworn of the Privy Council in 1997. Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy had two children, James and Marina, and four grandchildren:
Flora Alexandra Vesterberg (born 15 December 1994 in Edinburgh, Scotland). She married Timothy Vesterberg at Chapel Royal, St James's Palace, on 26 September 2020.[15]
Alexander Charles Ogilvy (born 12 November 1996 in Edinburgh, Scotland).
Marina Victoria Alexandra Ogilvy (born 31 July 1966 in Thatched House Lodge, Richmond Park, Surrey). She married Paul Julian Mowatt (Hendon, 28 November 1962) on 2 February 1990; they divorced on 15 October 1997. They have two children:
Zenouska May Mowatt (born 26 May 1990 in Roehampton, England). Currently[when?] works as Head of Marketing for Halcyon Days Ltd.
Christian Alexander Mowatt (born 4 June 1993 in London, England)
Marina's first pregnancy, which was announced in late 1989, caused a controversy as the couple were not married. This resulted in a feud with her parents who suggested she either marry her companion or have an abortion.[16][17] In an interview with a tabloid at the time, Marina had claimed that her parents had cut off her trust fund and monthly allowance due to their disapproval of her conduct.[16]
Activities
Beginning in the late 1950s, Princess Alexandra carried out an extensive programme of engagements in support of the Queen, both in the United Kingdom and overseas. Taking part in roughly 120 engagements each year, Princess Alexandra was one of the most active members of the royal family.[2] She made 110 engagements in 2012. However, in late June 2013, she cancelled her engagements due to arthritis.[18] As of 2022, she is still listed as a working member of the royal family, attending numerous ceremonial and charitable engagements.[19]
In 1959, she carried out an extensive tour of Australia, and attended the Queensland Centenary Celebrations.[9] The Alexandra Waltz was composed for this visit by radio announcer Russ Tyson, and television musical director, Clyde Collins. It was sung for the princess by teen-aged Gay Kahler, who later changed her name to Gay Kayler.[20] In 1961, Princess Alexandra visited Hong Kong and made a visit to Aberdeen Fish Market, Lok Ma Chau police station and So Uk Estate, a public housing complex.[21][22] Princess Alexandra returned to Australia in 1967 for a private holiday, but also carried out engagements in Canberra and Melbourne.[23] The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane is named in her honour.[24]
Princess Alexandra represented the Queen when Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom[9] on 1 October 1960, and opened the first Parliament on 3 October. Later overseas tours included visits to Canada, Italy, Oman, Hungary, Norway, Japan, Thailand, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.[9] Princess Alexandra launched the New Zealand Leander-class frigate HMNZS Waikato at Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1965.[25] Princess Alexandra opened the Victoria-to-Brixton section of London Underground's Victoria line on 23 July 1971.[26]
Princess Alexandra opened the new hospital in Harlow, Essex, named in her honour on 27 April 1965. The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust was announced by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in September 2019 to be part of the government's new health infrastructure programme to build a new hospital.
Until it was abolished in 2013, Princess Alexandra received £225,000 per year from the Civil List to cover the cost of official expenses,[35] although as with the other members of the royal family (except the Duke of Edinburgh) the Queen repaid this amount to HM Treasury. Alexandra lives at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond, London, a Crown property purchased on a 150-year lease from the Crown Estate Commissioners by Angus Ogilvy after their wedding in 1963. She also has use of a grace-and-favour apartment at St James's Palace in London.[36]
The Princess Alexandra Hospital (formerly South Brisbane Hospital) was named by and in honour of the visit by the Princess to Queensland in 1959.
The Princess Alexandra Gardens at Leeds Castle[73] are named after her in honour of her involvement as Patron of the Leeds Castle Foundation
The Hong Kong Red Cross Princess Alexandra school, 8-9 Rehab Path, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, a government subsidized special education boarding school, set up in 1962.
Coat of 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. The following explains the way in which her arms are differenced from those of the monarch.
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 standard differentiation for a male-line grandchild of a British Monarch. The first and fifth points bear a heart gules, the second and fourth points bear an anchor azure, and the third point bears a cross gules.
Supporters
The Royal Supporters differenced with the like 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)
Since Princess Alexandra's mother was a first cousin of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, she is a second cousin to King Charles III and his siblings, in addition to being their first cousin once removed because her father was Queen Elizabeth II's uncle.
Ancestors of Princess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy
^The original announcement made regarding her appointment in 2003 describes her as a "Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter",[66] but her official biography states that she was "made a Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) in 2003".[67][68]
^"Royal baby for leap year day". BBC News. 29 February 1964. Retrieved 8 March 2008. The Ogilvy baby was one of several royal babies due within months of each other. The 9lb 6oz boy will be unique among them in having no title. Master Ogilvy is currently 13th in line to the throne but will soon be displaced to 16th
^"HRH Princess Alexandra (b.1936), GCVO, in Evening Dress". Art UK. 1960. Retrieved 24 March 2018. The painting is on display in the Alexandra Room in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow (Princess Alexandra became an Honorary Fellow in 1960).
^"Who we are". CFAB. Retrieved 25 March 2018. HRH Princess Alexandra has been CFAB's Royal Patron since 2000. She was preceded by her sister-in-law HRH The Duchess of Kent, ...
^"Knights of the Orders of Chivalry". Debrett's. Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2012. Although HRH The Princess Royal and HRH Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy, are both female they are actually included with the Royal Knights Companions and they bear the post-nominal letters KG (not LG)
Collis, Rose (2010). The New Encyclopaedia of Brighton. (based on the original by Tim Carder) (1st ed.). Brighton: Brighton & Hove Libraries. ISBN978-0-9564664-0-2.
Panton, Kenneth J. (2011). Historical Dictionary of the British Monarchy. Scarecrow Press, Inc. ISBN978-0-8108-5779-7.
The generations indicate descent from George I, who formalised the use of the titles prince and princess for members of the British royal family. Where a princess may have been or is descended from George I more than once, her most senior descent, by which she bore or bears her title, is used.