Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, (born Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen; 20 June 1946) is a Danish born member of the British royal family.
She is married to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson of George V.
They have three children.
Birgitte was born Birgitte Eva van Deurs Henriksen, in Odense, Denmark, the younger daughter of Asger Preben Wissing Henriksen, a lawyer, and his wife, Vivian van Deurs.
She was educated in Odense and at finishing schools in Lausanne and Cambridge.
1960
Van Deurs Henriksen first met Prince Richard of Gloucester, the younger son of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, in the late 1960s in Cambridge, where he attended university.
1966
She took her mother's ancestral name van Deurs on 15 January 1966, after her parents' separation.
1971
After completing a three-year course in Commercial and Economic Studies in Copenhagen, she moved back to the United Kingdom in 1971 to work as a secretary at the Royal Danish Embassy in London.
1972
In February 1972, their engagement was announced.
They married on 8 July 1972 at St Andrew's Church, Barnwell, Northamptonshire.
The bride's wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell.
It was constructed of Swiss organdie, with a high collar, a simple skirt, long sleeves and a small train.
Instead of wearing a tiara, she wore stephanotis flowers on her hair which secured the veil.
Upon marriage, she assumed the style Princess Richard of Gloucester.
Six weeks after their wedding, Prince Richard's elder brother, Prince William of Gloucester, was killed in a flying accident.
1973
The Duchess of Gloucester has accompanied the Duke of Gloucester on his official visits overseas: her first visit was in 1973, when they represented the Queen at the 70th birthday celebrations of King Olav V of Norway.
Other joint visits have included Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Luxembourg, Nepal, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, Tunisia and the United States.
1974
Prince Richard unexpectedly became heir apparent to the dukedom and upon his father's death in 1974, the couple became the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
The couple have three children: Alexander (born 1974), Davina (born 1977), and Rose (born 1980).
They were born at St Mary's Hospital, London.
The Duke and Duchess officially reside at Kensington Palace.
2006
She and her husband represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the state funeral of King Tāufaāhau Tupou IV of Tonga on 19 September 2006.
She is also the patron of Prostate Cancer UK, and in March 2006, she opened the Prostate Centre.
2008
Birgitte has also travelled overseas in support of her own patronages and military units, including a visit to Iraq in December 2008.
They also represented the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the coronation of King George Tupou V of Tonga on 1 August 2008 in Nukuʻalofa.
Birgitte is sponsor of two Royal Navy ships: HMS Gloucester (D96) and HMS Sandown (M101).
She is also the royal patron of the Bermuda Regiment.
She is patron of SeeAbility, a charity for people with learning disabilities and sight loss; The Lullaby Trust, a baby charity aiming to prevent unexpected deaths in infancy and promote infant health; and Music in Hospitals & Care.
She regularly attends functions at schools of which she is president or patron: St Paul's Cathedral School; the Friends of St Paul's Cathedral; the Cathedral Music Trust; St John's School, Leatherhead; Bridewell Royal Hospital (King Edward's School, Witley); the Royal Alexandra and Albert School; the Children's Society; Parkinson's UK; Hope for Youth Northern Ireland; Scottish Opera; Lawn Tennis Association; the Royal School of Needlework; Turn2us; Missing People; and Princess Helena College.
After the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, Birgitte became president of the Royal Academy of Music.
