EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION

The Duke of Gloucester was born on 26 August 1944 at Northampton, and christened Richard Alexander Walter George.

His father was the late Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, younger brother of King George VI and King Edward VIII. His mother was the late Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the third daughter of the 7th Duke of Buccleuch.

He had one older brother, Prince William. When Prince Richard was four months old, the family moved to Australia, where for two years (1945-47) his father was Governor-General.

Prince Richard's early education was at home. He later went to school at Wellesley House, Broadstairs, and Eton.

In 1963, Prince Richard went up to Magdalene College, Cambridge, where he read architecture.

He graduated in 1966, having completed three years of his five-year architectural course. He joined the then Offices Development Group of the Ministry of Public Building and Works for his year's practical work, returning to Cambridge in 1967.

In June 1969, he passed both parts of his Diploma in Architecture at the university. After completing his training, he went into practice as a partner in a firm of London architects.

Prince Richard had planned a full-time career in architecture but his elder brother, Prince William, died tragically in a flying accident on 28 August 1972.

After his father's death a short time later, in June 1974, he inherited the title Duke of Gloucester. He resigned his architectural partnership, and took on full-time Royal duties and responsibility for the family estate at Barnwell.