Mary, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom,
Countess of Harewood
Her Highness The Princess Victoria Alexandra Alice Mary of York was born on April 25th 1897. Her Highness was known as Mary, rather than her first name, Victoria. Princess Mary was born as the only daughter of Their Royal Highnesses Prince George, Duke of York and Princess Victoria Mary of Teck, Duchess of York. Her paternal grandparents were Their Royal Highnesses Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra of Wales along with her paternal great grandmother, Her Majesty Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Mary was styled "Her Highness" from birth, as she was then a great-grandaughter of a sovereign, Queen Victoria. In 1898, Her Majesty passed letters patent giving the title of "Royal Highness" to the children of the Duke and Duchess of York. Princess Mary's title of "Her Highness" was disputed and was from then on known as Her Royal Highness Princess Mary of York. At the time of Mary's birth, she was fifth in line to the succession of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions. Also, Princess Mary already had two elder brothers, the Princes Edward and Albert of York pictured with her in the photo below.
Princess Mary was the third child of six children born to the Duke and Duchess of York, Prince Edward, Prince Albert, Princess Mary, Prince Henry, Prince George, and Prince John. In 1901, after Queen Victoria died, Mary's paternal grandparents became King Edward VII and Queen Consort Alexandra of the United Kingdom. Since Mary's father, George, was the heir to the throne at the time of her grandparent's accession, as her late uncle passed away before she was born, she became Princess Mary of York and Cornwall, and Princess Mary of Wales. In 1910, after Mary's grandfather died, her father became King George V and her mother became Queen Consort Mary of the United Kingdom. Mary's youngest brother, Prince John, died in 1919 after suffering from epilepsy his whole life. In the photo below, Mary is pictured with her family (from left to right): King George V, Queen Mary, Prince John, Prince George, Prince Edward, Prince Albert, Princess Mary (front left), Prince Henry (front middle).
During the first world war, Princess Mary and her mother, Queen Mary, visited hospitals and welfare organizations, and gave assistance.
On February 28th 1922, Princess Mary married Henry, Viscount Lascelles. From that day on Mary became Viscountess Lascelles.
Princess Mary and Henry, Viscount Lascelles, received their first child The Honourable George Lascelles on February 7th 1923. On August 21st 1924 The Honourable Gerald Lascelles was born to Princess Mary as her second and last child. In 1929, Henry became the Earl of Harewood, and thus, Mary became the Countess of Harewood. The couples eldest child, George, became Viscount Lascelles after his parents succeeded the Earldom of Harewood.
In 1932, King George V gave the title of Princess Royal to Mary, as she was his eldest and only daughter. The title of Princess Royal is given to the eldest or only daughter of a sovereign of the United Kingdom. At a time, there can only be one Princess Royal, thus, Mary could not have this title before 1931, as her paternal aunt, Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife had it until her death.
In 1936, after the Princess Royal's father, King George V, died, Mary's eldest brother became King Edward VIII. After 11 months of a short reign, King Edward abdicated to marry a divorcee, Wallis Simpson. Mary's second brother, Albert, then became King, and reigned under the name of King George VI. In the photo below, is a picture of Princess Mary to the left, King George VI's wife, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the Queen's grandchildren, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
Princess Mary's sons, George and Gerald both married. George married Marion Stein in 1949, and their marriage produced three sons: The Honourable David Lascelles (who later became Viscount Lascelles, and now is currently Earl of Harewood), The Honourable James Lascelles, and The Honourable Jeremy Lascelles. George and Marion divorced in 1967, and George remarried to Patricia Tuckwell and together, they had one son who was not born into wedlock, Mark Lascelles, as he was born before his parents marriage. George died in 2011, and his eldest son, David, succeeded the Earldom of Harewood. Here, in the photo below, is George and his second wife.
Gerald married Angela Estree Lyssod D'Arcy Dowding in 1952, together they had one son, Henry Lascelles. Gerald remarried in 1978, to Elizabeth Collingwood. They had one son before their marriage, Martin Lascelles. Gerald Lascelles died in 1998. In the photo below, is of Gerald Lascelles at a young age.
The Princess Royal died on March 28th 1965 after suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 67.
Princess Mary may not be remembered well today in our times, but truly lived an extravagant life of a princess, and remained supportive of the Royal Family.
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