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| Edward and Katharine with their son George, July 1962. |
On 26 June 1962, George Philip Nicholas Windsor, Earl of St Andrews, was born at the family home of Coppins in Iver, Buckinghamshire. George was the first child of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, who had married in 1961. At the time of his birth, the Earl of St Andrews was tenth in the line of succession to the British throne. He was also the first male-line member of the extended British royal house to not be born with a princely title; it was noted at the time of his birth that the Earl of St Andrews would become the first non-royal Duke of Kent whenever the time came for him to succeed to the title. The newest addition to the Kent branch of the Royal Family weighed 6 1/4 lbs.
The statement released from Coppins following his arrival read: “Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent was safely delivered of a son at three o’clock this afternoon. Both the Duchess and her child are well. [signed] John H. Pell.” Indeed, Sir John Pell, the gynaecologist of HM Queen Elizabeth II, led the team of doctors who attended the Duchess of Kent at the birth.
The Earl of St Andrews was christened in the music room at Buckingham Palace on 14 September 1962. George received as godparents: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Princess Alexandra, Mrs Angus Ogilvy; Mr Oliver Worsley; and Lady Lily Serena Lumley. The christening of the Earl of St Andrews was officiated by Dr A M Ramsey, the Archbishop of Canterbury; the little earl wore the christening robe of Honiton lace worn by Queen Victoria’s children, as well as by the earl’s late grandfather George and his father Edward. In addition to the Duke and Duchess of Kent, the attendees included The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen Mother, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Princess Marina Duchess of Kent, Princess Mary the Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra, Prince Michael of Kent, Prince Paul and Princess Olga of Yugoslavia, Sir William Worsley and Lady Worsley, Mr and Mrs Marcus Worsley, and Mr Oliver Worsley. A reception was held afterward at Kensington Palace.
Our best wishes to the Earl of St Andrews on his birthday!
