Her Royal Highness Princess Patricia of Connaught (17 March 1886-12 January 1974) was the younger daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria. Her mother was Princess Louise Marguerite of Prussia. Her elder siblings were Prince Arthur of Connaught and Princess Margaret of Connaught, later Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden. She was christened Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth. She was name Victoria after Queen Victoria, and Patricia, the Saint of her birth. Informally, she was known as Patsy.
Princess Patricia of Connaught travelled extensively in her early years. Her father was posted to India with the army, and the young Princess spent two years living there. In 1911, the Duke of Connaught was appointed Governor General of Canada. Princess Patrica accompanied her parents in their role, and she became very popular in the country.
She was named Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on 22 February 1918 and held that appointment until her death. Princess Patricia personally designed its badge and colours for the regiment to take overseas to France. As the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, she played an active role in the regiment until her death. She was succeeded in 1974 by her cousin and god-daughter the Rt. Hon. Lady Patricia Brabourne, who became the Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
She was Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India (CI), a member of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (ODM) and a Dame of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
The question of Patricia's marriage became a very hot topic of conversation in Edwardian times. She was matched with various foreign princes, including the future Kings of Portugal and Spain; and also Grand Duke Michael of Russia, a brother of Tsar Nicholas II.
However in the end, her choice of husband was not of the royal blood, but a commoner. She married a naval officer, Commander (later Admiral) Sir Alexander Ramsay (29 May 1881-8 October 1972), one of her father's aides de camp, and third son of the Earl of Dalhouise. She was married at Westminster Abbey on 27 February 1919. On the her wedding day, Princess Patricia of Connaught voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of "Lady Patricia Ramsay" with precedence immediately before the Marchionesses of England. She was not obligated to rennounce her royal title. Rather, she wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband. She made this discussion with the concurrence of the Duke of Connaught and King George V. Despite her loss of royal title, she remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II in 1937 and 1953, respectively.
Lady Patricia was an accomplished artist, specialized in watercolors. The subjects of her works were based on her travel to tropical countries. Her style was influenced by Gauguin and Van Gogh because she studied under A.S. Hartrick who had known the artists. She died at Ribsden Holt, Windlesham, Surrey before her 88th birthday and a year and a half after her husband. Lady Patricia Ramsay and Admiral Alexander Ramsay are buried at Frogmore Royal Burial Ground.
Her only child, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar (21 December1919-20 December2000), served in World War II, where he lost a leg in action in North Africa. He lived at Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire with his wife Flora Fraser, 20th Lady Saltoun (18 October 1930-), the only daughter of Alexander Fraser, 19th Lord Saltoun.
Sources
Marlene A. Eilers, Queen Victoria's Descendants, (New York: Atlantic International Publishing, 1987).
Allison Weir, Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy (London: Palmico, 1996).
"Obituary: Lady Patricia Ramsay, Granddaughter of Queen Victoria," The Times, 14 January 1974, p. 14.
Links
Titular Dignity of Prince in the British Royal Family by Yvonne Demoskoff
