The Duke of Gloucester is celebrating his 82nd birthday today, with the Royal Family marking the occasion through a public message on social media.
The official account representing King Charles and Queen Camilla posted: “Happy Birthday to The Duke of Gloucester!”
Prince Richard’s birthday comes as the majority of the royal household is based at Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands for their customary summer retreat.
However, the Duke and his wife were notably absent from the gathering over the weekend, having remained in London to fulfil official engagements on behalf of the Crown on Friday.
The Duke of Gloucester is celebrating his 82nd birthday today, with the Royal Family marking the occasion through a public message on social media.
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The couple attended the first-ever National Day for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism, a ceremony held at Lancaster House on 21 August.
The event drew hundreds of attendees, including survivors, bereaved relatives, emergency service personnel, and government officials.
Lancaster House, situated adjacent to Clarence House and St James’s Palace, served as the venue for the landmark occasion.
The British government created the new annual day of remembrance following a campaign led by survivors and victims who sought formal recognition.
The official account representing King Charles and Queen Camilla posted: “Happy Birthday to The Duke of Gloucester!”
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GETTY
The chosen date coincides with the existing UN International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, ensuring it will be observed each year on 21 August.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who has reportedly received an invitation to visit Balmoral this summer, spoke directly to those in attendance.
“There is something remarkable about how we come together as a country in those darkest moments. As time passes, most people go back to their lives, but for those who lived through the trauma, there is no return to normality,” he said. “Today matters because it says you are not alone. You have not been forgotten. This is a moment to remember the loved ones lost and anyone who has survived the very worst of humanity.”
The ceremony’s closing addresses were delivered by Travis Frain, who survived the 2017 Westminster Bridge attack and received an OBE from King Charles in 2024, and Victoria Cummock, whose husband John B. Cummock perished in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
Prince Richard is one of three first cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II who continue to undertake official duties for the monarchy.
He and the Duchess of Gloucester, Birgitte, who is 80, belong to the core group of 11 working members of the Royal Family.
That group also comprises the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
It remains unclear whether the couple plan to travel north to join their relatives at Balmoral at any stage during the summer break, with no public indication given regarding their schedule for the remainder of the holiday period.