Royal Patronage

HRH The Duke of Gloucester

In 1980 HRH The Duke of Gloucester became the Society’s Royal Patron.   In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the duke’s patronage the following article was published in the Ricardian Bulletin. It outlines the history and benefits of the patronage: 

On the 24 October 1980 Lt Col Simon Bland wrote to Society Chairman Jeremy Potter, to advise that ‘The duke of Gloucester is very happy to accept the Patronage of the Richard III Society.’ This duke of Gloucester was the first to bear the name Richard since his ancestor King Richard III back in the fifteenth century.  However there is more to the royal patronage than this, the present duke has a genuine interest in the life and times of King Richard and over the past twenty-five years has been supportive of efforts to seek a re-assessment of the king’s character and achievements. The patronage was to be initially for five years to cover the quincentenary period. In this silver anniversary year of the patronage we have the opportunity to remember some of the events that the duke and his family have been involved with and to recall again some of the words he has spoken and written about Richard III.

Born in 1944, The duke of Gloucester is the second son of the late Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alice. He is a grandson of George V and a first cousin to the Queen. He succeeded his father as duke of Gloucester in June 1974. Australian members will be interested to know that the infant Prince Richard accompanied his parents to Australia where his father was Governor General from 1945 to 1947.  Prince Richard was educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Cambrdge  where he read architecture. The Duke first came onto the Ricardian scene in September 1974 when he opened the new Battle of Bosworth Centre in his capacity as chairman of the East Midlands Tourist Board. At the time Jeremy Potter noted that after 500 years Richard of Gloucester reappeared on Bosworth Field. The occasion saw the first official contact between the duke and the society. Jeremy Potter was able to speak to him and noted in his Bulletin review of the opening that ‘the duke showed considerable interest in the society and I presented him with copies of some of our publications (“What, tracts?” he exclaimed. “Just the truth,” I explained with proper humility.)’

The following year one of the society's then most ambitious projects reached a fitting conclusion. On Sunday, 9 March 1975 the memorial window to the House of York in the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Saints at Fotheringhay, donated by members, was dedicated by the Assistant Bishop of Peterborough the Right Reverend Archibald Campbell. The ceremony was attended by the duke and his mother HRH Princess Alice Duchess of Gloucester, both then living at nearby Barnwell Manor.


A yet more ambitious project embarked on after the York window was the Leicester statue of King Richard.  The concept and appeal for funds was launched in the March 1978 Bulletin. The duke showed an early interest in the project visiting Leicester to view both the site and model of the proposed statue and also to meet the sculptor James Butler RA.   After two years of fund raising everything was ready for the statue to be unveiled by the Duke on Thursday 31 July 1980.  At the last moment he was called upon to represent the Queen at the independence celebrations of New Caledonia. Fortunately Princess Alice was able to step in and unveil the statue on the duke’s behalf.  After the ceremony she attended the reception in Leicester’s medieval guildhall and spoke to members. The speech given by Princess Alice at the unveiling contains one of the best and oft repeated raison d’être of the society and it is worth repeating again: ‘… for the purpose and indeed the strength of the Richard III Society derives from a belief that the truth is more powerful than lies – a faith that even after all these centuries the truth is important. It is proof of our sense of civilised values that something as esoteric and as fragile as a reputation is worth campaigning for.’  Words that are as relevant today as when they were first spoken twenty-five years ago.

The Quincentenary years presented a number of opportunities for the duke to attend society events. The high point was undoubtedly the dinner held in London’s historic guildhall to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Richard’s accession to the throne. Joining members were a number of distinguished guests including the duke of Gloucester, the duke of Norfolk, Garter King of Arms and the Lord Mayor of Gloucester. As patron the Duke was one of the after-dinner speakers and he noted that  ‘This particular 500th anniversary marks the beginning of a very short period in our history when King Richard Plantagenet reigned. It might have been the beginning of a long and glorious reign in which all sorts of wonderful things happened, but this as we all know was not to be.’  The June 1983 Bulletin commented that the speech left no doubts about the duke’s commitment to the Ricardian cause.

There were other events during 1983 attended by the Duke:  the unveiling of the plaque in Gloucester to commemorate the quincentenary of the city’s Charter granted by King Richard in 1483; the unveiling of Richard’s Coat of Arms at Crosby Hall and a visit in the summer to Ricardian sites in Yorkshire including Middleham, Sheriff Hutton and York itself.   

The significant event of 1984 was of course the televised Trial of Richard III.  The proceedings took some six hours with around three hours finally being transmitted on Channel Four. The Duke was present throughout the recording and filmed a brief introduction and he observed that ‘1984 is not only the 500th anniversary of these events, it is also, because of George Orwell, the symbol of the state’s potential for control of information to alter not only the present and future but also the past. Is this what the Tudor’s did to Richard III?’    

Another quincentenary event to commemorate was the Charter of Incorporation of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers granted by King Richard in 1484. In October the duke unveiled the original charter and grant of armorial bearings which had been reframed and displayed in the ‘Greate Roome’ of the Wax Chandlers hall.  Future society chairman Robert Hamblin was then a member of the Court of Assistants of the Wax Chandlers.

A more unusual event attended by the duke in 1985 was the installation of a new model of Richard III at Madame Tassauds.  The  figure was based on the National Portrait Gallery picture of the king, far removed from the previous more traditional portrayal.  The new ‘King Richard III’ was officially unveiled by the duke at a ceremony attended by society members.

The end of the quincentenary years also saw the completion of the initial five years of the patronage. After discussion between the society and Kensington Palace it was agreed that it would be extended for a further five years. It was understood on all sides that after the exceptional circumstances of the quincentenary period future opportunities for the duke to attend Society events would be limited. Nonetheless the patronage has been renewed continuously every five years thereafter.

Indeed the next event was not until 1989 when the Duke was present at the College of Arms to receive the formal presentation of letters patent in respect of the society’s grant of arms. These were presented by the Garter Principal King of Arms and Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, Mr John Brooke-Little. The Duke responded by thanking the College of Arms on behalf of the society. He spoke about the importance of seeking out the truth about events and personalities in history. He gave examples of the Tudor denigration of Richard’s reputation and the then recent events in Tiananmen Square. He also reminded his audience of the bicentenary of the French revolution and that it is said that Louis XVI read Horace Walpole’s Historic Doubts whilst awaiting the guillotine 

On the 30 October 1990 the Duke was present at the inauguration of the plaque in Leicester positioned near to the Greyfriars burial place of King Richard. He joined members for tea at the Grand Hotel and spoke of his pleasure at being the society’s patron and how impressed he was that so many members were able to get to Leicester on a weekday for the plaque’s unveiling.

In 1996 society president and founder member Patrick Bacon celebrated his ninetieth birthday with a day of special events in Norwich. Whilst unable to attend the Duke did send a message ‘Congratulations Patrick Bacon on your 90th birthday and also on the foresight you showed by founding the Richard III Society for those determined like yourself to place this complex character in a more accurate position in the public perception. I hope that you have a very splendid celebration.’ 

The most recent society event attended by the duke was the launch of Anne Sutton’s Festschrift at the Society of Antiquaries. The uuke gave a short speech acknowledging Anne’s contribution as editor of The Ricardian and he again emphasised how pleased he was to be the society’s patron.

Having highlighted the major occasions of the past twenty-five years we should not forget some of the other contributions the duke has made. In 1985 he contributed the foreword to The Road to Bosworth Field by Peter Hammond and Anne Sutton and every few of years supplies the society with a number of tickets to attend royal garden parties at Buckingham Palace.  These have been allocated to individual members and the experience relayed to the wider membership through reviews in the Bulletin.

The patronage brings tangible benefits for the Society and, together with our achievements in many other fields, gives us gravitas.  It is also further evidence of our viability and respectability. In celebrating the first 25-years of the duke of Gloucester’s royal patronage, we also acknowledge and express our thanks for his continuing support for the society.

John Saunders