Prince Michael of Kent

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Prince Michael of Kent : biography

4 July 1942 –

Honorary military appointments

Canada
  • Colonel-in-Chief, The Essex and Kent Scottish (14 November 2001–present)
United Kingdom
  • Honorary Rear Admiral, Royal Naval Reserve
  • Commodore-in-Chief, Maritime Reserves
  • Regimental Colonel, Honourable Artillery Company (2009–2012)
  • Royal Honorary Colonel, Honourable Artillery Company (2012–present)
  • Honorary Air Marshal of RAF Benson

Fellowships

  • Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation
  • Chartered Institute of Linguists
  • Royal Aeronautical Society
  • Society of Genealogists
  • Institute of Road Safety Officers
  • Institute of the Motor Industry

Arms

Early life

Prince Michael was born on 4 July 1942, at Coppins, Iver, Buckinghamshire. His father was the Duke of Kent, the fourth son of George V and Queen Mary. The Duke of Kent was killed in a plane crash near Caithness, Scotland on 25 August 1942, just six weeks after his third child was born. At the time of his birth Prince Michael was seventh in the line of succession to his uncle King George VI.

His mother was the Duchess of Kent (née Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark), a daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and Grand Duchess Elena Vladimirovna of Russia. As a grandchild of a British sovereign in the male line, he is styled as a Prince of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the prefix His Royal Highness.

At his christening on 4 August 1942 at the Private Chapel of Windsor Castle, his godparents were: King George VI (his paternal uncle); the Queen of the Netherlands (for whom her son-in-law Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands stood proxy); the King of Norway (his granduncle); the President of the United States of America (for whom the Duke of Kent stood proxy); the Crown Princess of Greece (who was not present); the Duke of Gloucester (his paternal uncle, who was absent); the Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven (his grandfather King George V’s cousin); and the Lady Patricia Ramsay (his grandfather King George V’s cousin). Because of the war, newspapers did not identify the actual location of the christening, and said instead that it took place at "a private chapel in the country."The Times, 5 August 1942

At the age of 5, Prince Michael was a page boy at the wedding of his cousins, the Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Career

Royal duties

As the third child of George V’s fourth son, it was not expected that Prince Michael, as the only second son in the extended royal family, would undertake royal and official duties. He has performed official duties in the Commonwealth realms other than the United Kingdom and has represented the Queen abroad. He has, however, never received a parliamentary annuity or an allowance from the British Privy Purse, unlike both his elder brother, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and his sister, Princess Alexandra, who both carry out official royal duties in the United Kingdom and receive British parliamentary annuities. The Prince was given a grace and favour apartment at Kensington Palace upon his marriage in 1978.

Prince Michael has represented the Queen at state funerals in India, Cyprus and Swaziland and, with his wife, Princess Michael of Kent, represented the Queen at the independence celebrations in Belize, and at the Coronation of King Mswati III of Swaziland.

Prince Michael supports a large number of different charities and organisations.

His Patronages and Presidencies number over 100 and include:

  • ATA Museum Maidenhead Heritage Centre
  • Association of Dunkirk Little Ships, Honorary Admiral
  • Amberley Museum & Heritage Centre
  • Anglo-Hellenic League
  • Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
  • British Business & General Aviation Association (BBGA)
  • Brooklands Museum Trust
  • Chartered Institute of Linguists ()
  • Children’s Burns Trust
  • Colfe’s School London (Visitor)
  • Commission for Global Road Safety
  • David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
  • FIA Foundation
  • First Gear
  • Genesis Initiative
  • Institute of Certified Bookkeepershttp://www.icbglobal.org
  • The Kennel Club
  • Light Aircraft Association
  • London School of Business and Finance
  • Maritime Volunteer Service
  • National Eye Research Centre
  • RoadSafe
  • Royal Automobile Club
  • Royal Life Saving Society
  • Russo-British Chamber of Commerce
  • Society of Genealogists
  • SSAFA Forces Help
  • Thames Rowing Club
  • The Transport Trust
  • Veterans Car Club of Great Britain
  • World Class Learning Schools Group
  • World Monuments Fund (UK)

Commercial

Given that the Prince does not receive any income from his royal duties, he has the Queen’s permission to earn a living from commercial enterprise. As such Prince Michael manages his own consultancy business, and undertakes business throughout the world. He is also a qualified interpreter of Russian.

Masonic

Prince Michael is also involved with various aspects of Freemasonry—mainly as both the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, and Provincial Grand Master of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Middlesex.