Princess Alexandra's Life in Photos
At the time of her birth, she was sixth in line for the British throne.
Princess Alexandra was born on Christmas Day in London, England to two royal parents—Prince George (King George V and Queen Mary's fourth son) and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark. At the time of her birth in 1936, just two weeks after King Edward VIII abdicated the throne, she was sixth in line to the British throne—behind her cousins Princess Elizabeth (the future Queen Elizabeth) and Princess Margaret, and her older brother Prince Edward (the current Duke of Kent).
In 1963, she had a royal wedding at Westminster Abbey, when she married the Angus Ogilvy, the son of an Earl. After Angus was knighted in 1988, Princess Alexandra took the title the Honourable Lady Ogilvy. She has two children: James, born 1964, and Marina, born 1966. Now she's a grandmother to four, and she remains as stylish as ever. Here, scroll through the best photos of Queen Elizabeth's cousin Princess Alexandra over the years.
1937
In one of the earliest photos of Princess Alexandra, she is held by a nanny as her mother Princess Marina holds Prince Edward's hand. The family lived in Belgrave Square, London.
1939
This picture shows a two-year-old Princess Alexandra pictured on the beach at St Margarets Bay in Kent.
1940
The young royal siblings Prince Edward and Princess Alexandra played with toys in the garden of their Buckinghamshire home.
1944
A formal portrait of 8-year-old Princess Alexandra. At age 10, she was sent to boarding school at Healthfield, becoming the first British princess to attend boarding school.
1946
In 1946, Alexandra joined her cousins Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret as bridesmaids in the wedding of Captain Lord Brabourne and Patricia Mountbatten. In this photo, Alexandra is center, standing next to Margaret. The future Queen is in the back left.
1954
Princess Alexandra became patron of the British Red Cross Youth in 1952 at the age of only 15, and officially took up her post in 1954.
1954
The original caption for this picture of Alexandra at 18 read "Princess Alexandra is of an age when Britons can speculate the course of her romances."
1954
The Princess playing tennis at Coppins, her family home in Buckinghamshire.
1955
A newspaper called Princess Alexandra "the new reigning glamour girl of Mayfair" when she was just 19 years old. The article went on to say, "Succeeding Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra has taken over as leader of the gayest young crowd in London's fashionable night life."
1956
Princess Alexandra is pictured here in the garden of the Kent family home, Coppins, in the village of Ivers. She links arms with her brother Prince Edward, who became the Duke of Kent upon his father's tragic death in a flying crash in 1942. On the far right is their mother Marina, Duchess of Kent and Princess of Greece.
1960
A glamorous young Princess Alexandra in an evening gown.
1963
Angus Ogilvy became only the second commoner in the 20th century to marry a royal princess. Here, the Ogilvys are pictured on their wedding day at Westminster Abbey.
1963
Princess Alexandra wore a gown designed by John Cavanagh, made of Valenciennes lace.
1963
Princess Alexandra waves as she departs for her honeymoon with Angus.
1964
Upon their marriage, Queen Elizabeth offered to make Angus Ogilvy an earl, but he declined. Therefore, Alexandra and Angus's children James (pictured here as a newborn) and Marina (born 1966) have no titles.
1967
Princess Alexandra wore the Russian Pearl Bandeau tiara to a movie premiere in London in 1967.
1968
The Princess with her four-year-old son James at Thatched House in Richmond.
1969
Princess Alexandra with her husband and their daughter Marina during the filming of a TV program.
1972
The princess is a regular at Wimbledon, along with other members of the royal family. Alexandra, left, is pictured here with her cousin Prince William of Gloucester.
1981
Princess Alexandra rode in a carriage with Princess Diana at the 1981 Royal Ascot. The Princess of Kent is a regular at the horse race.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
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