2017-03-17 Fri

Princess Patricia (Patsy), born on 17th March 1886, Buckingham Palace, London was the grand-daughter of Queen Victoria and daughter of Prince Arthur and Princess Louise. She was also named Colonel-in-Chief of her privately raised well known regiment Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry on 22nd February, 1918 in which she played an active role until her death.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful Royal Princesses of the Edwardian times, she had suitors for marriage from across the globe. But, she married a commoner, Naval Admiral Alexander Ramsay, her father’s aides-de-camp and voluntarily relinquished her title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland along with the style of Royal Highness on the event of her marriage. Despite this, she remained a member of the Royal family, remained in the line of succession and attended every major Royal event.

Her life was as unusual as her name, and her choices as bold as the one made by her parents when they decided to name her after Ireland’s patron saint, St. Patrick, usually translated as ‘nobleman’ or ‘noblewoman’. And there’s little doubt that the only royal to carry her regal titles, despite her insistence on giving it up, lived a very noble life indeed. She died on 12th January, 1974 and is buried along with her husband behind the Royal Mausoleum of her grandparents’.

She travelled far and wide with her father and also to India when her father was posted there for 2 years. Connaught Place, the central business locus of New Delhi, is named after the Duke.

In 1911, her father was appointed Governor General of Canada; she accompanied him and soon became very popular there. A Canadian note was issued in her honor on 17th March, 1917 commemorating the day she sailed back to England. On the obverse of this 1$ Dominion of Canada note is a portrait of the namesake of Princess Patricia surrounded by flags and emblems of her private regiment. On the reverse is a view of the center block in the Parliament Buildings of Ottawa.