Wedding of Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy


The wedding of Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy took place on Wednesday, 24 April 1963 at Westminster Abbey. Princess Alexandra is the only daughter and second child of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, while the Hon. Angus Ogilvy was the second son and fifth child of the 12th Earl of Airlie and Lady Alexandra Coke.

Engagement

The engagement of Princess Alexandra of Kent to The Hon. Angus Ogilvy was announced on 19 November 1962. Ogilvy presented Alexandra with an engagement ring made of a cabochon sapphire set in gold and surrounded by diamonds on both sides. The Queen gave her consent to the union on 19 December 1962.
The night before the wedding, a white-tie ball for 2000 guests was held at Windsor Castle.

The wedding

The service was conducted by The Very Rev. Eric Abbott, Dean of Westminster and The Most Rev. and Rt Hon. Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury. It followed the traditional wedding service according to the Book of Common Prayer.
After the service, the newlyweds travelled in the glass coach to St. James's Palace for the wedding breakfast. The couple honeymooned at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate.

Music

Prior to the service, the organist of the Abbey played pieces by J.S. Bach, G.F. Handel, Herbert Howells, and William Henry Harris. Princess Alexandra walked down the aisle on the arm of her brother, The Duke of Kent, to the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy. Throughout the service, the hymns God be in my head, and in my understanding and Love Divine, All Loves Excelling were sung. The National Anthem was sung, and during the signing of the register, anthems by Christopher Tye, Thomas Weelkes, and G.F. Handel were sung. The newlywed couple recessed to Widor's "Toccata" from Symphony for Organ No. 5 and Walton's Crown Imperial.

Clothing

The bride wore a wedding dress of Valenciennes lace, with matching veil and train, designed by John Cavanagh. The lace had to be made in France, with special customs arrangements being made so that the press was not notified of its arrival in Britain. The wedding dress included a piece of lace from the bride's later grandmother, Princess Nicholas of Greece and Denmark and the veil worn by Lady Patricia Ramsey at her own wedding in 1919. She wore the diamond fringe tiara given to her mother by the City of London as a wedding gift in 1934. The bridegroom wore morning dress.
The Queen wore a eau-de-nil dress with a matching three-quarter sleeves chiffon overcoat by Norman Hartnell and a hat by Simone Mirman. In 2016, The Queen's ensemble was on display during the exhibition "Fashioning a Reign" to celebrate her 90th birthday.

Attendants

The bridegroom's best man was The Hon. Peregrine Fairfax, second son of The 12th Lord Fairfax of Cameron. Princess Alexandra was attended by five bridesmaids and two pageboys, they were:
Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogvily were married in front of a congregation of 2000 guests. Notable guests in attendance included:

Relatives of the bride

[British royal family]

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