Royal prince to return to Northamptonshire childhood home for jubilee celebrations

He grew up in the manor house in the village
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Residents in an east Northamptonshire village will welcome a royal guest ‘home’ as part of his cousin the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester will return to the village of Barnwell to officially plant a tree, marking the Queen’s seven decades on the throne.

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The Duke and his family lived at Barnwell Manor for many years and he was married in St Andrew’s Church in 1972.

The Duke of Gloucester visited SATRA's Kettering HQ in 2019The Duke of Gloucester visited SATRA's Kettering HQ in 2019
The Duke of Gloucester visited SATRA's Kettering HQ in 2019

Prince Richard will be welcomed to the village hall on Tuesday, May 24, when he will plant a tree. After the event children from the village’s Barnwell Little Elms Preschool will ask him questions about the Queen and her historic reign.

The tree planting will mark the beginning of Barnwell’s planned Jubilee celebrations. The village also plans a giant tea party over the jubilee weekend as well as an art, craft and history walk around the village.

In the autumn the planting of a community orchard containing 70 fruit trees has been planned as part of the Queen’s Canopy event. It is hoped to involve the whole village in the planting and maintaining of an area which is along the side of the village hall field.

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The Duke will be invited to inspect the site along with a small exhibition in the hall. The hall had been opened by his mother Princess Alice in 1991, continuing to enhance Barnwell’s royal connections.

(L-R) the Duchess of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in 2011(L-R) the Duchess of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in 2011
(L-R) the Duchess of Wessex, the Duke of Gloucester, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in 2011

Prince Richard was the second son of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester – his father was the third son of King George V and Queen Mary.

He is currently 31st in succession to the British throne, and the highest person on the list who is not a descendant of George VI, who was his uncle.

At the time of his birth he was fifth in line to the throne, behind his first cousins Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) and Princess Margaret, his father, and his elder brother Prince William of Gloucester.

Born in Northampton, he grew up at Barnwell Manor and now lives at Kensington Palace.