Pages

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

MP wants Cumberland, Albany stripped of peerages

 

April 12, 1916

Swift MacNeill, MP for South Donegal,  suggested today in the House of Commons "that an act be passed depriving the 'traitor' Dukes of Cumberland and Albany," of their British peerages.  Both Dukes are serving with the German army.

The Duke of Cumberland is King George V's uncle, as he is married to Princess Thyra of Denmark, a younger sister of Queen Alexander.  The Duke of Albany is also the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and King George V's first cousin.

Cumberland's son, the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, is married to Kaiser Wilhelm II's only daughter, Princess Viktoria Luise.

According to the Chicago Daily Tribune,  Prime Minister Asquith responded stating that he did not think that at this time the House "would be employed profitably with such legislation" as both Dukes have already been "expelled" from the Order of the Garter.  Sir Arthur Markham stated that "such a  bill would pass in three minutes."

The Dukes are also British princes by birth.  The Duke of Cumberland is styled in the United Kingdom as HH The Duke of Cumberland as he is a great-grandson of the sovereign (George III).

The Duke of Albany is the son of the late HRH Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, and is a grandson of the late Queen.

No comments:

Post a Comment