This website is dedicated to a royal prince who served the monarchy and Canada with loyal devotion throughout his long life. The website features an extensive collection of postcards and memorabilia from the private collection of Scott Burke of Nova Scotia, Canada.

His Royal Highness Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn and Earl of Sussex was born on May 1st, 1850 at Buckingham Palace. He was the third son and seventh child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

After graduating from the Royal Military College in 1868, he was was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers. He later served with the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Rifle Brigade. Throughout his life, Prince Arthur had a distinguished career in the military, later earning the rank (in 1902) of a Field-Marshal, and holding various ranks including as Commander-in-Chief of Ireland from 1900 to 1904, and Inspector-General of the Forces from 1904 to 1907.

From the fall of 1911 to the fall of 1916, Prince Arthur served as Governor General of Canada after having been appointed by his nephew and confidant, King George V.

His family life was a happy one, in 1879 he married Princess Louise Margaret of Prussia and they went on to have three children, Princess Margaret of Connaught (who became the Crown Princess of Sweden), Prince Arthur of Connaught (who served as Governor General of the Union of South Africa) and Princess Patricia of Connaught (who after her marriage was known as Lady Patricia Ramsay.)

The family resided at Clarence House in London (now the home of Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall) and at Bagshot Park in Surrey (now the home of Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Sophie, Countess of Wessex.) During Prince Arthur's term as Governor General of Canada, Prince Arthur and his wife and youngest daughter resided at Government House (known as Rideau Hall) in Ottawa, Ontario.

Prince Arthur lived a long life and died in 1942 at the grand age of 91.

 

 

 Last Update: February 22, 2017

The Duke of Connaught's Military Appoinments:

1867 Cadet, Royal Military Academy

1868 Lieutenant,  Royal Engineers

1869 Transfer to Royal Artillery

1874 Captain, 7th Hussars

1875 Promotion to Major

1876 Lieutenant Colonel, 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade

1880 Brevet Colonel, Major-General

1880-1883 Command of Infrantry Brigade, Aldershot

1882 Command of Guards Brigade, Egyptian                                   Expeditionary Force.

1883-1885 Command of Meerut Division, India

1885-1886 Command, Rawalpindi Division, India

1886-1890 Commander-in-Chief, Bombay Army

1888 Promotion to Lieutenant-General

1890-1893 Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth

1893 Promotion to General

1893-1898 Command of Aldershot Division

1900-1904 Commander-in-Chief, Ireland

1902 Promotion to Field-Marshal

1904-1907 Inspector General of the Forces

1908-1909 Commander-in-Chief and High                                     Commissioner in the Mediterranean

*Reference: Witness of a Century, the Life & Times                           of Prince Arthur Duke of Connaught by                                           Noble Frankland 1993. Page 389.