Angus Ogilvy

The Right Honourable Sir Angus Ogilvy
Born	Angus James Bruce Ogilvy 14 September 1928(1928-09-14) London, UK
Died	26 December 2004(2004-12-26) (aged 76) London, UK
Spouse	Princess Alexandra of Kent
Children	James Ogilvy Marina Ogilvy
Parents	David Ogilvy, 12th Earl of Airlie Lady Alexandra Coke

Sir Angus James Bruce Ogilvy, KCVO PC (14 September 1928 – 26 December 2004) was a British businessman best known as the husband of Princess Alexandra of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.

Ogilvy is also remembered for his role in a scandal involving the breaking of sanctions against the regime in Rhodesia in the 1970s in the Lonrho affair. In later years he was heavily involved in charity work.

Early life

The Hon Angus Ogilvy was born in London, the second son of the 12th Earl of Airlie and Lady Alexandra Coke, the daughter of the 3rd Earl of Leicester. Many of his relatives had close links with the British Royal Family. His grandmother, Mabell Ogilvy, Countess of Airlie, was a close friend and Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Mary. His father was a Lord-in-Waiting to King George V and Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother).

Education and career

Ogilvy was educated at Heatherdown Preparatory School, Ascot; and later at Eton College. Between 1946 and 1948, while on National service, he was commissioned as an officer in the Scots Guards. In 1947 he attended Trinity College, Oxford, graduating in 1950 with a BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics.

After university, Ogilvy worked at the Drayton company, later working with the tycoon Tiny Rowland in Drayton's subsidiary, London and Rhodesia Mining and Land Company (Lonrho). The Prime Minister, Edward Heath, criticised the company and described it in the House of Commons as "an unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism" on a 1973 court case over the company's management style. His career ended in 1976 after he was criticised in a Department of Trade report into the company's activities.

Marriage

On 24 April 1963, Ogilvy married Princess Alexandra of Kent at Westminster Abbey in London. Princess Alexandra is a granddaughter of King George V and a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Her parents were The Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark.

The wedding ceremony was attended by all the members of the Royal Family and was broadcast worldwide on television, watched by an estimated 200 million people.

The Queen had offered Ogilvy an earldom on his wedding, which he declined. He also rejected a grace-and-favour apartment at one of the Royal Palaces. Instead he leased Thatched House Lodge in Richmond, London from the Crown Estate for him and Princess Alexandra to live in, and where the Princess still lives today. However Princess Alexandra retained an apartment at St James's Palace which is customary for the royal family.

Together the couple had two children:

• James Robert Bruce Ogilvy (born 29 February 1964)
• Marina Victoria Alexandra Ogilvy (born 31 July 1966), married and has issue

Charity and royal duties

After his business career was blighted, Ogilvy worked with charity and supported his wife in her Royal duties. He sometimes accompanied Princess Alexandra on her Royal tours abroad. He also attended major Royal occasions with his wife.

Ogilvy was created a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on 31 December 1988 by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1997 he was made a Privy Counsellor.

Later years

Ogilvy served as president of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, and as chairman of Youth Clubs UK, the biggest non-uniformed youth organisation in Britain. He was patron of Arthritis Care; vice-patron of the National Children's Homes; chairman of the advisory council of The Prince's Trust; a trustee of the Leeds Castle Foundation, as well as being a member of the governing council of Business in the Community, and of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. He was also a member of the Royal Company of Archers, the Sovereign's Bodyguard in Scotland, in which his father served as one of its four lieutenants.

Suffering from throat cancer in later years, he was too ill to attend many major Royal events. His last public appearance with his wife was when he accompanied the Princess to Thailand for an official tour.

Ogilvy died in Kingston upon Thames, London, on 26 December 2004. His funeral took place at St. George's Chapel, Windsor in Windsor Castle on 5 January 2005.^{[citation needed]} He was buried at the Royal Burial Ground, Frogmore at Windsor.^{[citation needed]}

Styles, honours and arms

Angus Ogilvy's arms

• The Hon. Angus Ogilvy (1928–1989)
• The Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy, KCVO (1989–1997)
• The Rt Hon. Sir Angus Ogilvy, KCVO (1997–2004)

External links

• Guardian obituary
• BBC News- Royals attend Sir Angus's funeral