The Truth About Queen Elizabeth's Cousin-In-Law, Duchess Birgitte
There's never a shortage of news and updates regarding the royal family, but some members fly under the radar rather than dominate headlines. (Not everyone can be Meghan Markle or Kate Middleton, after all.) One of those low-key royals is Duchess Birgitte, the cousin-in-law of Queen Elizabeth.
Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester, is married to the Queen's first cousin, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. In a rare move, the Queen used her own social media account to share an update about Birgitte's charity work on Friday, January 29.
"The Duchess of Gloucester, Commandant-in-Chief, @SJACymru, spoke to Chief Volunteer Richie Paskell this week about the charity's support for the vaccination programme in Wales," a tweet from the Royal Family account read.
A separate tweet stated that Birgitte has kept in close touch with St John Ambulance Cymru, which is Wales' leading first-aid charity, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported by Express, the charity has been crucial in the vaccination roll-out program.
Duchess Birgitte works with a number of charities
Express noted that the Duchess works with over 60 charity organizations focusing on a diverse array of issues including education, the arts, and health. The outlet quoted her as saying that, as members of the royal family, she and her husband "have the huge privilege of continuously meeting people greatly committed to their work with charitable causes — many individuals being volunteers, doing all kinds of good works, giving of their time, talents, and expertise."
Birgitte is also a patron of Music in Hospitals and Care, a charity dedicated to "bringing live music to people in healthcare settings every day."
Her biography on Royal Central notes that Birgitte has "represented the Queen extensively on overseas tours" since 1973, when she traveled to Mexico on her behalf, and she holds a number of military appointments.
Out of all the benefits of being a royal, Birgitte seems most grateful for the opportunity to work with so many charities. According to Royal Central she once stated that she's proud of the country's commitment to helping others. "In this country, there is a firmly grounded tradition, and a freedom, to help one's fellow men in many different forms, and I think we should be proud of that and grateful for it also," she said.