The wedding of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott took place on Wednesday, 6 November 1935, in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace. A larger public ceremony had been planned for Westminster Abbey, but plans were scaled back after the bride's father, the 7th Duke of Buccleuch, died of cancer on 19 October.
Engagement
The engagement between Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, third son of King George V and Queen Mary, and Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott, third daughter of the 7th Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, was announced on 2 September 1935 at Balmoral Castle.
Alice later recalled there was no formal proposal and the Duke had "mumbled it as we were on a walk one day."
The wedding date was set for 6 November 1935 and plans were in place for a lavish public celebration at Westminster Abbey like the weddings of the Duke's siblings. However, mere weeks before the wedding, the bride's father died of cancer on 19 October 1935. This, in combination with the consideration of the king's ill health, led to the wedding being moved to the more modest venue of the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.
Wedding
The wedding took place on 6 November 1935 in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace.
That morning, the Duke had breakfast with his parents, the King and Queen, at Buckingham Palace. Lady Alice left her family's home in Grosvenor Place in the Glass Coach with her brother, the 8th Duke of Buccleuch. They made the short journey to Buckingham Palace by way of Constitution Hill through Wellington Arch. At the palace, they joined the bridesmaids and proceeded into the chapel.
Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of Canterbury, presided over the traditional Anglican ceremony, assisted by Arthur Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of London, and Arthur Maclean, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Music
The hymn "Praise, my soul, the King of heaven" was sung and the recessional music was "Wedding March" from A Midsummer Night's Dream by Felix Mendelssohn.
Attendants
The Duke was supported by his two elder brothers, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of York. Lady Alice was attended by eight bridesmaids; Princess Elizabeth of York and Princess Margaret Rose of York, the daughters of the Duke and Duchess of York, thus nieces of the groom; Lady Mary Cambridge, daughter of the Marquess and Marchioness of Cambridge, thus the groom's maternal first cousin once removed; Lady Angela Montagu Douglas Scott, the bride's sister; Lady Elizabeth Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, thus the bride's niece; Anne Hawkins, the daughter of Lady Margaret and Commander Geoffrey Hawkins, thus the bride's niece; Clare Phipps, daughter of Lady Sybil and Charles Phipps, thus the bride's niece; and Moyra Montagu Douglas Scott, daughter of Lord George Montagu Douglas Scott, thus the bride's paternal first cousin.
Attire
Lady Alice wore a blush pink satin gown designed by Norman Hartnell. This choice of colour was unusual for a royal bride; however, due to her age, Lady Alice wished to have a "less maiden tone". The dress was "of modest simplicity, with long, narrow sleeves and a high neckline draped into a nosegay of artificial orange-blossom". The veil was made from "a drifting cloud of crisp modern tulle". On her way to the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, Alice wore "an ermine blanket stole" due to the cold weather. The gown was the first of many important gowns designed by Hartnell for the British royal family. He would later go on to design Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown and later her coronation gown, as well as Princess Margaret's wedding gown.
The Duke wore the uniform of the 10th Royal Hussars with the riband and star of the Order of the Garter, star of the Order of the Thistle and the Royal Victorian Chain.
Gifts
The couple received a large number of gifts from individuals, organizations and members of their families. The gifts were publicly displayed at St James's Palace.