Colonel-In-Chief of the CFDS

HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, GCVO

Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester, GCVO, became the first Colonel-in-Chief of the Canadian Forces Dental Services (CFDS) in January 2006, following an announcement by the Private Secretary to The Queen. While The Duchess of Gloucester is patron of a large number of organizations, many of which have medical, educational or welfare connections, this appointment is her first affiliation with the Canadian Forces.

The Duchess of Gloucester holds a number of other honorary military appointments as: Colonel-in-Chief of The Royal Army Dental Corps, Deputy Colonel-in-Chief of the Adjutant General's Corps, Vice Patron of the Adjutant General's Corps Regimental Association, Patron of Royal Army Educational Corps Association and Patron of the Army Families Federation. In addition, she is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Army Educational Corps and the Royal New Zealand Army Educational Corps Association and Patron of the Army Families Federation. In addition, she is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Australian Army Educational Corps and the Royal New Zealand Army Educational Corps.

She is Commandant-in-Chief of St John Ambulance Brigade Wales, Patron of the Hospitallers' Club of Wales, Honorary Member of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club Wimbledon, Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Fellow of Queen Mary and Westfield College (University of London).

The Duchess of Gloucester, formerly Birgitte Eva van Deurs, was born on 20 June 1946, in Odense, Denmark. Birgitte van Deurs was educated at schools in Odense, and later at finishing schools in Lausanne, Switzerland, and Cambridge. She then took a three-year diploma course in Commercial and Economic Studies in Copenhagen, Denmark before returning in 1971 to work at the Royal Danish Embassy in London.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester live at Kensington Palace and have three children: (Alexander) Earl of Ulster (born 1974), The Lady Davina Windsor (born 1977) and The Lady Rose Windsor (born 1980).