- Ranger of Windsor Great Park
The office of Ranger of Windsor Great Park was established to oversee the protection and maintenance of the Great Park at Windsor in the English county of
Berkshire . The ranger has always been somebody close to themonarch .Apart from a single
15th century reference to the office, it appears to have been created in1601 . From the time of appointment ofBaptist May - often claimed to be the most trusted friend of Charles II [Andrew Barclay, 'May, Baptist (bap. 1628, d. 1697)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18418, accessed 22 April 2007] ] - the ranger has been given the use of the Great Lodge (now calledCumberland Lodge ) as a residence. One of the most famous rangers wasSarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough who was given the position by her friend, Queen Anne, in 1702. Officially, at least, she shared the office with other family members. After her death, the rangership was given to successive trusted friends and family members of the British royal family. The office is currently held byPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh .Cumberland Lodge within the Park ceased to be the official residence for the rangers in 1917. In 1947, George VI gave the house to the "King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Foundation of St Katharine's", who continue to have the use of the building.List of Rangers
*Sir Charles Howard, later
Earl of Nottingham (1601-1616)
*SirEdward Nicholas (1644-1662)
*Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke (1648-1650)
*Baptist May , trusted friend of Charles II (1671 – 1697)
*William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland , boyhood friend of William III (1697-1702)
*Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough , closest friend of Queen Anne (1702 – 1744)
*Hon. John Spencer, grandson of the above (1744 – 1746)
*Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland , favourite son of George II (1746 – 1765)
*Prince Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn , brother of George III (1765 – 1790). When Prince Henry died, his wife continued to live atCumberland Lodge until her death in 1803.
*Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria (1840 – 1861)
*Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein , son-in-law of Queen Victoria (1867-1917)
*Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , husband of Elizabeth II (1952 – present)References
*Barclay, Andrew (2004). 'May, Baptist (bap. 1628, d. 1697)' in "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford University Press. [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18418, accessed 22 April 2007]
*Official Website of the British Royal Family, Insight, Focus, Windsor Great Park [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5510.asp]
*Roberts, J. (1997). "Royal Landscape: The Gardens and Parks of Windsor". Yale.External links
* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/rangers_windsorgp.html Royal Berkshire History:Rangers of Windsor Great Park]
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