OUR FIRST COLONEL-IN-CHIEF

Her Royal Highness Princess Patricia of Connaught (17 March 1886-12 January 1974) was the younger daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, the third son of Queen Victoria. Her mother was Princess Louise Marguerite of Prussia. Her elder siblings were Prince Arthur of Connaught and Princess Margaret of Connaught, later Crown Princess Margaret of Sweden. She was christened Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth. She was named Victoria after Queen Victoria, and Patricia, the Saint of her birth. Informally, she was known as Patsy.

Princess Patricia of Connaught travelled extensively in her early years. Her father was posted to India with the army, and the young Princess spent two years living there. In 1911, the Duke of Connaught was appointed Governor General of Canada. Princess Patricia accompanied her parents in their role. During the illness of the Duchess of Connaught, Princess Patricia acted as hostess at Rideau Hall, Ottawa. She endeared herself to Canadians by her simple, natural manners, her lack of stiff etiquette, and her love of our Canadian games and outdoor sports. The Princess won all hearts by her charm.

Princess Patricia, after consenting to the use of her name by the Regiment, made a "camp" colour of her own design and which incorporated her personal cypher. This colour was presented to the Regiment on 23 August, 1914 at a parade in Lansdowne Park, Ottawa. On 28 January, 1919 it was consecrated as the PPCLI Regimental Colour. The Colour is commonly referred to as the RIC-A-DAM-DOO and is now located in The Hall of Honour in the Museum of the Regiments in Calgary. At a farewell parade at Bramshot, England, on the 21st February, 1919 Princess Patricia decorated her Colour with a wreath of Laurel in silver gilt (known as the "Wreath of Immortelles". A fascimilie of the wreath of laurel is now carried on the pike of all three Regimental Colours. The original wreath is also on display with the original RIC-A-DAM-DOO.

She was named Colonel-in-Chief of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on 22 February 1918 and held that appointment until her death. The regiment was named after her. Princess Patricia personally designed its badge and colours for the regiment to take overseas to France. As the regiment's Colonel-in-Chief, she played an active role in the regiment until her death. She was succeeded in 1974 by her cousin and goddaughter the Rt. Hon. Lady Patricia Brabourne, who became the Countess Mountbatten of Burma.

She was Lady of the Imperial Order of the Crown of India (CI), a member of the Royal Order of Victoria and Albert (ODM) and a Dame of Justice of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. She was also awarded the Canadian Forces Decoration in recognition of her services to the Canadian Army and the Patricias in particular.

The question of Patricia's marriage became a very hot topic of conversation in Edwardian times. She was matched with various foreign princes, including the future Kings of Portugal and Spain; and Grand Duke Michael of Russia, a brother of Tsar Nicholas II. However, in the end, her choice of husband was not of the royal blood, but a commoner. She married a naval officer, Commander (later Admiral) Sir Alexander Ramsay (29 May 1881-8 October 1972), one of her father's aides de camp, and third son of the Earl of Dalhousie. She was married at Westminster Abbey on 27 February 1919. On the her wedding day, Princess Patricia of Connaught voluntarily relinquished the style of Royal Highness and the title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland and assumed the style of "Lady Patricia Ramsay" with precedence immediately before the Marchionesses of England. She was not obligated to renounce her royal title. Rather, she wished to have a social status and rank closer to that of her husband. She made this discussion with the concurrence of the Duke of Connaught and King George V. Despite her loss of royal title, she remained a member of the British Royal Family, remained in the line of succession, and attended all major royal events including weddings, funerals, and the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II in 1937 and 1953, respectively.

Lady Patricia was an accomplished artist, specialized in watercolors. The subjects of her works were based on her travel to tropical countries. Her style was influenced by Gauguin and Van Gogh because she studied under A.S. Hartrick who had known the artists. She died at Ribsden Holt, Windlesham, Surrey before her 88th birthday and a year and a half after her husband. Lady Patricia Ramsay and Admiral Alexander Ramsay are buried at Frogmore Royal Burial Ground.

Her only child, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar (21 December1919-20 December2000), served in World War II, where he lost a leg in action in North Africa. He lived at Cairnbulg Castle in Aberdeenshire with his wife Flora Fraser, 20th Lady Saltoun (18 October 1930-), the only daughter of Alexander Fraser, 19th Lord Saltoun.

THE CURRENT COLONEL-IN-CHIEF

Patricia Edwina Victoria Mountbatten was born in London on 14 February, 1924. She is the eldest daughter of Louis Mountbatten and Edwina Ashley (1901 - 1960). Her grandfather was born Prince Louis Francis of Battenberg. When the British royal family took the name Windsor in 1917, Prince Louis renounced his title and the name Battenburg. He took the name Mountbbatten and was granted the title Marquess of Milford Haven. His youngest son became Lord Louis Mountbatten. Lord Louis received the title of Earl Mountbatten of Burma for his services during World War II and in India. Through her paternal grandmother, Princess Victoria of Hesse, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Lady Patricia is a first cousin of Princess Patricia, our first Colonel-in-Chief.

On 26 October, 1946 Patricia Mountbatten married Captain The Lord Brabourne, Coldstream Guards.

Lady Mountbatten was educated in Malta, England and New York. In 1943, she entered the Women's Royal Naval Service as a Signal Rating and served in Combined Operations bases in the U.K. In 1945, she was commissioned as a third Officer in the WRNS and served in the Supreme Allied Headquarters, South East Asia, where she first met Lord Brabourne, who was serving as an aide to her father.

In 1973, Lady Mountbatten received the honour of being appointed Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Kent. She is also a serving Magistrate and is connected with numerous service organizations.

On 15 June, 1974 Lady Mountbatten was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. In this capacity, she succeeded her cousin, the Lady Patricia Ramsay, and continued the close association which the Regiment has enjoyed with her family.

On 27 August, 1979 Lady Mountbatten's father, Lord Louis, Earl Mountbatten of Burma, was assassinated by a bomb planted on his yacht by the Irish Republican Army. Also killed was Lady Mountbatten's son Nicholas, her mother-in-law and a 15-year-old farm boy. After the death of her father, Lady Mountbatten succeeded to his titles and is now Countess Mountbatten of Burma, CBE, CD, JP, DL. However, to the Officers and Men of her Regiment, she prefers to be addressed as Lady Patricia.