Lady Davina Lewis

Lady Davina Lewis
Born	Davina Elizabeth Alice Benedikte Windsor 19 November 1977 St Mary's Hospital, London, England
Alma mater	University of the West of England
Spouse(s)	Gary Lewis (m. 2004)
Children	Senna Kowhai Lewis Tāne Mahuta Lewis
Parent(s)	Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester

Lady Davina Elizabeth Alice Benedikte Lewis (born Windsor on 19 November 1977) is the elder daughter of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and his wife Birgitte van Deurs.^[1][2] She is 28th in the line of succession to the British throne.^[3]

Early life and education

Lady Davina was born in London at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington.^[4] She was baptized on 19 February 1978 at Barnwell Parish Church.^[5] She grew up in Kensington Palace.^[6] Lady Davina was educated at Kensington Preparatory School in Notting Hill, followed by St. George's School, Ascot. She is a graduate of the University of the West of England, with a degree in media studies. In 2002, she was dating Rupert Young.^[7]

Marriage and children

On 31 July 2004, Lady Davina married Gary Christie Lewis (born in 1970), a New Zealander. Lewis is a carpenter and a surfing enthusiast, and has a son, Ari (born 1992) from a previous relationship.^[8] The couple had known each other for four years, having met on holiday in Bali.^[9] For several years, the couple kept their relationship secret.^[10] He is the son of Larry Lewis, who was runner-up in the Golden Shears in 1982,^[11][12] and nephew of the author Witi Ihimaera.

Gary Lewis is also the first person of known Māori descent to join the extended Royal Family, or to marry the daughter of a British prince.^[13] As a legitimate descendant in the male line of King George II and therefore a potential heir to the British throne, the Royal Marriages Act 1772 required that Royal Assent to the wedding be obtained in advance for the marriage to be legal and the descendants thereof to inherit rights of succession to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms, including that of New Zealand. On 20 July 2004, the Queen-in-Council formally declared her consent to Lady Davina's union with Lewis.^[14] The wedding took place at the chapel of Kensington Palace, Lady Davina's childhood home.^[15] Apart from the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the bride's siblings, no other members of the Royal Family were present at the wedding; only close friends and family were involved.^[16]

Lady Davina and her husband have a daughter, Senna Kowhai, who was born on 22 June 2010^[17] and a son, Tāne Mahuta, who was born 25 May 2012. Her son was named after the Tāne Mahuta, a giant kauri tree in the Waipoua Forest of Northland Region, New Zealand.^[18]

Until 26 March 2015 Tāne had been ahead of Senna in the line of succession to the British throne, as the monarchy's 300 year old Act of Settlement gave sons priority over daughters regardless of when they were born. When the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 took effect in all Commonwealth realms in 2015, as Lady Davina's eldest child Senna became the nearest relative of the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, to be affected by the change in law, which advanced Senna's proximity to the Crown by reversing her place in the order of succession with that of her younger brother: Senna and Tāne became the 29th and 30th in line respectively.^[19] Davina's children were the first members of the family to be affected by this change.^[20]

Lady Davina does not carry out official functions, but does attend family events including royal weddings.^[21][22] Lady Davina and Gary Lewis were invited to attend the Queen's reception for members of the New Zealand All Blacks at Buckingham Palace in 2005.^[23] She and her husband also attended the royal wedding in 2011.^[24]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Lady Davina Lewis

16. Edward VII of the United Kingdom               8. George V of the United Kingdom                       17. Princess Alexandra of Denmark               4. Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester                             18. Francis, Duke of Teck               9. Princess Mary of Teck                       19. Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge               2. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester                                   20. William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch               10. John Montagu Douglas Scott, 7th Duke of Buccleuch                       21. Louisa Jane Hamilton               5. Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott                             22. George Bridgeman, 4th Earl of Bradford               11. Lady Margaret Bridgeman                       23. Ida Frances Annabella Lumley               1. Lady Davina Lewis                                         24. Henrik Pedersen               12. Anders Peder Henriksen                       25. Maren Rasmussen               6. Asger Preben Knud Wissing Henriksen                             26. Niels Sorensen Wissing               13. Sorine Caroline Wissing                       27. Jette Marie Andreasen Hoppe               3. Birgitte van Deurs                                   28. Harald Valdemar van Deurs               14. Osvald Valdemar van Deurs                       29. Marie Elise Bodenhoff               7. Vivian van Deurs                             15. Anni Bach

References

1. Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. "Burke’s Royal Families of the World: Volume II Africa & the Middle East, Addendum to Volume I, 1980, pp. 312. ISBN 0-85011-029-7
2. "People in the News". Joplin Globe. 22 December 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
3. Royal Central. 4 May 2015 How Does the Succession Look Now?. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
4. "Duchess Leaves With Baby". Corsicana Daily Sun. 27 November 1977. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
5. "Baptismal Day". Medina County Gazette. 20 February 1978. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
6. Jackson, Lorne (1 August 2004). "Lady Davina Marries a Sheep Shearer". Sunday Mercury. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
7. Nicholl, Katie (10 March 2002). "Royal Links Make Will the Posh Idol". Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
8. "Lady Davina quits London for life in Auckland with Maori husband". Hello Online. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
9. "Royal to marry a sheep shearer". London: The Daily Mail Online. 31 July 2004. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
10. "Exclusive: The Royal and the Sheep-Shearer". The Mirror. 3 April 2004. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
11. "Open Shearing - Second shear British Breed, Sheep". Golden Shears - Masterton, New Zealand. Shearing World. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
12. Thomson, Ainsley (6 April 2004). "Gazza unfazed by new royal in-laws". National News (APN Holdings NZ - New Zealand Herald). Retrieved 3 November 2010.
13. "The Picture that Reveals the Changing Face of the Royal Family... and Families Everywhere". Daily Mail. 20 May 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
14. Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society. Royal Marriages Act, 1772. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
15. "British royal marries Maori builder". The Sydney Morning Herald Online. 2 August 2004. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
16. "Kensington Palace Hosts Royal Wedding". Brandon Sun. 1 August 2004. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
17. Walker, Tim (30 June 2010). "Duke and Duchess of Gloucester celebrate birth of their first granddaughter". The Telegraph (London). Retrieved 1 July 2010.
18. "Kiwi royal named for king of forest". The New Zealand Herald. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
19. "What do the new royal succession changes mean?" at Royal Central website, 26 March 2015 (retrieved 29 January 2016).
20. Rayner, Gordon; Prince, Rosa (4 May 2015). "How Princess Charlotte's Birth Has Changed the House of Windsor Family Tree". The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
21. "First Family". The Birtle Eye Witness. 17 July 1985. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via Newspaper Archive. (subscription required (help)).
22. Barton, Fiona (15 November 1998). "The Highgrove Guest List". Daily Mail. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
23. Royalty and statesmen
24. "'Denny and Gazza' on Guest List for Abbey". New Zealand Herald. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2016 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).