Princess Alexandra's husband dies

Sir Angus Ogilvy battled with cancer and recently suffered pneumonia

Sir Angus Ogilvy, husband of Princess Alexandra, has died.

The 76-year-old passed away at Kingston Hospital, south west London, near his home at Richmond Park, after a long illness.

Buckingham Palace said that the Queen had expressed "great sorrow" when she learned of his death on Boxing Day morning.

Sir Angus, who married Princess Alexandra in 1963, battled with cancer and recently suffered pneumonia.

The Rev Jonathan Riviere, rector of Sandringham, said prayers for him during a service attended by the royal family at St Mary Magdalen Church on the royal Norfolk estate near Kings Lynn.

Balancing act

No further details of his death or funeral arrangements are expected until Monday.

During his life, Sir Angus turned down grace-and-favour accommodation and a peerage offered by the Queen on his marriage, and insisted on paying his own way.

He maintained a delicate balancing act between loyal royal consort and sometimes beleaguered businessman.

Educated at Eton and Oxford, his work in the City proved lucrative.

His success continued when entrepreneur Harley Drayton took him under his wing at the fledgling company Lonrho.

Stormy period

By 1973, Lonrho's trade record and practices were criticised and the then Prime Minister, Edward Heath, called the Lonhro affair the "unacceptable face of capitalism".

Sir Angus resigned that same year and a government report in 1976 accused him of being severely "negligent in his duties".

He was later cleared of any wrongdoing and returned to corporate work, including his position of "roving ambassador" for Sotheby's.

The spotlight fell on his family again in 1989, the same year as Angus Ogilvy received his knighthood.

Family strife

His unmarried daughter Marina, 24th in line to the throne and defiantly independent, announced her intention to have a child.

In the press, she portrayed her parents as disapproving figures from the Victorian era.

She also wrote to the Queen, her "cousin Lillibet", asking for help.

Her fiance Paul Mowatt accused Ogilvy of snobbery and the Ogilvies felt compelled to issue a statement, expressing concern for their daughter and their wish to be reconciled with her.