Rupert Cambridge, Viscount Trematon

Rupert Alexander George Cambridge, born Prince Rupert of Teck, (24 August 1907–15 April 1928) was a great grandson of Queen Victoria. During World War I, the British Royal Family relinquished their Germanic titles, and Prince Rupert assumed the style Viscount Trematon in 1917.

Early life

Prince Rupert was born on August 24, 1907 at Claremont House, Esher, Surrey, England. His father was Prince Alexander of Teck, the second eldest son of Prince Francis, Duke of Teck and Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge. His mother was Princess Alexander of Teck (née Princess Alice of Albany), the daughter of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany. Rupert took his title of Prince of Teck and style, His Serene Highness, from his father and was known as Prince Rupert of Teck.

Prince Rupert was a hemophiliac, a condition he inherited from his mother. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Viscount Trematon

During World War I, anti-German feeling in the United Kingdom led Rupert's uncle King George V to change the name of the Royal House from the Germanic House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to the more English-sounding House of Windsor. The King also renounced all his Germanic titles for himself and all members of the British Royal Family who were British citizens, including Rupert.

In response to this, Prince Alexander, Rupert's father, renounced his title of a Prince of Teck in the Kingdom of Württemberg and the style His Serene Highness. Alexander, along with his other Teck relation, Prince Adolphus of Teck, adopted the name Cambridge, after their maternal grandfather, Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge.

A few days later, the King created his brother-in-law Earl of Athlone and Viscount Trematon. Alexander was now styled The Right Honourable Earl of Athlone. Rupert adopted the courtesy title of Viscount Trematon. His mother retained her title of Princess of Great Britain and Ireland with the style Her Royal Highness and became known as Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone.

Death

The Viscount Trematon was killed in a car crash in France on April 15, 1928. He was buried in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. His death, following the death of his brother Prince Maurice of Teck in 1910, meant that the title of Earl of Athlone became extinct in 1957 when his father died.