Arthur William Patrick Albert

Prince Arthur was the third son of Queen Victoria and Prince Consort Albert, and was the first member of the British Royal Family to become Governor General of Canada. He completed a military career which included formal education at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, followed by service in Canada during the Red River Rebellion (1870). Created duke (1874), he served in Egypt. Then he moved to India and held the Bombay command (1886-1890). He was promoted to full general in 1893 and field marshal in 1902. Returning to England, the duke held various military appointments, notably Commander-in-Chief in Ireland (19001904), inspector general to the forces (19041907), and Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean (19071909). Disappointed by his failure to succeed the Duke of Cambridge as Commander-in-Chief of the British army in 1895, as Governor General of Canada he took his nominal position as Commander-in-Chief of the Canadian Militia more seriously than he ought, particularly during World War I. His advice, opinions and insistence on being consulted about the details of war administration created considerable tension between him and the minister of militia, Sam Hughes, and stretched his constitutional position and the patience of Prime Minister Robert L. Borden to the limit. After his term as governor general, the Duke of Connaught returned to military service for the remainder of the war. Thereafter he presided over various state functions over the years and finally withdrew from public life in 1928.