See Photos of Queen Elizabeth's Cousin the Duke of Gloucester Throughout His Life

When Prince Richard was born in 1944, he was fifth in line to the British throne. His father, Prince Henry, was the third son of King George V and Queen Mary, and his mother, Princess Alice, was a distant descendant of King Charles II. Growing up, Richard was not expected to inherit his father's Duke of Gloucester title; that was passing to his elder brother, Prince William.

Richard went to school and practiced as an architect—until Prince William tragically died in 1972 at age 30 in a plane crash. In 1974, upon the death of his father, Richard inherited the peerages that were meant to go to his older brother: Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster, and Baron Culloden. Since, Prince Richard has been a low-key member of the royal family. Here, all the best photos of Queen Elizabeth's cousin Prince Richard throughout his life: